[Dixielandjazz] Playimg Concerts with subs

[Stephen G Barbone]

On Jul 21, 2011, at 3:04 PM, Larry Walton Entertainment wrote:

> It depends on what kind of arrangements you are using.  If charts  
> then find some good readers.  If intricate head charts then less to  
> not very successful.  If a more free flowing jazz with tunes most  
> musicians know then probably no problem and very successful.  Just  
> find musicians that know jazz.

Ours are all head arrangements. For things like breaks, or volume  
changes we simply signal and for key changes, we simply point up or  
down, or if not a  one step change, then I holler out the change. Most  
of the musicians in my group of calls know the usual 250 or so  
standard Dixieland tunes, and another 250 or so American Songbook  
tunes so for us, it is not much of a problem to put a tune list  
together.

In essence, we are a Condon Style, soloist oriented, Dixieland Band.  
Tonight's gig is a one hour concert with about 10 tunes. For a new  
client and venue. Therefore no problem to put together a show they  
will appreciate.

Personally, I am not much of a reader anymore. I am in the school of  
those who thinks reading inhibits creativity. So when we learn a new  
tune, we simply read it once or twice, and then put away the lead  
sheets and commit the melody and chord changes to memory.

I do the same thing as a sideman in Tex Wyndham's local band and he  
has a book of almost 1500 tunes. On gigs, the only people reading are  
the piano and banjo and they are simply reading chord charts.  
Thankful;ly then, piano and banjo play the same chords. The rest of us  
ear it or have memorized the chords. On about 2/3rds of his book, Tex  
knows the lead line cold. If we play a really obscure tune, he'll get  
out the piano sheet music from his collection in order to read the  
lead. Sometimes having to sight transpose into the  key he plays it in.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband