[Dixielandjazz] Piano tips

[Criss719 at wmconnect.com]

Thanks Rich. The first time I ever set in with a band, I was lost as to what 
to do. They were playing in keys that I never played in. I played in the 
"normal" keys like C, Eb, F, G Ab, Bb but they played in E, A and D.

After my first experience of playing with a band and feeling like a lost 
child, I started really listening to the piano in every song. Amazingly, I didn't 
hear it very often. Yet, when watching someone play, they looked like they 
were busy playing.

I've watched Billy Kyle play with Louie Armstrong on youtube so much and he 
makes it look so easy and natural. That's how I want to play.

 I was told by the band that I kinda overplayed and wasn't invited to sit in 
with them again for a long, long time. But after listening and asking 
questions for months and months, then next time I got to sit in, they said: wow, Criss 
has really been practcing. 
The only problem I had was with the bass player, who wanted to be the 
featured, most important musician. I played a stride style but learned to stay off 
the bass and to let him have it.

Criss

PS It was a country band. I've never had the opportunity to sit in playing 
the piano in a dixieland band.