Gig Issues

[wulf]

Suggestions...?

Don't let the sax player pass on the solos and make sure you don't rush your songs (give the drummer a metronome)

Apart from that, you've either got to learn more songs (how about Freebird ) or repeat some of what you've already done.

In the gigs you've done so far, what kind of things have really gone down well? My most constructive suggestion would be to answer that question and then learn a little bit more of whatever that is.

Wulf

 

[moley]

Failing that, do a Bitches Brew style half-hour free form fusion jam.

 

[JazZ-A-LoT]

If you mean what kind of style went over well... lets see we only play jazz and some funk so ya'

 

[JazZ-A-LoT]

Great suggestion moley....... actualy ummmmm NO

 

[wulf]

Originally posted by JazZ-A-LoT
If you mean what kind of style went over well... lets see we only play jazz and some funk so ya'

That covers a pretty broad span. For example, one option would be to buy some Real Books - if you can read music, you never need run out of tunes again on a mere four hour gig. You'll find loads of material from a wide range of jazz based genres BUT it does depend on your reading ability and whether books on music stands are 'cool' at the venue.

That's why any suggestions need a context (and, BTW, if it is Jazz/Funk, wouldn't an extended 'Bitches Brew' jam be just the ticket?)

Wulf

 

[moley]

Actually, if it is Jazz/Funk you could do something like that. Perhaps not as way-out as Bitches Brew, but you can just do an extended jam. Improvise a head section as a band, then take solos. Or just don't bother with the head section, and just take solos! But, don't base it on the Ghostbusters theme like I did But seriously, you could just pick a key, and funk for 10 minutes . G dorian works for me But you've gotta keep it interesting, keep it exciting, throw in key changes, change the mood etc. etc.

Actually there's this thing I've seen done... you can do it in the middle of a tune, just in a jam or whatever. This kinda has to have horns to work - I assume you've got horn(s) in the band? At least 1 trumpet or sax player? Say you're just doing a funk groove, what ya do is, you get the audience to call out numbers, then you do that many hits. By hits I mean like repeated staccato stabs - like on that James Brown tune Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine. So say someone calls out 5 - you do 5 stabs (say just on the key note, or you could to a 9th chord or something) - i.e. a bar of 5/8. Then you carry on grooving for 4 or 8 bars or whatever. Then you ask 'em again, and someone calls out 11 or whatever, and you do 11 hits (i.e. a bar of 11/8) then carry on grooving etc. It works better if you do the hits then carry on grooving straight away, with no spare beats if you see what I mean. For example if it's 13, don't just play 13 stabs, then fill for 3 beats (or whatever) to get to the end of the bar so you can carry on the groove - literally play a bar of 13/8, then go back to 4/4 (or whatever).

Of course, people will call out silly things like 57 or 103 or whatever - but if you're all on the ball, you can do it. Though, 103 would get boring. But 57 would be ok.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by wulf
That covers a pretty broad span. For example, one option would be to buy some Real Books - if you can read music, you never need run out of tunes again on a mere four hour gig. You'll find loads of material from a wide range of jazz based genres BUT it does depend on your reading ability and whether books on music stands are 'cool' at the venue.

Yes - I've got a small A5 Real Book which has 625 Jazz tunes in it - that would be enough for many 4 hour gigs!!

 

[JazZ-A-LoT]

Have any of you guys heard "Superbass 2 - feat. Ray Brown and John Clayton". It's and awsome cd, learning any of that stuff would be awsome jam material.

 

[Charling]

If we ever run out of material we just break out 'Pick up the Pieces' and try and fit in as much variation as possible. It'll often be just me and the drummer or the sax and the drummer for a bit while everyone else goes off to the toilet or gets a drink! We even managed to squeeze in Teen Townand Birdland in the solo section once!

 

[SCH]

Most of our gigs are 4 hours, which is usually broken into four 45-50 minute sets. We did a five hour gig about a month ago and still didn't play all our songs. My band's been together for a few years, and we keep it fresh by learning new material. It comes in handy for those ultra long gigs.