3 Hour Solo Gig... No Breaks...
Ted Vieira
This topic never crossed my mind until Saturday when I played a solo gig for
three hours without taking a break. The gig was at an large antique store in
Carson City, NV and just when I'd think about taking a break some of the
galleries patrons would sit right by me to listen so I'd keep going.
It worked out fine and I ended up selling a few more CDs that day due to the
fact that I didn't take any breaks. My left hand was definitely a little
tired by the end of the gig, but it was an enjoyable challenge for the day.
Ted Vieira
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Bio Info, Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, Articles, hear my CDs and more...
--
Soloing Over Altered Chords: 4 ways to use melodic
minor scales to solo over altered dominant chords.
View at: http://TedVieira.com/altered/index.html
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
gozy
I hate solo gigs. So on one I decided to issue a challenge to myself that I
could go four hours straight for no other reason than to make it
interesting. So I did. No big deal. I just pretended I was an umpire of a
double header.
Oscar Bearinger
>
>What's the longest gig you've ever played without taking any breaks?
>galleries patrons would sit right by me to listen so I'd keep going.
Good for you, Ted! Another variation of "the customer is always right"
Longest solo gig I've done so far is about 3/4 hour. And it wasn't me
who needed the break - I think it was the audience :-) !!
Swinger Oscar
Gerry Scott-Moore
<con...@tedvieira.com> wrote:
> This topic never crossed my mind until Saturday when I played a solo gig for
> three hours without taking a break. The gig was at an large antique store in
> Carson City, NV and just when I'd think about taking a break some of the
> galleries patrons would sit right by me to listen so I'd keep going.
This tells me you're not drinking enough fluids...
--
///--- Nazodesu no more.
paul
wrote:
>What's the longest gig you've ever played without taking any breaks?
>
I think about 2 hours for me. Some guy in nyc just played piano for 50
something hours straight and got into the guiness book of world
records!
yesterday I set a personal record of 3 gigs in a row, a half hour in
between each.
--paul
MBR
-------------------------------
Solo gigs can be a challenge but they can also be hard on your hands.
At least for us old guys. You may be risking tendonitis by playing for
that long without a break.
Clay Moore
> What's the longest gig you've ever played without taking any breaks?
>
> This topic never crossed my mind until Saturday when I played a solo gig for
> three hours without taking a break. The gig was at an large antique store in
> Carson City, NV and just when I'd think about taking a break some of the
> galleries patrons would sit right by me to listen so I'd keep going.
>
> It worked out fine and I ended up selling a few more CDs that day due to the
> fact that I didn't take any breaks. My left hand was definitely a little
> tired by the end of the gig, but it was an enjoyable challenge for the day.
HI Ted,
I do a 2.5 hour duo gig with a sax player every Monday with no breaks.
The gig started as an informal session a few years ago, with horn
players using Band-in-a-Box and Aebersold records to play with, and
since there were several horn guys there they just played straight
through. When the leader hired me to take over while he was in Fla.
for the winter he had me play one or two gigs with him before he left,
and that was they way he ran it, and we've kept it going that way -
minus the playalongs. Really it's not so different. We are right next
to the drinks cooler and can get ourselves whatever we want, and it's
very laid back, so I don't feel especially tired afterwards. Plus,
with a lot of gigs people want to talk on breaks and it can be a
challenge just to get some water or hit the bathroom.
Clay Moore
http://www.claymoore.com/
Joe Finn
> What's the longest gig you've ever played without taking any breaks?
>
> This topic never crossed my mind until Saturday when I played a solo gig
for
> three hours without taking a break. The gig was at an large antique store
in
> Carson City, NV and just when I'd think about taking a break some of the
> galleries patrons would sit right by me to listen so I'd keep going.
>
> It worked out fine and I ended up selling a few more CDs that day due to
the
> fact that I didn't take any breaks. My left hand was definitely a little
> tired by the end of the gig, but it was an enjoyable challenge for the
day.
I did a solo gig at the Albany Institute of History and Art this fall for
three hours with no break. It was an open house so there were a lot of
people milling around and it was a lot of fun. I was on the third floor and
there were two other solo musicians on floors one and two. I'm not sure if
they went straight through or not.
I also did a New Year's eve gig about three years ago that was memorable.
