I just went and played with a gospel band!!!!!

[panic_striken]

I have played bass for 12 years, and really haven't been doing anything serious lately. My foreman at work, a black guy, has been telling me about his church's gospel band. Well, I casualy mentioned I played bass, and he got all excited cause they were looking for an experienced player. I put him off for a while and I felt bad about it so I loaded up all my stuff and headed across the tracks. I wasn't expecting much. I thought it would be a few folks who weren't that good just playing traditional stuff. NOT BY A LONG SHOT!!!!!!! These cats had two guitarists, keyboards, drums, saxaphone, female choir, female lead vocalist, male choir, and male lead vocalist and ALL these cats were great at what they did or played. It was actually a challenge to play with them, but I hung in there It was crazy cause they are trying to make a gospel CD so it was all original stuff. They hadn't settled on the arrangements just yet so some songs just got jammed out for like 10-15 minutes!!! We would end up playing something totally different than what we started with. When it was all done everyone was comin' up to me like.........when are you coming back??? So, I guess I might start going to a black church now

[FreeSpirit]

First before I start, please edit your post and change the "black church" and "Black guy." Why does it matter? Just say a new church and this cat at work. Also, this should be in band performance and gigs section.

Now, congradulations on finding a new group to play with! It is the best feeling finding soemhting new when it clicks.

Kyle

[Oxblood]

Originally Posted by FreeSpirit

First before I start, please edit your post and change the "black church" and "Black guy." Why does it matter? Just say a new church and this cat at work. Also, this should be in band performance and gigs section.

Now, congradulations on finding a new group to play with! It is the best feeling finding soemhting new when it clicks.

Kyle

Why would he change it? He obviously isnt racist and he obviously was not trying to offend anyone. People are so touchy sometimes when it comes to race.

Congrats on the new gospel group though! I love Gospel music and especially the bass in it, its awesome. Good luck with it!

[panic_striken]

Oh, in no way was I using "black" as a derogatory term. I simply mentioned this because I am a very white guy, and I have never played gospel, soul, blues, or R&B on anything but my cd player. It was simply to say I was out of my normal setting, and I was very pleasantly suprised how much I enjoyed it

[Lorenzini]

With all due respect, I understand him completely!
A white guy being allowed and encouraged and successfully playing with a black gospel church!

If he just said a gospel church, one might not realize that it's as cool. It's a privilege for a white man to play in a black man's church, especially in their rhythm section -- usually because they groove so damn well!

[panic_striken]

I was kinda worried about my tone clashing actually. I play a Ric 4003, and they aren't really know for those genres of music. With a few tweaks of the amp I had one of the best tones I have ever gotten in a mix. Really suprised me!!!!!

[west*coast*bass]

Originally Posted by Grey Goose

Why would he change it? He obviously isnt racist and he obviously was not trying to offend anyone. People are so touchy sometimes when it comes to race.

Congrats on the new gospel group though! I love Gospel music and especially the bass in it, its awesome. Good luck with it!

I agree, it read very innocently and in no way did I even feel the slightest tinge of racism.

As for finding a new place to play and some great musicians to play with I say good for you!

Now it's time to get some gospel CD's and start the wood shedding.

[panic_striken]

It's time for me to dust off all the old scales and improv books, and start getting my jamming skills back to where they once were. When you play rock, at least in my case, you play alot of looping bass lines. Stuff like that kills your ability to improv if you do it for long periods of time. I had almost forgotten what it was like to be playing/livin' note to note or second to second. I'm telling ya it was some hardcore jammin' If I do work in with these guys, and help cut their gospel cd ya'll will definitely be getting some clips!!!!

[JansenW]

Sounds like a challenging gig! Good sized gospel bands with choirs and original material can be fun and very challenging. Their high energy level can last for hours.

[IotaNet]

Originally Posted by panic_stricken

...I wasn't expecting much. I thought it would be a few folks who weren't that good just playing traditional stuff ...

Originally Posted by FreeSpirit

First before I start, please edit your post and change the "black church" and "Black guy." Why does it matter?

1) There's nothing more exciting than playing (successfully) in a different musical idiom for the first time.
2) A "Black Church" Gospel gig(?) is a VERY unique and totally cool experience as a musician.
3) I'm pleased to see that he went and had an experience that cured him of some preconcieved notions.

I "get" his excitement -- congrats and good luck, Panic!

