What you learn/learn't from gigging

[Mike Crumpton]

Buried in the off-topic is Chris Fitz's gig spam that included a list of great gigs he was lined up to play. I took the oportunity to ask him what he was picking up from these great gigs and out came this detailed informative reply:

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

Ah, I think I see. I think the biggest lesson I've learned so far about playing this music is that expectations are basically the death knell for creative playing. In other words, if you go into expecting any gig or player to be a certain way because of past experience or because of the way they may have sounded on _______(x) record that you listened to trying to get ready to play the gig, then you're more likely to play to your expectation rather than simply reacting to what is going on in that particular moment - and this is the worst thing you can possibly do!

Playing with different great players is kind of like talking to different very intelligent and interesting people - you still have to converse with them, and this involves listening to what they are saying and responding to it. If, for example, you are aware of a great essay that a writer wrote about death and dying years ago - say you were profoundly moved by it - and then you meet that person and try to turn the conversation to that topic, you might reopen that door and start another great and interesting discussion...then again, you might also find that on this particular day that person is interested only in talking about LIFE and how beautiful it is. If this is the case, trying to "turn" the conversation back to the old subject only gets in the way of what that person may have to offer TODAY, and can be very counterproductive. In fact, it can destroy any chance you may have of having a real conversation at all.

For example, playing with Harry has taught me that it's best to try to be an empty vessel (tabla rasa) because he is so different from gig to gig, and what he's feeling/trying to get across changes from day to day. Playing with other great players is the same way. While it's good to check them out and see what some of their vibes have been in the past, the important thing to do is to go and be ready to hear whatever they might be saying in that particular moment and respond to that. I still count the second night of the Monder gig as one of my greatest failures to do this in recent memory. I played to what I thought his vibe was, and on listening back to the recording from that night, I found that I tried to play "too hip", and as a result basically just got in the way of what he was trying to do by playing too busy and "out" rhythmically. I thought this would be a cool thing to do because he plays VERY "out" rhythmically much of the time. But as it turns out, by doing the same, I basically pulled the rug out from under him. The recording showed me that it would have been much better to stay more "in" and give him a place to jump off from and return to. As it was, I weakened the effect of his playing by trying to imitate it rather than listen to what would have been best for the overall intent of the music.

A positive example of the "open vessel" approach would be a couple of gigs I played up in Cincy with pianist Jim Connerley and drummer Tony Franklin. Jim comes from a different place vibewise than I do, and so does Tony. Since I didn't know jack **** about the way either of these guys played (and vice-versa), I just went in without any expectations whatsoever and the music went all kinds of beautiful places both times because we were all just following the moment. I remember thinking afterwards, "Wow. That was amazing. Where the **** did THAT come from??" I guess what I'm learning (slowly, it often seems ) in the big picture is that the best approach is very Zenlike: If you go into a situation accepting who you are and accepting the way you play RIGHT NOW, and accepting your ability to listen and react as it exists AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE, and if you can suspend any critical judgement until later when you are no longer playing, you have a good chance to have some very special musical experiences. On the other hand, if you go in feeling like you are either: a) a bad mother****er getting ready to play some serious ****, or; b) wishing that you had more chops, hoping that your ears don't fail you, or not accepting some aspect of who you are RIGHT NOW and what you are possibly capable of, then you are setting yourself up for a less than stellar performance. Each moment is different, whether you are playing with some great player you just met, or whether you are playing with the same guys playing the same tunes night after night...if you can accept who and where you are and then just try to live each moment fully and be open to what it has to offer, then you're on the right path in my book.

What I hoped to capture from Chris was a contemporaneous account of what was happening to a growing player (especially in Chris's case, one who was an educator and communicator). This is hard to beat - it sure shut me up, but - as they say - how was it for you?

Since it is a cheek to hide behind others my own view in my very humble experience is: if I don't acheive the Zenlike state (as above) no matter what or how simple the gig, I rarely play well - say 20% on a good day. But like public speaking, there is only so much training you can do or books you can read - if you don't put it regularly into practise you won't cross that barrier that allows you to play that way at will. (Horrible mixed metaphor - puh-lease Mr Parker!)

edited to change open vessel to empty vessel (Chris's post below refers) MC

[Bobaree]

"...if you can suspend any critical judgement until later when you are no longer playing, you have a good chance to have some very special musical experiences."

When I read this it hit me like a ton of bricks. Funny how you can do something so many times and not know why it was a good night or a bad one. But I do know that being critical before the night was out has killed many a great gig for me. Hehe, my head is still spinning. I think I'm gonna print that out and read it before I head to gigs. Thanks.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Thanks guys, glad you found that stuff useful. After reading it, it still seems to make sense (other than the fact that it should probably read "empty vessel" rather than "open vessel" ), which is something I can't say about too many things that I write. Musta been drinking the good coffee that day...