The leader asked me to play with his eight piece band and also to play
during the band's intermissions so the room would have continuous music. He
said to go ahead and take my breaks during the band's sets whenever I liked.
This was great but the band sounded so good that I couldn't put the guitar
down. That was four hours straight through after an earlier nursing home
gig.
What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment. .....joe
--
Visit me on the web. www.JoeFinn.net
-----------== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Uncensored Usenet News ==----------
http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----= Over 100,000 Newsgroups - Unlimited Fast Downloads - 19 Servers =-----
Pete Smith
I have also done 4 hour "cocktail" gigs without a break on quite a few
occasions....and I would NOT recommend it! 4 hours of chord melody
playing really takes it out of the tendons and the following day I
experienced all sorts of different aches and pains in my left hand and
fingers, I put it down to a touch of over-use but it took days to get
better and on subsequent occasions it was the same. I usually play for
at least 4 hours EVERY day so it wasn`t as though I was out of
"condidtion", I just think that it is too long and far from being
beneficial I found it positivly damaging. You really should take a
short break after 1 hour, just to straighten up, walk around, stretch
the tendons in your arms and hands....or do what I did...shared the
money and did it as a duo with another guitarist......much more fun!
Pete Smith.
Ted Vieira
I like solo gigs, but on a lot of them I'll feel pretty creative for the
first hour - hour and a half. After that I start missing having another
player there. I'm with you though, I enjoy looking at this as a challenge.
Ted Vieira
> who needed the break - I think it was the audience :-) !!
>
> Swinger Oscar
>
>
LOL, that's funny man. :-)
Ted Vieira
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, hear my CDs and more...
--
Essential Concepts: A Comprehensive Guide for the
Contemporary Guitarist:
http://tedvieira.com/essentialconcepts/concepts.html
Ted Vieira
>> three hours without taking a break. The gig was at an large antique store in
>> Carson City, NV and just when I'd think about taking a break some of the
>> galleries patrons would sit right by me to listen so I'd keep going.
>
> This tells me you're not drinking enough fluids...
>
> --
> ///--- Nazodesu no more.
LOL... :-)
I love the humor in this group.
Ted
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, hear my CDs and more...
--
The Guitarist Book of Scales & Arpeggios:
http://tedvieira.com/scalesandarp/scalesandarp.html
Ted Vieira
>>
>
> I think about 2 hours for me. Some guy in nyc just played piano for 50
> something hours straight and got into the guiness book of world
> records!
>
> yesterday I set a personal record of 3 gigs in a row, a half hour in
> between each.
>
> --paul
Wow, that makes for a busy day, eh? I've only done that once (3 gigs in one
day). The first was an afternoon gig, and then two of them were in one place
(early and late shift at the Atlantis casino in Reno) so that made it pretty
easy.
Ted Vieira
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Bio Info, Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, Articles, hear my CDs and more...
--
Warm jazz guitar combined with latin & funk:
Check out my CD, "Perfect Night"
at: http://TedVieira.com/sounds.html
Ted Vieira
>
> Solo gigs can be a challenge but they can also be hard on your hands.
> At least for us old guys. You may be risking tendonitis by playing for
> that long without a break.
I've done a few doubles where I'd be playing a solo gig in the afternoon,
then a "band" gig at night, but I'd usually have time in between and then
I'd just feel very warmed up for the night gig.
I have done one solo gig that ended 15 minutes before a "band" gig in the
same hotel. I have to say that my hand felt a little fried on the 2nd gig
that night.
Ted Vieira
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Bio Info, Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, Articles, hear my CDs and more...
--
Listen to my new solo jazz guitar CD, "Quiet Places"
at: http://TedVieira.com/sounds.html
Ted Vieira
>
> I do a 2.5 hour duo gig with a sax player every Monday with no breaks.
> The gig started as an informal session a few years ago, with horn
> players using Band-in-a-Box and Aebersold records to play with, and
> since there were several horn guys there they just played straight
> through. When the leader hired me to take over while he was in Fla.
> for the winter he had me play one or two gigs with him before he left,
> and that was they way he ran it, and we've kept it going that way -
> minus the playalongs. Really it's not so different. We are right next
> to the drinks cooler and can get ourselves whatever we want, and it's
> very laid back, so I don't feel especially tired afterwards. Plus,
> with a lot of gigs people want to talk on breaks and it can be a
> challenge just to get some water or hit the bathroom.
