[Dixielandjazz] FW: Beginner sit-ins

[Jim Kashishian]

Steve has issued even another "truth":
>The only way to become a competent jazz musician is to perform live with a
professional band........


What happened to getting together with buddies of your own age, a record
player (ok, CD player) & your horns?  This is how my original California
gang started. So, sitting in is obviously not the "only way"!

In the 1950's when I began, there were clubs with 6 & 7 nights of jazz.
There was Teddy Buckner's band at the Beverly Caverns, and you might get
asked to sit-in on a slow Sunday night.  If it was a hot Saturday night,
there were certainly no invites!  The paying crowd got the band they paid
for. Sit-ins were not the order of the day.  And, later, the band moved to a
bowling alley gig, and the sit-ins were certainly not on there. 

Any young musicians we see at our gigs are interested in talking with us,
getting tips, but don't have their horns with them. 

We do see one type of sit-ins who carry with them more than their horn.
They tend to come in with a girlfriend they just picked up, and a gang of
her friends.  The purpose of the sit-in?  To show their stuff in front of
their new found friends, and the band is nothing but a tool to be used.  I
can see that coming the second the door opens. We just don't give out an
invitation now. When we have done it in the past, after the sit-in there
might be screams from the girls, hugs to their new hero, and not even a
"thanks" from the sit-in to the band. This isn't learning, it's called
"showing off"!  And, most of this type have little to show off.

A different type came in recently.  You could see it immediately in his
behavior.  Had his trombone in his carry bag over his shoulder.  We were on
a break, and I spoke with him.  "Yeah, from NYC...just travelling through",
etc.  We talked about styles, common known musicians, then I asked him if he
wanted to blow.  He did, and was great fun.  He noticed we normally did one
of two choruses...so, he did the same.  Stood behind a bit, did a scat duo
with me, but never took the mic off me (they often do, standing out in front
of the band!). He thanked every single member of the band profusely
afterward, using his basic Spanish as best he could.  He was travelling with
Bruce Springsteen, but that only came out at the end.  He just wanted a
little freedom to play what was in his head rather than the arrangements of
the gig.  

The good ones don't need to show off, and just enjoy listening, or might be
encouraged to sit-in, if pushed.

And, how 'bout this old story?  A girl singer starting out (back in the
70's) used to come in regularly for a sit-in.  But, after awhile, she wasn't
content with the 3rd set sit-in.  She wanted the second set.  When asked
why, she said "that's when the place is crowded".  She was after the
applause, not the learning.  When we said it was the 3rd or nothing, she got
angry & left.  Has never spoken to us again!

There is a fine line between a band helping, and a band being used.....

Jim