[Dixielandjazz] vocals - Musical ADHD

Fri May 25 14:19:47 PDT 2007

 Young lady who sings with the Queen City group out of Denver is an asset to
any band or concert in which she takes part. I apologize that I've lost her
name ----- Wendy?????----- as it's been several years since I had the
pleasure of hearing her.  She has a very distinctive style of her own and
can also do an excellent job of "in the style of Bessie Smith" or "in the
style of Chippie Hill."  I'd travel to a festival just to hear her (and
have.)

Mart

Martin D. McKay, Designated listener

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Ron L'Herault
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2007 3:39 PM
To: Martin D. McKay
Cc: 'Dixieland Jazz Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] vocals - Musical ADHD

The Salty Dogs' vocalist was/is? Carol Leigh.  She was super when I saw her
several years ago and to top it off she wore authentic twenties era clothing
(and wore them very well, indeed!).

Ron

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Larry Walton
Entertainment - St. Louis
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2007 2:36 PM
To: lherault at bu.edu
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] vocals - Musical ADHD

With my big Dixie band I have a Female Vocalist who is pretty good and works

the crowd.  There is room for improvement but I think she's worth having in
the band.

We are starting to do a lot of vocals.  When I work as a duo I do a lot
more, almost every tune has a vocal chorus.  With the big band I don't do as

many.  I tend to sing the old favorites like Jada, Carolina In The Morning
etc.

Just having a female vocalist is also not the norm around here.  I was
impressed with a vocalist that was with the Salty Dogs.  I think that was
the group anyway.  They were here at a jazz fest about 7 or 8 years ago. 
She could really work the crowd and was a big hit.

So I'm giving it a try with a vocalist and a couple of others sing some too.

I just think it helps you connect with people more and if you do that you
can do well.  I have performed with strictly instrumental groups and some of

them have been very good but there's something lacking.

I understand that musicians like to stand up and play solos and show off but

I'm not so much about that.  I prefer doing a lot of tunes an hour and that
the band be more ensemble oriented rather than a string of solos.  There is
another advantage to this and that is you don't have to have killer
musicians in every chair to put on a good show.

If you expect a musician who hasn't the chops to play solos every tune then
you will have a hole in every tune.  I think it's better to let people do
what they can do well and if it's only 8 bars then it's only 8 bars.  I
would much rather have a musician be able to take a good 8 bar solo than
expect the same person to hack through things he isn't capable of.

I guess I must get bored fast but I just don't like long extended solos.  I
came to that conclusion when I was in the AF and I was playing lead tenor
with the big band.  There was an extended solo that went like 3 or 4
choruses on Sweet Georgia Brown. At least the second two choruses had 
something to play against.   I would just run out of things to say by the 
end of the second chorus but it went on and on and on.  I'm sorry but 32
bars is enough for anyone and even that's too much a lot of times.

I like things changing off -  That could come from the clicker mentality
that we have now - get bored - Click!!  Maybe I have Musical ADHD.
Larry
St. Louis
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Kashishian" <jim at kashprod.com>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2007 10:28 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] vocals

>
> I'll just have to add my thoughts to this one...
>
> Vocals/singers have always been the "naughty word" amongst 
> instrumentalists.
> Standing in the background while a singer "fronts" the band is not 
> normally what we like to do.
>
> However, in our kind of music, one tends to run into the "singer 
> within the band" more than having to back a singer for a whole set.  
> And, yes, I do believe strongly that this is something audiences like.
>
> Perhaps the common person is able to "connect" easier with the 
> vocalist than a musician.  (Everyone can sing, well or poorly, but not 
> all have the knowledge of a musical instrument.)
>
> I carry the tune in our band, and I know as a fact that without the 
> vocals

> a
> lot of our gigs wouldn't happen.  That is not because I have some kind 
> of great voice, but has more to do with the above mentioned fact.
>
> Those in our band have all had too many years backing some very 
> well-known singers, and prefer to leave all that behind us.  The odd 
> chorus sung by yours truly is acceptable & works commercially.
>
> Funny story:  once, during a sorta wild version of Darktown Strutter's 
> Ball I dropped the microphone.  Instead of picking it up, I threw 
> myself on the floor after the thing....misjudged the distance, & 
> smashed my lip on the mic.  When I stood up (still singing 
> energetically), there was blood all over the mic, my shirt, etc.  The 
> audience went wild! I think it brought out the bullfighting spirit in 
> them & they probably wanted to see if an ear
> would be cut off next!!   :>
>
> Jim
>
>
>
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