>
> Clay Moore
> http://www.claymoore.com/
Hey Clay,
That sounds like a fun gig. Right now I'm playing solo jazz guitar on my
solo gigs, but I'm thinking about adding background tracks, so I can mix it
up a little. That would make it a little easier on the left hand and I could
do some of the stuff from my CDs, which could maybe help boost CD sales even
more.
Usually I'm ok if I can get a break or two in, but the straight-through
playing can take a bit of a toll by the third hour.
Ted
Ted Vieira
> I did a solo gig at the Albany Institute of History and Art this fall for
> three hours with no break. It was an open house so there were a lot of
> people milling around and it was a lot of fun. I was on the third floor and
> there were two other solo musicians on floors one and two. I'm not sure if
> they went straight through or not.
>
> I also did a New Year's eve gig about three years ago that was memorable.
> The leader asked me to play with his eight piece band and also to play
> during the band's intermissions so the room would have continuous music. He
> said to go ahead and take my breaks during the band's sets whenever I liked.
> This was great but the band sounded so good that I couldn't put the guitar
> down. That was four hours straight through after an earlier nursing home
> gig.
>
> What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment. .....joe
>
> --
> Visit me on the web. www.JoeFinn.net
Seems like you've always got a full schedule, Joe. I know what you mean
about those gigs in which you're able to schedule your own breaks, but
things are going so well you just don't want to stop. That's surely the sign
of a great gig, eh?
Ted
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, hear my CDs and more...
--
The Guitarist Book of Scales & Arpeggios:
http://tedvieira.com/scalesandarp/scalesandarp.html
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
Ted Vieira
> occasions....and I would NOT recommend it! 4 hours of chord melody
> playing really takes it out of the tendons and the following day I
> experienced all sorts of different aches and pains in my left hand and
> fingers, I put it down to a touch of over-use but it took days to get
> better and on subsequent occasions it was the same. I usually play for
> at least 4 hours EVERY day so it wasn`t as though I was out of
> "condidtion", I just think that it is too long and far from being
> beneficial I found it positivly damaging. You really should take a
> short break after 1 hour, just to straighten up, walk around, stretch
> the tendons in your arms and hands....or do what I did...shared the
> money and did it as a duo with another guitarist......much more fun!
> Pete Smith.
I like doing the solo thing but, as I mentioned in another post, after
enjoying the first hour or so, I start missing having another player there.
I'm hoping to do more duo work this year, or at least maybe adding some
background tracks to the solo gigs to mix it up a bit.
Ted Vieira
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Bio Info, Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, Articles, hear my CDs and more...
--
Listen to my new solo jazz guitar CD, "Quiet Places"
at: http://TedVieira.com/sounds.html
thomas
Maybe he's got one of those external catheters like the astronauts wear.
Max Leggett
wrote:
>Wow, that makes for a busy day, eh? I've only done that once (3 gigs in one
>day). The first was an afternoon gig, and then two of them were in one place
>(early and late shift at the Atlantis casino in Reno) so that made it pretty
>easy.
>
My record for gigs per day was when I was just starting out. It is
etched on my cranial matter.
10.00 a.m to 1.00 p.m. - Joe's Gas Station: Esso promotion
3.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. - Grossman's Tavern
9.00 p.m. to 1.00 a.m. - Albert's Hall
2.00 a.m. to I disremember - private party at Rochdale College.
Rochdale was a hippy apartment building: some big dealer hired us for
a private party. By the time we get there, yrs truly is just baffed.
So some dude comes up to me while we're playing our first set. He has
a lump of hash the size of your fist on the end of a knitting needle,
all afire. He blows out the flames and sticks it under my nose.
What's a poor boy to do? Can't recall if there was a second set. I
could do that sort of shit when I was 19 and live to tell the tale.
Not so sure about now.
soapy10999
they run every Nov. called triple points. I did it four years in a row! They
gave me a ONE break for lunch and a nice check but it was SSSSSSSSSOOOOO
long. I was useless after every one of those. I remember coming home one
year and getting a call to go into Red Bank, NJ for a straight ahead gig
that same night with a great local bass player ... no way. I was done, no
more notes.