I thought I'd share a Sanskrit poem that Harry is fond of quoting as a reminder to live in the moment:

Salutation to the Dawn

Look to this day, for it is life.
The very life of life.
Within it's brief span lie all the verities and realities of your existence.
The bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of beauty.
For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is but a vision.
But today, well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day.

I think that what I was really trying to say before can be summed up by substituting the word "moment" for the word "day" in the poem above. Now that's jazz!

[Sam Sherry]

Yeah Durrl!

Ed Fuqua once said a similar thing which stuck with me, talking about 'playing with the band that's actually on the stand with you instead of playing along with the record of the song playing in your mind.' (Forgive me for the poor paraphrase, Ed.)

'Cause you never know when somebody whom you least "expect to" is gonna play something that will just knock you over, or lead you to places you would not have gotten to by yourself. I learn things from my 14-year-old tenor-playing son all the time.

Take that "gigging" notion broadly, too. Most of my musical interactions occur in private.

[Michael Case]

WOW! This is a great post, the kind of stuff that gets overlooked. I've gone into MANY musical situations with the negative head Chris describes above and all of my negative thoughts just get confirmed. Lately I've been aiming for a more "empty vessel" mind set and have had better experiences, even my practice is more positive as a result.

Why is it that in jazz education and among jazz musicians this topic isn't discussed more?

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by mike da mook

WOW! This is a great post, the kind of stuff that gets overlooked. I've gone into MANY musical situations with the negative head Chris describes above and all of my negative thoughts just get confirmed. Lately I've been aiming for a more "empty vessel" mind set and have had better experiences, even my practice is more positive as a result.

Why is it that in jazz education and among jazz musicians this topic isn't discussed more?

Probably because it's a generic problem, part of the human condition. The concept that Chris describes can be applied to any situation that involves people being present, in the moment and cooperative. Your head space plays a huge role in how you will sound and what you will play, how you react to your mistakes and how you react to the mistakes of others.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by mike da mook

Why is it that in jazz education and among jazz musicians this topic isn't discussed more?

I don't know, but I have a couple of guesses:

1) Because this kind of thing isn't "cool"...i.e., you can't look bored with life, jaded, and act as if nothing ever surprises or moves you while you talk about living each moment fully - it just don't work. That's pu**y **** if you're hip, dig?

2) Because it's a hell of a lot easier to memorize a bunch of lame change-running doubletime licks and insert them over every II-V while looking jaded and bored with life than it is to really look inward and examine your outlook on life and put in the 24/7 work it takes to change it to an optimistic and positive one that allows moments of real beauty to happen.

Just my opinion, of course.

[Michael Case]

Chris, I hope you're not pulling my chain with your last post I'm about to start a religion that uses those words as scripture.

Seriously though, this is some great stuff for me to read right now, I was begining to feel uninspired thinking that jazz was all about playing the right licks and looking bored doing it.

Thank you

[Ed Fuqua]

My favorite line is from Joe Sample when asked what advice he had for young pianists hoping to enter the club gig scene - "Hold cold drinks in your left hand."

[anonymous0726]

CF -- saw Ben Monder on the street yesterday. Had a nice talk. I told him that you were still talking about the gig, and he sheepishly said, "Wow, that was a while ago. Do all you guys from The South hang out or something?"

I explained that Toledo is on the north coast of the US, but I didn't get into the concept of neutral states (Civil War). Sigh -- those native New Yorkers.....

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Ray Parker

CF -- saw Ben Monder on the street yesterday. Had a nice talk. I told him that you were still talking about the gig, and he sheepishly said, "Wow, that was a while ago. Do all you guys from The South hang out or something?"

I explained that Toledo is on the north coast of the US, but I didn't get into the concept of neutral states (Civil War). Sigh -- those native New Yorkers.....

Ben's a great guy, and often sheepish (except when he's playing!). I hope he understood that the gig was only being brought up because the subject of "the last time I really got my *ss kicked on a gig" came up. Other than that, I'm over it.

Technically, I don't think KY is really in "The South" either, but native Yankees seem to think that everybody south of Camden wears overalls 6 days a week, speaks in a thick drawl, and has a bad sunburn on the back of their neck.

[Michael Case]

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

Technically, I don't think KY is really in "The South" either, but native Yankees seem to think that everybody south of Camden wears overalls 6 days a week, speaks in a thick drawl, and has a bad sunburn on the back of their neck.

That's what they tell us in school.