[wujuu]

quoting from earlier posts:

"If he just said a gospel church, one might not realize that it's as cool. It's a privilege for a white man to play in a black man's church, especially in their rhythm section -- usually because they groove so damn well!"



now i don't mean to shake the boat here, but i can't help commenting on this


be real clear on this, especially in this day and age: racism isn't white hoods and lynchings. it's the little things. i know you didn't mean it to offend, but i will use it as an example because it is a good one. please think about it.why did you say black people groove so damn well? thats stereotyping. perhaps even a positive stereotype. but not every black man has an incredible sense of rythmn and groove. dont think its offensive? is every asian good at math? i know many that arent. is every white male rich? again, i know many that arent. please be careful about what you say. racism usually doesn't occur face to face and flat-out, trading nasty words and wicked glances.

and to clear up why it isnt okay to say "a black man" at a "black church"

really, why did you say that? are you assuming everybody here is the same ethnicity as you? what if this was a forum where all registered users were black? would you say "a black guy at my work goes to a black church?" or would it be "a guy at my work, goes to a church"

i know its hard to be careful, and although this post is not extremely offensive, i thought it would be a good opportunity for me to point some things out to those of you who seem to think the first post was acceptable. i understand why it was an "honor" to play with a "black rythmn section," i know all the ideas people have about gospel churches and black rythmn are hard to look past, but please do think about all the posts on this thread so far and what they imply. i realize your intent was not to be racist and to cause commotion when you used the term "black guy" it's not a bad word by all means, but one has to be careful about context at all times

"i guess i might start going to a black church now"

you could have written that better. explain beforehand that you're a "very white guy" and explain why its different. going to a large gathering where everyone is different from you is a memorable experience of course. but with matters like this, you have to be careful. yea it takes effort to explain things and think them through before you speak/write. but if you want to be "correct" - thats the way

[Andre_gt7]

Originally Posted by wujuu

quoting from earlier posts:

"If he just said a gospel church, one might not realize that it's as cool. It's a privilege for a white man to play in a black man's church, especially in their rhythm section -- usually because they groove so damn well!"



now i don't mean to shake the boat here, but i can't help commenting on this


be real clear on this, especially in this day and age: racism isn't white hoods and lynchings. it's the little things. i know you didn't mean it to offend, but i will use it as an example because it is a good one. please think about it.why did you say black people groove so damn well? thats stereotyping. perhaps even a positive stereotype. but not every black man has an incredible sense of rythmn and groove. dont think its offensive? is every asian good at math? i know many that arent. is every white male rich? again, i know many that arent. please be careful about what you say. racism usually doesn't occur face to face and flat-out, trading nasty words and wicked glances.

and to clear up why it isnt okay to say "a black man" at a "black church"

really, why did you say that? are you assuming everybody here is the same ethnicity as you? what if this was a forum where all registered users were black? would you say "a black guy at my work goes to a black church?" or would it be "a guy at my work, goes to a church"

i know its hard to be careful, and although this post is not extremely offensive, i thought it would be a good opportunity for me to point some things out to those of you who seem to think the first post was acceptable. i understand why it was an "honor" to play with a "black rythmn section," i know all the ideas people have about gospel churches and black rythmn are hard to look past, but please do think about all the posts on this thread so far and what they imply. i realize your intent was not to be racist and to cause commotion when you used the term "black guy" it's not a bad word by all means, but one has to be careful about context at all times

"i guess i might start going to a black church now"

you could have written that better. explain beforehand that you're a "very white guy" and explain why its different. going to a large gathering where everyone is different from you is a memorable experience of course. but with matters like this, you have to be careful. yea it takes effort to explain things and think them through before you speak/write. but if you want to be "correct" - thats the way

....wow....get over it.

[Snarf]

PEOPLE ARE TOO TOUCHY. GET OVER YOURSELVES.

In response to the oringinal post, all I can say is: badass.

[Dr. Cheese]

I am an African American and I understood what Panic_Stricken meant. The reality is that America is still very segregated beneath the surface and Sunday morning is especially segregated. I'm glad the dude took up the offer and had a positive experience. Hopefully, he can learn more about his neighbors and he can play great music. We all should be so lucky!

[wujuu]

ignorance is bliss kiddies -- i tried

[clanner]

just for the record, I'm mixed and when I'm online, I have to break it down saying I go to a white church that plays music.

it doesn't matter either way and it shouldn't but atleast he clarified becaue for all I knew he could of been talking about a white gospel choir (I cringe every time my church tries to pull out some gospel I hate to say)

sorry, but, what "race" are you, I would like to know where this thought process is coming from?

p.s. be glad you never had to put "other" on the S.A.T.'s okay.

[clanner]

negate that last comment

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by FreeSpirit

First before I start, please edit your post and change the "black church" and "Black guy." Why does it matter? Just say a new church and this cat at work. Also, this should be in band performance and gigs section.

Now, congradulations on finding a new group to play with! It is the best feeling finding soemhting new when it clicks.

Kyle

Oh, give it a rest, PC-boy. It does make a difference in the context of the thread. Crimenittly!

[wujuu]

to clear up: i understand what he meant too, and i understand he wasn't trying to offend. please know panic_striken: i wasn't calling you an *******. but everyone could use some advice now and then, and my advice was merely to be careful with your words.

snarf tsk tsk... "get over yourselves?" my reply wasn't about me. please remain silent if you only have annoying things to say

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by wujuu

you could have written that better. explain beforehand that you're a "very white guy" and explain why its different. going to a large gathering where everyone is different from you is a memorable experience of course. but with matters like this, you have to be careful. yea it takes effort to explain things and think them through before you speak/write. but if you want to be "correct" - thats the way

Just shut up, K?