[Dixielandjazz] Band Loyalty

[Larry Walton Entertainment]

Beth = they can sound as if they've been playing together for years and no 
one
in the audience is any the wiser.

I was playing a gig with a friend that I rarely play with.  A guy asked me 
how long had we been playing together and I said oh about 45 minutes.
Larry
St.L


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Beth Schweitzer" <beth at portafortuna.com>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 9:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Band Loyalty


> Just to add my two cents from a listener's point of view:
>
> I think it depends on:
>
> a) if the band plays and is known for intricate arrangements, or if they
> play more standard arrangements that most professionals are familiar
> with
>
> b) how much the band is identified by the individual players, and if the
> replacements are for key front-liners or not, and how many subs there
> are
>
> c) the caliber of the subs, of course
>
> If I went to see the St. Louis Rivermen, and  Red Lehr was not there, or
> Cornet Chop Suey and Brian Casserly was not there or the Nighthawks and
> Vince Giordano was not there, etc., I would be highly disappointed.
>
> By the same token, if Red was there but Noel Kaletsky was not, I would
> still be disappointed, but depending on the replacement would still
> enjoy the group, I'm sure. When Dave Tatrow replaced Steve Lilley at a
> recent festival I was disappointed to not see Steve, and the chemistry
> was very different from the usual Rivermen experience, but it was still
> very enjoyable and a supplied a fresh twist on some of the numbers. But
> if both Noel and Steve had been replaced I think it would start to feel
> like a pick-up band instead of the Rivermen.
>
> Note I said pick-up band and not jammers - two very different things. I
> think of jammers as mostly amateurs who are sometimes quite talented but
> not regular players. Pick up bands however are usually professionals who
> play often in other bands but get together for some reason to play with
> a group that maybe has never played together before. If they stick to
> pretty standard arrangements and are capable of following a good leader,
> they can sound as if they've been playing together for years and no one
> in the audience is any the wiser.
>
> And yes, Steve, there are fans who follow certain bands. I obviously
> follow the Rivermen, and also Chop Suey and the St. Louis Stompers to
> some extent. I will also go to a festival based on which bands are
> there. I will look to see which festivals the Rivermen are playing and
> then choose from them based on the other bands - Bob Schulz is a big
> draw for me, as are the Nighthawks, and in the past, Buck Creek.
>
> But back to Bob's original point - if all but the leader of a band were
> subbed, I as an audience member would feel slighted unless the sum of
> the subs was greater than the individual parts.
>
> Cheers,
> Beth Schweitzer
> St. Louis
>
>
>
>
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