[Dixielandjazz] Tune Lists for gigs

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

I like to use a variation of that but the only reason I might want a list is 
to ensure that I don't call a tune twice.

BUT I also work for a guy that's very adamant about an order before each 
set.  He's very a**l about it.  He pulls the tunes for the hour and rarely 
varies from it.  I have to say in the past five or six years he's gotten 
better at it but I have also watched him kill a crowd who was dancing like 
crazy to a particular type of music only to hit them with several things 
they could care less about.

Lists are great for concerts but not so good for live crowds who may want to 
dance.

When I was more active in the clubs and dances the vocalist would be picking 
something while we were playing and while she was taking a chorus I would be 
thinking of the next tune.  Reading a crowd is an art and Lists are paint by 
number.

Personally I would rather not use one but if in a concert situation with an 
audience staring at us I prefer having the tunes pre ordered where everyone 
just turns pages.  It saves a lot of "Hey I don't have that one".  This is 
assuming music is being used.

On an improv gig a general list is good enough.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Russ Guarino" <russg at redshift.com>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 7:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Tune Lists for gigs


> Another advantage of Steve's approach is that the band members have only a 
> few moments to think about how they will play the tune  and
> I feel this is the challenge and fun of being on the bandstand, planing 
> the gig.
>
> Russ Guarino
>
> Steve Barbone wrote:
>
>> Ginny makes a good point about tune lists. Certainly there should be no
>> discussions on the bandstand about the next tune and/or a vote by the
>> sidemen as to what they want to play. Not even in "All Star" bands  put
>> together for jam sessions. The session leader gets the big bucks to lead 
>> and
>> that's what he/she should do.
>>
>> While my band does not use an advance list, except in rare instances, we 
>> do
>> not have gaps in the performance choosing the next tune either. Sometimes
>> part of my shtick is to ask the band for a tune selection and then after 
>> a
>> very few seconds of mock discussion say.; "We can't make up our mind for 
>> the
>> next tune so we are going to play "Undecided".
>>
>> What I do, as band leader, is choose the first tune before we get on the
>> stand. Then while we are playing it and one of the guys/gals is soloing, 
>> I
>> look at my tune list for a second tune. Pick a different key/different 
>> tempo
>> tune. Then when my patter between tunes is over, I call the tune over the
>> microphone to the audience, which is usually the first time the band 
>> knows
>> what it is.
>>
>> Why? Because I like to gauge the audience reaction. I look at their eyes,
>> their feet, their expressions and try and get an empathetic feel for what
>> turns them on, or not. And I also think it helps the sidemen pay 
>> attention
>> not knowing what they are going to play until the last minute. And I 
>> believe
>> it helps them be more creative when improvising.
>>
>> It works for us, and may not work for others.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Steve Barbone
>>
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>
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