--
Chris Buono
www.chrisbuono.com
"Ted Vieira" <con...@tedvieira.com> wrote in message
news:BA50EFB3.FAE1%con...@tedvieira.com...
Tom Lippincott
>
>That sounds like a fun gig. Right now I'm playing solo jazz guitar on my
>solo gigs, but I'm thinking about adding background tracks, so I can mix it
>up a little. That would make it a little easier on the left hand and I could
>do some of the stuff from my CDs, which could maybe help boost CD sales even
>more.
>
>Usually I'm ok if I can get a break or two in, but the straight-through
>playing can take a bit of a toll by the third hour.
>
>Ted
I get a LOT more solo guitar work since I've added tracks. I actually really
enjoy playing solo ("a capella") guitar quite a bit, but most agents and club
owners seem to prefer the extra "oomph" or whatever that having background
tracks adds. I usually sneak in a few solo tunes as well, though. Another
thing I've started doing recently is using one of those "Groove Boxes," which
can also be a nice change of pace from either sequences or plain old solo
guitar. It's basically a drum machine but has bass sounds as well. What I
tend to do with it the most is just start a groove and play a tune or medley of
tunes over the groove. Now that I have the 8 string I can do a lot more with
bass lines when I'm doing that sort of thing. Also, another thing I might
mention is that I work quite a bit as a duo with a percussionist who also uses
brushes, blastics, a ride cymbal and hi hat, and a one headed "laptop" snare
drum and who also doubles a little bit on piano. This format also works out
quite nicely; we can do strictly guitar/percussion duets, piano/guitar duets,
or add the sequences or groove box and use the percussion as the
"de-cheesifier" for the sequenced drums.
One last point on the tracks issue; one of my favorite formats to play in is
gtr/bass/drums trio, and my opportunities for doing that tend to be relatively
few and far between. So using tracks on solo gigs (or gtr/percussion gigs)
goes at least a little bit toward "filling the void." I use the Peter Erskine
samples for drums and I do most of my sequences with bass and drums only.
I know I've done a few of those marathon solo gigs, both with and without
tracks, but can't recall off the top of my head what the longest one was.
BTW, I mentioned offhand here a while back that I use sequences on some gigs
and many people reacted like I had said I burn the American flag and the Bible
on my gigs, heh. I think a lot of musicians, especially in the jazz community,
tend to have an attitude about playing with sequences. I can see why this is
the case, since a) there are so many horrendous musicians out there playing
with horrible sounding sequences, and b) one of the fundamental ideas of
playing jazz is interaction with the other musicians. In a perfect world I'd
always play only with live musicians, but a guy's got to make a living somehow.
Tom Lippincott
Guitarist, Composer, Teacher
audio samples, articles, CD's at:
http://www.tomlippincott.com
Ted Vieira
time and I always enjoyed the sound and interplay of a guitar/percussion
duo. Yeah, I'd much rather play with "live" players all the time, and I also
love playing "solo" jazz guitar, but I won't mind using tracks on the solo
gigs.
Ted
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
http://TedVieira.com
Bio Info, Free Online Guitar Instruction,
Instructional Books, Articles, hear my CDs and more...
--
Listen to my new solo jazz guitar CD, "Quiet Places"
at: http://TedVieira.com/sounds.html
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
>
Kevin Van Sant
wrote in message <20030121022704...@mb-fv.aol.com> :
>BTW, I mentioned offhand here a while back that I use sequences on some gigs
>and many people reacted like I had said I burn the American flag and the Bible
>on my gigs, heh. I think a lot of musicians, especially in the jazz community,
>tend to have an attitude about playing with sequences. I can see why this is
>the case, since a) there are so many horrendous musicians out there playing
>with horrible sounding sequences, and b) one of the fundamental ideas of
>playing jazz is interaction with the other musicians. In a perfect world I'd
>always play only with live musicians,
>but a guy's got to make a living somehow.
Therein lies the paradox. The argument can be made that replacing
live musicians with computer tracks de-values the local music economy.
