[Dixielandjazz] Rehearsal

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Yes, of course I have heard musicians sit-in on last minute notice and  heard 
the result be as tight as if they played with the group regularly and for  
years.  It's a wondrous skill. I admire it and love watching it in  action.
 
I have also paid money for concerts to hear bands who say they never  
rehearse.  Sometimes they have even made that clear to the audience at the  concert 
as a matter of "pride" that they are unrehearsed?  I beg to correct  some of 
them since I was de facto spending money to listen to their  rehearsal; i.e., 
train wrecks at the concert.  So, if the shoe  fits........
I don't know why taking an audience for granted is a basis for pride.
 
I also do not think rehearsals have to be so circumscribed that they  
eliminate jazz improvisation.
 
And while I'm on my rant.  Many thanks to those of you who come up  with your 
playlists before you are on stage instead of five minute  discussions before 
every number during the concert.  I can handle it if you  want to take one 
minute to review who takes which chorus, use hand signals  and change course 
during the number, etc.  I can totally understand if, for  whatever reason, you 
skip a tune on your list, substitute one, etc.  But I  would prefer not to watch 
you disagree, reject each other suggestions of which  tune to play next, more 
or less take a vote before proceeding.  When you do  all that for several 
minutes even the attentive audience does not hear you  begin your number with 
clear and focused attention.
 
So if your CDs are not selling at concerts you might want to re-read my  
post.  
Ginny



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