On my own merits!

[bobalew]

A piano guy and I worked our first revenue event together yesterday afternoon. It was a private party at a local upscale eatery. And it was about what I expected - we were totally ignored for two and a half hours as we played pretty much whatever seemed good to us at the time. The owner/chef came into the dining room and listened for a bit before visiting the guests, but that was the only obvious attention we had. A few of the guests stopped by with kind words on the way out. The wait staff was effusive.

Then the owner/chef came back and said, "can you guys stay for the evening? 7-10, pays the same as the party." Cool.

The piano guy had been watching his phone pretty closely and was apparently following a deal at his day gig on his text messages. He sells high end cars. And he closed a deal on the break. Good for him!

During the first dinner set we played Satin Doll and I noticed during the bass solo he was accompanying one handed. Sounded good, better than usual in fact, tasteful voicings in perfectly appropriate time. But he seemed to be staring at his shoes. Later, during the bass solo on Dolphin Dance, I noticed again that he was playing wonderfully with one hand ... and staring at his shoes.

You guessed it. He was texting with the right hand. Thought I wouldn't see - but I raised three kids, daddy knows when someone is hiding something!

I remember putting a chemistry book on my stand once and studying for an exam while playing a set from memory. I am not proud of that, either. But I did pass the exam. (The band leader thought it was physics and let it go without comment.)

So how do I deal with a piano player who plays Herbie Hancock superbly with one hand tied behind his iPhone? Hey, I'm a bass player, I expect to be ignored, but somehow this just doesn't seem right. I demand to be ignored on my own merits!

[Jason Sypher]

When someone starts chording with the left hand and looking down towards their shoes I look away...

[Paul Warburton]

A good load of smack produces the same result.

[Marcus Johnson]

Eh.... next time, just play your solo with your left hand, and do ..... something else..... with your right.

Check your watch, for instance. Or stifle a yawn.

PW will probably have some additional suggestions.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

A good load of smack produces the same result.

Actually, that's when the pianist usually starts playing with his face.

[Treyzer]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Actually, that's when the pianist usually starts playing with his face.

Marcus does this mean you've been watching some of the Bill Evans stuff on UTube or personal experience

[Marcus Johnson]

I had a really good pianist on a cruise ship gig that I did as bandleader..... played his butt off, could sight read fly****, the whole deal. His thing was alcohol, but same effect. Usually a quart of vodka/day, drunk by noon most of the time. I loved the guy, but we had to cut him lose.... he literally did a face plant on the keyboard one day.

Bill, I dunno... he always seemed to be down in the keyboard. Never met him.

[Paul Warburton]

Had nothing to do with it. He did this to better hear the piano.
I never saw him nod.

[Treyzer]

He was cool whatever he did. His playing has always and will always give me "chicken skin". (loosely means really touches you or knocks you out). I've seen a lot of guys nod in different situations, not usually on the band stand. Sometimes, at the time, it may have seemed a bit funny until you consider the terrible cost to themselves, their families and their friends. Think my attempt at humor was in poor taste...

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

Had nothing to do with it. He did this to better hear the piano.

That's what I figured.

Hard to recall the last time I went a day without thinking about the greatness of Bill Evans at some point. There's Bill, and then there's everyone else, IMO.

Anyone who hasn't heard it should really get a copy of his appearance on Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" show. Very inspiring.

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Treyzer

He was cool whatever he did. His playing has always and will always give me "chicken skin". (loosely means really touches you or knocks you out). I've seen a lot of guys nod in different situations, not usually on the band stand. Sometimes, at the time, it may have seemed a bit funny until you consider the terrible cost to themselves, their families and their friends. Think my attempt at humor was in poor taste...

Thas' cool, Trey....your poor taste is second to only myownself.
Aloha.

[bobalew]

I read McPartland's "All In Good Time"* and enjoyed her section on Evans. She quotes him saying of his teen years, "... I always knew the reason for everything I did, and when I play I know exactly what I'm doing."

Occasionally I catch a fleeting glimpse of 'the reasons', once in a great while I 'know exactly'. But only enough to know what I am missing the rest of the time.

BTW- no texting on the gig tonight.

*(Oxford University Press, 1987)

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

That's what I figured.

Hard to recall the last time I went a day without thinking about the greatness of Bill Evans at some point. There's Bill, and then there's everyone else, IMO.

Anyone who hasn't heard it should really get a copy of his appearance on Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" show. Very inspiring.

True. The video series on youtube Bill did with his brother Harry are, for me, equally inspiring.
Another thing I'd like to relate...In my fifty some odd years of listening to Bill, playing with him, and hearing all the stories about his addiction, only once have I heard a story where it might have affected his work.
Apparently, he shot up before a gig in NY once, and running out of reliable vein delivery of the drug, which is common in addicts, he was forced to inject into a vein in his right arm, He hit a muscle, making his entire right arm numb. He played the entire gig that night with his left hand. According to two good pianists who were present, this was not noticeable to anyone except these two, who eventually left the club, scratching their heads with a sense of awe and a feeling of hopelessness in regard to their own playing.

One more thing....In our society, handicapped people usually, are treated with great respect, and are perceived by " normal " folks, rightfully so, as being inspiring. In the case of addiction, which I perceive as a handicap, the issue, somehow, changes.
He eventually overcame this handicap, went on to thrill listeners for many years in a sober state, before finally, succumbing to the disease.
And again, IMHO.
bobalew, sorry for our derailment here.

[bobalew]

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

... bobalew, sorry for our derailment here.

I'm enjoying the conversation!

[TroyK]

I was playing a duo gig with a piano player in an Italian resturant a few years ago. Great guy and player, works more than anyone I know. Pretty scattered. He saw someone come in and turned to me at the top and said "bass solo" and followed him into the kitchen and left me standing in the middle of the resturant alone for, I don't know...104 bars or something lke that. He came back out, sat on the bench and asked "where are you?". I played louder at him and said "RIGHT HERE!".

Good guy, I love playing with him. I expect some quirkiness when I do, but I'm always glad when he calls me.

You should take your friend's phone away from him though. Not cool. I know a trumpet player/sys admin who does that. Really kills the vibe.

[Marcus Johnson]

Seriously, bobalew..... when the pianist starts a solo, just whip out a paperback and stop playing for awhile. Just to see if he gets your drift. Or bring a little TV and stop to watch some hoops.

[bobalew]

You know, I could stand to spend a few minutes on on my accounting before the end of the year, and since I'm being ignored anyway ...

[Dave R]

but that was the only obvious attention we had.

My buddy calls that an "acoustic wallpaper" gig. i.e. you are just part of the atmosphere, like good wallpaper.