You said come club owners want more oomph than a solo player but they
evidently don't want to pay more than a single. By agreeing to play
those kinds of gigs as a solo with backing tracks you are giving them
their trio or quartet for the price of one. Club owners aren't
usually music aficionados, they probably don't really notice a big
difference between live or canned musicians, but they do notice a big
difference in expense. Now they think to themselves "I can get a jazz
trio for $100" so there is almost no chance of them ever again
shelling out $300 for a "real" trio. When a restaurant owner says he
wants a trio but can only pay $200 I tell him that he can only afford
a duo because the going rate is $100/man. Or If he want's a duo but
only can pay $100 I'll tell him he can only afford a solo. As I said,
they don't really know music, he may think he wants a duo because he
saw one at another restaurant or something, they can usually be
convinced that a solo guitar or piano would be fine if that's all they
can afford. Usually we can talk about it and work it out. Sometimes
I'll offer to go lower in exchange for some guarantee of longevity for
the gig. To me that is preferable to creating the environment where
real players are losing work to computers and where the overall market
value of live music goes down. Not to mention that I have never
heard a guy playing with tracks that didn't look and sound pretty bad.
The general public which doesn't know all that much about jazz may
only be exposed to this great music out in routine gigs like these in
restaurants and clubs. If Joe Public comes in and hears some guy
noodling over tracks and forms his impression of jazz from that he's
not exactly going to be converted. OTOH if he comes in and hears a
live duo swinging hard and playing with enthusiasm for the music he
may not be able to help himself from being drawn in. Club owners
mostly aren't smart enough to see how that can benefit them in the
long run. And of course to anyone who actually listens to music, a
swinging live duo will have more "oomph" than a canned trio.
I'm not trying to indict you Tom for your decision to play with
tracks. I have a great deal of respect for your playing and ideas
about music, and I understand that the economics and nature of a local
scene are different from one area to another. I'm just saying how I
personally feel about the larger issues involved with playing with
tracks. This is a tough business, we all have to make the decisions we
think will allow us to get by. I'm just telling you mine.
Then again, a sax player recently said to me "how else are horn
players able to play solo gigs that guitarists and pianists do all the
time?"
Like I said, it's a paradox.
_________________________________________
Kevin Van Sant
jazz guitar
http://www.kevinvansant.com
to buy my CDs, listen to sound clips, and get more info.
Alternate site for recent soundclips
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/kevinvansant_music.htm
gozy
> Solo gigs can be a challenge but they can also be hard on your hands.
> At least for us old guys. You may be risking tendonitis by playing for
> that long without a break.
Well, I just did it that once with no ill effects. As for old guys, I did
the gig back when I was a kid in my forties.
Joe Finn
Nice post. Kevin. Like you I'm opposed to the use of canned backround
tracks. It devalues the service we provide and I don't like the way it
sounds either. ....joe
--
Visit me on the web. www.JoeFinn.net
Clay Moore
> That sounds like a fun gig. Right now I'm playing solo jazz guitar on my
> solo gigs, but I'm thinking about adding background tracks, so I can mix it
> up a little. That would make it a little easier on the left hand and I could
> do some of the stuff from my CDs, which could maybe help boost CD sales even
> more.
Hi Ted,
I trust you caught the part in my post where I said "minus the
playalongs." :-) I replaced them, which could be a first.
Clay Moore
http://www.claymoore.com/
Billg...@attbi.com
"gozy" <Go...@hotmail.comREMOVE> wrote in message
news:ajjX9.20018$8N.19...@news1.east.cox.net...
thom_j.
ole hippy teejay
<Billg...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:WgmX9.654853$GR5.4...@rwcrnsc51.ops.asp.att.net...
IvanDRodriguez
break. It's a 3 hour gig and he does it 2 days a week. He's also a bass player.
He's been doing solo things for years. He must be use to it....
Ivan
Tom Lippincott
No disrespect taken, Kevin. I have a great deal of respect for your playing
and your opinions as well. The whole tracks thing is a pretty difficult
question for musicians, and there are times where I feel funny that I use
sequences.
Where I live, I'm afraid the damage has been done, probably about 15 years ago.
