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Double Bass Fancy Dinner Jazz

#2
I don't mean to be a wiseass, but...why did you take this gig, then? We could give you a tune list, but...what am I missing?

The reality is that there are hundreds of songs, maybe thousands that could apply. If we argued about our 6 favorites, we might narrow it down to 50 (because we like to argue). But, since you don't know any of them, I don't know how that helps you. Then there's the matter of, it's not the songs that make it jazz (or mellow or dinner appropriate) it's the ability for a group to make that kind of music.

I'm not judging, you seem to be telling us that you don't know how. How much time do you have to prepare, who's going to be on this gig with you and what does it pay?

Again, sorry I'm not trying to be difficult, maybe I'm missing some important piece of information, but it seems like you've set yourself up to fail here and potentially drag some other musicians down with you.
 
#3
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#9
Marcus Johnson said:
OP's in high school band, getting set for college. Just getting it together, and trying to play music from the old days. Been there... I was lucky, I was gigging with my Dad at fifteen.
Click to expand...

Biggus, my bad, I didn't check the OP's profile. Based solely on what was posted and having lived & worked in L.A. for quite a few years, it seemed pretty clueless. :cool:
 
#10
Biggus - you were working with your dad. I don't know about most other folks, but my first jazz/standards gigs weren't organized by me and I sure didn't establish teh repertoire for them ('need about 6 tunes to play'), I got hired by crusty old mofos whose regular bassists were busy and got rays, yells, and assorted lectures about what I was doing wrong. And LEARNED from it.
What I DIDN'T do was throw together a bunch of similarly clueless buds and say "Sure I can handle the gig." and then try to get somebody to tell me what tunes I should read during the gig.
If he wants to really do the gig, hire some cats to get him through it (even if that's out of his own pocket) and make it a learning experience.
Or not, it's just gonna be one less on the train.
 
#12
I checked his profile before I replied and again just now. It doesn't say that, Marcus must have some inside info. I felt that there was some missing information and that does fill in a blank for me.

But, Ed's right, taking a gig like this before you're ready is one thing. Leading a gig like this when you don't have an understanding of the music...I don't know how to be helpful.

His profile lists Paul Chambers and Dave Holland as influences, so maybe he knows more than he says, but it just comes back to making me confused about the question. If this is a social thing, an uncle asked him if he wanted to do it at his birthday party or something, then, maybe it's a good challenge. Buy 1 or 2 Jamie Aebersolds of the "standards" variety and download some associated reference recordings, get your friends together and work your asses off. If it's something else, you need more help than we can provide by listing 6 tunes for you.

A teacher would be really helpful about now as well...
 
#13
Hi guys, yes I'm a high schooler going into college from LA. I'm still working on my rep, currently working out rhythm changes. Anyway the performance is for some faculty breakfast at a fancy restaurant and they wanted one of the high school's jazz combos to play background music. I ended up choosing, Misty, Girl from Ipanema, In a Sentimental Mood, My favorite things, I remember clifford.
 
#16
paperbag1213 said:
Hi guys, yes I'm a high schooler going into college from LA. I'm still working on my rep, currently working out rhythm changes. Anyway the performance is for some faculty breakfast at a fancy restaurant and they wanted one of the high school's jazz combos to play background music. I ended up choosing, Misty, Girl from Ipanema, In a Sentimental Mood, My favorite things, I remember clifford.
Click to expand...

Have a great gig. Those tunes will work fine. BTW, if this had been your original post, you would have got nothing but love from the majority here. Some of us didn't get that you are just starting out. Many in this community tend to want to know who we're talking to and there are a more than a few crusty old dudes (including myself), that still think it's important to pay a few dues.

All The Best on your musical journey.

Trey :cool:
 

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