[Dixielandjazz] a sensible set list

[alevy at alevy.com]

My nickel's worth (inflation),
I played restaurants and clubs for about 30 years.
Mostly with a quartet consisting of Trpt., Sax, Piano
and drums. (That's Piano not Keyboard!)
What is more, there was a time I booked 3 or 4
bands for various locations,under my name, at the
same time using sub-leaders.

None of the above means I know what I am doing
but here is what worked for me.

I never used pre-conceived ideas for sets nor set
lists. Instead I would eyeball the audience. That was
for age groups, attention (are they eating or waiting)
etc. I had to get a feel for what would grab their attention
and get a reaction. If I saw tables with older people I
knew a nice slow ballad would make it happen.

A short story. I worked with a big band in Houston. I was
called by a buddy on Long Island that the U. of H. was
looking for a "Mew York" style band (whatever that means)
for their New York Festival. I turned the phone number over
to the leader I was working with. (mistake number one)
The gig was on the Mexican border about 3 1/2 hours south
of Houston. (Oh well) 5 sax, 4 trpts, 4 bones, 4 rhythm +
three or four vocalists. I suggested he ask for $22,000.00.
Nope! he signed a contract for $100.00 per man + travel expenses 
(another $100.00) and paid hotel. 

O.K.it would be an experience. I drove down with the drummer and
one of the singers. (we split the cost) and I found a great Oriental
buffet, half way to the gig. It was so good that we stopped there on 
the way home also.

The party planners booked two bands. Two stages. We set up on one
and the "authentic New York Latin group" set up across the way.
I learned that they were flown in at the school's expense, free boarding
and $1,000.00 per man! They weren't even New Yorker's but I never told.
They were warming up with a two chord mambo and I kinda joined them
from across the hall. My band leader, whom shall remain nameless, almost
had a heart attack."Don't Do That!" I stopped. - The hall was empty,
just people setting up tables, some security and us.

We set up stands, lights, audio, microphones, music books and left for
dinner. - 3 hours prior to the affair.

When the dinner party / dance began the leader called "The Lady In Red".
He wanted to show the Latin group what we could do.
O.M.G. 
I screamed "No!"  Those guys will play modern day salsa with electronic gear, lights,
special effects and more!. 

I played this dreary chart in high school, 1948.

We played "The Lady In Red" with no calves, no maracas, no bongos, no timbale!
  Yikes!

Through out the first set I pleaded "play a ballad". There were lots of folks who
looked like alumni and perhaps we could get them to dance.
So, it was a disaster. He had to show me that he knew more of what to do.

Our second set. The ballroom is full of lively people. The decor is paper machete 
images of the Empire State Bldg., the Statue Of Liberty, a mock up of
Tines Square... on and on! He calls "Chicago" not the standard but from the
Broadway show. Also - get ready with "All That Jazz"
>From the piano bench: Nooooooooooooooooo!
Try "New York New York", you know, the sinatra tune.
Nothing doing. He refused. Our audience reacted with a large round of indifference.
I gave up and just followed directions for the rest of the night.

I know that best, I am a trouble maker.

End of the night: about thirty couples at tables talking.
The other band left an hour earlier.

Our guys were packing up.

I didn't ask - I decided to play "Polka Dots And Moonbeams"
nice relaxed pace. Don't you know - I had people getting up
to dance. The bass player joined in, the drummer stopped
packing up and joined in, a tenor man asked "can I?" and
off we went into musician heaven.

After "faking" a few more tunes, I like doing one or at most
two choruses and then segue, we were getting requests!

End result: after "closing time" we played for an extra hour
taking requests and tips! 

That hour, for me, made the whole trip worth while.

Back to the subject (in the subject heading).
The quartet I headed in the 50's and 60's was primarily a "show" band.
We played two dance sets and two shows a night. The shows consisted
of an emcee, a comic, a singer, a dance team. a stripper and a female
impersonator. Many names acts broke in their new material with us.
The guys were good readers. We rehearsed the acts at a dinner table,
singing our parts, picking out the "difficult" parts. That meant key changes,
tempo changes, endings, intros and on like that. We had five or more
acts, with three to five songs each - full rehearsal usually 15 to 30 minutes.

Dance sets - at last:
 My sax player claimed he couldn't fake tunes, he lied.  
I was used to someone who could, so I started writing 
charts in spiral books for the 4 instruments.

So, now we could fake a tune or two and then, at the same tempo
turn to the "book" and sound more organized.

I had arrangements in many tempos from ballads to peabodys,
show tunes to ragtine, t.v. themes to be-bop.

After a while you learn the "grabbers" and I chose them at the end of the set.
You know - like "The Saints Go Marching In" or What A Wonderful World".
As a matter of fact i don't know if we ever played either of those, just using
the titles for examples. 

I will tell you this, I know that the drummer and I sat all the time 
and the other two could stand at will. I would only "stand" if
I decided to do A Jerry Lee or Little Richard impression.

I am a "ham" so despite my lousy voice I would sing. When the spirit hit me
I would do impressions of George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Frankie Carle,
Ray Charles, Nat Cole, Matt Dennis and others.

In conclusion (at last) Check your audience. Try to put yourself in their
shoes. Then, please them and most importantly please yourself.

P.S. I still have those combo charts and they still work. 
Unfortunately,I don't.

Cheers,
Al
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