The tracks thing is pretty much just a fact of life here; use them or don't
work, at least in my experience. I can honestly say I don't ever think I've
put another musician out of work by using tracks, though (except maybe another
musician who uses tracks, heh). Most of the club owners and agents here
specifically want solo or duo musicians WITH tracks, period, because that's
what everyone else is doing and it's what they're used to. It could certainly
be said that I'm choosing to be part of the problem instead of the part of the
solution, but I could say the same thing about those of you who eat meat or
drive SUVs. That said, I don't mean to sound overly apologetic; I don't feel
like there is anything inherently wrong with playing with sequences, especially
since in this day and age (as I said maybe it's different in different areas)
the whole "putting live musicians out of work" is really a moot point.
Personally, I'd rather do a solo gig with sequences than a gig with bad
musicians, or even one with good musicians who I don't feel a connection with.
Patrick L.
Sorry bar and hotel owners, I ain't gettin' tendonitis for anyone,
been there.
Never again.
Patrick L.
Joe Finn
Well if that's really the way things are in Florida then there's another
good reason for you to move to New York. Where I live and work in upstate NY
and New England the use of sequencing is non existent in the jazz context.
The choice between "a solo gig with sequences and a gig with bad musicians"
also seems a bit odd. You don't *have* to do either one. I don't.
As you know Tom, I really admire your playing; especially the solo stuff.
I'd love to see you make the move north someday. I think [actually I'm
convinced] that you would connect with an audience that would better
appreciate your considerable talents. ....joe
Tom Lippincott
>good reason for you to move to New York. Where I live and work in upstate NY
>and New England the use of sequencing is non existent in the jazz context.
>
I don't mean to imply that the clubs here are full of people playing It Could
Happen To You and Soul Eyes with a sequencer. There just aren't those kind of
gigs here, period. There is one jazz club in Miami beach called the Van Dyke
that actually features the real deal so some extent, but it's a pretty closed
clique of players that work there. I've also heard that, at least on the
weekends, they want more "smooth jazz" kind of material. Every once in a while
I'll hear of a friend who has a cool jazz gig with a trio somewhere but then
usually the next time I talk to them they'll say the place came to their senses
and changed to karaoke or that it went out of business or something.
Most of the solo/duo gigs I do that are billed as "jazz" are really
instrumental pop and r&b with a few jazz tunes snuck in, used as background
music in a restaurant or at a private party.
>The choice between "a solo gig with sequences and a gig with bad musicians"
>also seems a bit odd. You don't *have* to do either one. I don't.
>
no, I don't HAVE to do either one, but I've found that in order to make ends
meet and not work a day job, I often do have to do at least one or the other.
>As you know Tom, I really admire your playing; especially the solo stuff.
>I'd love to see you make the move north someday. I think [actually I'm
>convinced] that you would connect with an audience that would better
>appreciate your considerable talents. ....joe
thanks, Joe. I've still never completely given up on the idea of moving
somewhere up north. I don't know if I could hang with that weather, though.
I've also been told by a lot of different people that, at least as far as New
York City goes, you really need to be an outgoing person and have a knack for
self promotion to do well there, and I'm pretty much the antithesis of that.
Also, my Dad has been sick for a while and at least for the foreseeable future
most of my spendable cash is going toward going to visit my parents and help my
Mom out with stuff around the house. But maybe someday...
Richard Bornman
"Tom Lippincott" <tomli...@aol.comnospam> wrote :
> thanks, Joe. I've still never completely given up on the idea of moving
> somewhere up north. I don't know if I could hang with that weather,
though.
> I've also been told by a lot of different people that, at least as far as
New
> York City goes, you really need to be an outgoing person and have a knack
for
> self promotion to do well there, and I'm pretty much the antithesis of
that.
> Also, my Dad has been sick for a while and at least for the foreseeable
future
> most of my spendable cash is going toward going to visit my parents and
help my
> Mom out with stuff around the house. But maybe someday...
Tom,
I once spent 6 months living in SOBE...
I sat in with Dr Lonnie Smith at Mojazz once...
Did you ever get to play with Smith?
I also remember seeing Simon Salz there...
Richard
Joe Finn
> I don't mean to imply that the clubs here are full of people playing It
Could
> Happen To You and Soul Eyes with a sequencer. There just aren't those
kind of
> gigs here, period. There is one jazz club in Miami beach called the Van
Dyke
> that actually features the real deal so some extent, but it's a pretty
closed
> clique of players that work there. I've also heard that, at least on the
> weekends, they want more "smooth jazz" kind of material. Every once in a
while
> I'll hear of a friend who has a cool jazz gig with a trio somewhere but
then
> usually the next time I talk to them they'll say the place came to their
senses
> and changed to karaoke or that it went out of business or something.
> Most of the solo/duo gigs I do that are billed as "jazz" are really
> instrumental pop and r&b with a few jazz tunes snuck in, used as
background
> music in a restaurant or at a private party.
In a previous life I was an itinerant musician. I played lots of resorts and
big hotels all over North America. At this point I think I must have had
rocks in my head, but when I graduated from college this course of action
seemed preferable to working in an office or teaching school. As I made the
rounds I began to notice the cultural regionalism that varies from one area
to the next. I made the Florida trip lots of times. It always amazed me how
the accents you would hear as you would take a break driving down from NY
would change. People sounded increasingly "southern" to me the further south
I went until I got to Florida where many people seem to have a northern
accent. I heard lots of great Latin players in Florida but I never thought
of it as a hot bed of jazz activity. The music scene seemed kind of
"touristy" in a way. Since tourism is such a big part of the Florida economy
this doesn't seem too surprising.
BTW there is a club here in Schenectady called the Van Dyke also. It's been
there forever. It's been reopened under new management in recent years and
the new owners have brought in everyone from Michael Brecker, Chick Corea
and McCoy Tyner to Toots Thielemans, Jacky Terrasson and Elvin Jones.
>
> no, I don't HAVE to do either one, but I've found that in order to make
ends
> meet and not work a day job, I often do have to do at least one or the
other.
I was traveling with a band when I met my wife in Wisconsin. We got married
and lived there together for a couple of years. The main reason for
returning east was that there was no work for me out there. The reason there
was no work was because there was no audience for my kind of music there.
After a couple years of struggle and frustration I concluded that I'd have
to go to where the audience was.
>
> I've still never completely given up on the idea of moving
> somewhere up north. I don't know if I could hang with that weather,
though.
It's below zero outside my front door tonight. No sweat, right? 8-)
> I've also been told by a lot of different people that, at least as far as
New
> York City goes, you really need to be an outgoing person and have a knack
for
> self promotion to do well there, and I'm pretty much the antithesis of
that.
The cream rises to the top. Therefore you'll do just fine.
> Also, my Dad has been sick for a while and at least for the foreseeable
future
> most of my spendable cash is going toward going to visit my parents and
help my
> Mom out with stuff around the house. But maybe someday...
I'm sorry to hear your Dad is sick. I hope he gets better soon.
.....joe
Amostagain
>>Therein lies the paradox. The argument can be made that replacing
>>live musicians with computer tracks de-values the local music economy.
You have to do what you have to do these days to make a living as a
musician...........IMNSFHO.
Tom Lippincott
>I once spent 6 months living in SOBE...
>I sat in with Dr Lonnie Smith at Mojazz once...
>Did you ever get to play with Smith?
I sat in with him once also (at the Jazz Showcase, now defunct, in West Palm
Beach); he started out playing several relaxed swing tunes that I didn't know
but were pretty easy to follow. At the end of about the third one, he said "I
only play EEEASY music" and immediately launched into Giant Steps at about
mm320. I hung in there just barely.
>I also remember seeing Simon Salz there...
>
>Richard
I've run into him a few times, and most of the musicians I know have played
with him or know him. Mojazz has been closed for some time, btw. I don't
think I should say anything more about it in a public forum but email me if you
want my take on that club and the guy who owned it.
Tom Lippincott
>big hotels all over North America. At this point I think I must have had
>rocks in my head, but when I graduated from college this course of action
>seemed preferable to working in an office or teaching school. As I made the
>rounds I began to notice the cultural regionalism that varies from one area
>to the next. I made the Florida trip lots of times. It always amazed me how
>the accents you would hear as you would take a break driving down from NY
>would change. People sounded increasingly "southern" to me the further south
>I went until I got to Florida where many people seem to have a northern
>accent. I heard lots of great Latin players in Florida but I never thought
>of it as a hot bed of jazz activity. The music scene seemed kind of
>"touristy" in a way. Since tourism is such a big part of the Florida economy
>this doesn't seem too surprising.
sounds like you've got the picture. The big things around here tend to be
reggae, calypso, and Jimmy Buffett. That's what all the tourists expect to see
when they come down here to the tropics. I expect Jay Carlson can commiserate
with me on this.
I don't know if I could hang with that weather,
>though.
>
>It's below zero outside my front door tonight. No sweat, right? 8-)
>
OUCH! The longer I live in Florida the less appealing colder climates get.
>> I've also been told by a lot of different people that, at least as far as
>New
>> York City goes, you really need to be an outgoing person and have a knack
>for
>> self promotion to do well there, and I'm pretty much the antithesis of
>that.
>
>The cream rises to the top. Therefore you'll do just fine.
>
well, thanks for the vote of confidence.
Lawson Stone
tomli...@aol.comnospam wrote on 1/23/03 3:23 AM:
>
> sounds like you've got the picture. The big things around here tend to be
> reggae, calypso, and Jimmy Buffett. That's what all the tourists expect to
> see
> when they come down here to the tropics. I expect Jay Carlson can commiserate
> with me on this.
>
And yet Jay has such a fun, open, and uncompromising jazz style in his
playing, at least judging by his CD
I guess the awful burden of living down in the Virgin Islands requires that
God compensate for all that pain somehow...
************************************************************************
"It was no good answering that the Jesuits always know everything. We needed
a more seductive explanation."--Casaubon
************************************************************************
Lawson Stone
Let's talk about: Jazz Guitar, Cowboy Action Shooting, Horses,the Bible
Come by for a visit at: http://www.alltel.net/~lawsonstone
Kevin Van Sant
wrote in message <20030122002047...@mb-ml.aol.com> :
>
>No disrespect taken, Kevin. I have a great deal of respect for your playing
>and your opinions as well. The whole tracks thing is a pretty difficult
>question for musicians, and there are times where I feel funny that I use
>sequences.
>Where I live, I'm afraid the damage has been done, probably about 15 years ago.
> The tracks thing is pretty much just a fact of life here; use them or don't
>work, at least in my experience.
That's unfortunate and probably really hard to turn around.
> I can honestly say I don't ever think I've
>put another musician out of work by using tracks, though (except maybe another
>musician who uses tracks, heh). Most of the club owners and agents here
>specifically want solo or duo musicians WITH tracks, period, because that's
>what everyone else is doing and it's what they're used to. It could certainly
>be said that I'm choosing to be part of the problem instead of the part of the
>solution, but I could say the same thing about those of you who eat meat or
>drive SUVs. That said, I don't mean to sound overly apologetic; I don't feel
>like there is anything inherently wrong with playing with sequences, especially
>since in this day and age (as I said maybe it's different in different areas)
>the whole "putting live musicians out of work" is really a moot point.
>Personally, I'd rather do a solo gig with sequences than a gig with bad
>musicians, or even one with good musicians who I don't feel a connection with.
I understand your position Tom. It's a tough business. Good luck to
all of us!
Kevin Van Sant
message <20030122223918...@mb-mm.aol.com> :
>>
>>>Therein lies the paradox. The argument can be made that replacing
>>>live musicians with computer tracks de-values the local music economy.
>
>You have to do what you have to do these days to make a living as a
>musician...........IMNSFHO.
>
That's true, but just like anything else in life it's possible to
allow that attitude to be at the expense of the future working
environment.
Tom Lippincott
>I understand your position Tom. It's a tough business. Good luck to
>all of us!
>_________________________________________
>Kevin Van Sant
God bless us everyone! (heh)
BTW, if it's any consolation to you guys, I am doing a new demo soon with my
trio and am determined to try to get some jazz gigs with only flesh and blood
players. Not that I'm holding my breath, but I've got to do the Sisyphus thing.
Kevin Van Sant
wrote in message <20030128001938...@mb-ci.aol.com> :
>
>BTW, if it's any consolation to you guys, I am doing a new demo soon with my
>trio and am determined to try to get some jazz gigs with only flesh and blood
>players. Not that I'm holding my breath, but I've got to do the Sisyphus thing.
I hope you'll share some of those trio tracks with the rest of us Tom.
And I don't doubt you'll be able to find work if you look for it.
People respond to quality live music in a way that they don't to
canned. It just takes some effort to give them the chance to hear it
sometimes.