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Double Bass Pop songs for a jazz gig?
- Thread starter Greg Scheer
- Start date
It is important to understand the difference between liking something and having it be the right tool for the job. You can get a Phillips head screw out with a flat head screwdriver. It doesn't mean it is the best choice you can make in a world of possibilities.
One area that could actually make sense is the Bond Soundtracks, especially the John Barry (he was a jazz pianist) era like Goldfinger. The modern ones are hit and miss, but Cornell's tune could actually make sense.
Here is a fun thing I was doing with a trio (trumpet, guitar, URB) a few months ago, when restaurants were still open 'round here.
We'd play our set, (mostly songbook standards, or jazz rep from jazz composers), but in our intermissions, the cooks/waitresses would put on a Spotify playlist. (I'm a bit out of it when it comes to music of the last 5 years, but the two others knew a bit more of the artists played.) When it was time to start playing again, we'd just hear the playing tune, and jam along with it, then the waitress would fade out the background music and we'd jam on that song's chord progression (not necessarily the melody), for a few minutes. The staff loved the transition, as perhaps they may have felt their choice of music was being acknowledged and respected by us. Clients liked it too. It was also a good listening exercise for us.
Reality is, you'll keep or lose the gig mostly on the $$ of the restaurant, not on what notes you play. Do your best to make sure the band, owner, staff, clients are happy with a positive emotional experience when your group is playing. Make that emotional connection, make good memories. It does not matter what we on Talkbass write about it, its your group's gig. Make the most of it while you have it.
We'd play our set, (mostly songbook standards, or jazz rep from jazz composers), but in our intermissions, the cooks/waitresses would put on a Spotify playlist. (I'm a bit out of it when it comes to music of the last 5 years, but the two others knew a bit more of the artists played.) When it was time to start playing again, we'd just hear the playing tune, and jam along with it, then the waitress would fade out the background music and we'd jam on that song's chord progression (not necessarily the melody), for a few minutes. The staff loved the transition, as perhaps they may have felt their choice of music was being acknowledged and respected by us. Clients liked it too. It was also a good listening exercise for us.
Reality is, you'll keep or lose the gig mostly on the $$ of the restaurant, not on what notes you play. Do your best to make sure the band, owner, staff, clients are happy with a positive emotional experience when your group is playing. Make that emotional connection, make good memories. It does not matter what we on Talkbass write about it, its your group's gig. Make the most of it while you have it.
This is where you lose me. Why exactly are some jazz compositions better for improvisation as opposed to a more popular composition? It's all how you work it IMO.
We must not have the same goals when performing. This is simply not the criteria i use to decide what and what not to play. I'm perfectly happy playing something as basic as You Are My Sunshine because of the joy it can create. It doesn't have to be a next level harmonic improv vehicle with a bunch of complex twists and turns like many modern jazz compositions.
What's a casual?
Just kidding, I know what a casual is.
GB (at least here in Boston) is playing parties, functions, weddings, hotel piano bars, etc. with the ability to play multiple genres (jazz, soul,rock, you name it) for both dancing and background music. When most musicians hear "GB" they think of wearing tuxes and sight reading whatever chart the bandleader puts in front of you.
If Ella Fitzgerald could record "Sunshine Of Your Love" anything's possible
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Disagree, which is fine.
Overall, I think it depends on the song and the authenticity of the treatment/arrangement. For example, I think Kenny Barron's version of "Fragile" is lovely and I have played in a number of trios where pop tunes are used as vehicles. I tend to like them best when they are pretty far abstracted from the original, but I don't agree the whole baby/bathwater condemnation of jazz musicians playing pop tunes, in part because that's where much of the standard jazz rep came from in the first place. just from different eras of pop tunes.
For instance, I like this one a lot:
Oh, here's a song that's getting covered a lot ever since Brad Mehldau recorded it. Even Andy Bey has done a version! If people like that like to improvise over something like this, who's to argue?
Pick a "pop" tune you actually like, and play it as you like. There are many "pop" tunes over the last 20 years that are wonderful. Richard Rodgers was pop in his time, and what a great song writer. No "jazz" built in, but a great platform for interpretation. No need to play the current top forty to find songs over the last 1-20 years that are easily recognizable by a "lay" audience. Reharmonization is permitted to any degree as long as the "essence" of melody is recognizable. It is possible to please yourself, and a lay audience too.
Just my opinion, expressed as my opinion.
Steven
Just my opinion, expressed as my opinion.
Steven
Although I generally agree with Damon, a good thing about this thread is it got me to put this on again. Bass content -- Linda Oh shreds. Her solo starts at 8' but her playing throughout is fantastic.
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Of course rules are meant to be broken. As a great trumpet player once said in a workshop, "If you want to play something, play it - do you think Sonny Rollins gives a $%^ what you think when he plays that Caribbean poopie?"
If you want to do it, then do it. Don't be glib, don't let it take over, do something interesting with it. Don't use to push your "career".
The baby/bathwater thing with this is really about how much power it has, like I said, few of us have the self control to contain it. You are so rarely letting in just that one song or just that one element.
My opinions are just that. Opinions.
Disagreeing with me is fine - what can be nice about a discussion like this is that your position may not change but it can be refined.
I seriously doubt I'd be as dark on @Seanto's version of this idea than TBP.
I had a great experience with a mentor about listening to music on the way to the gig. He didn't like to, he said he preferred to start from nothing. I had give it serious consideration. I decided that I was into it because I wanted to start from a particular point in history.
So, I am pointing out a lot of the cons - those should be considered and an effort should be made to transcend them if you choose to to engage.
Still, while the case can be made, we have to ask ourselves if it really is our best idea. It just can't be. However, when it is about a job, it CAN be the right answer to keeping that job at this point whether I like it or not. Not any of my jobs, of course!
If you want to do it, then do it. Don't be glib, don't let it take over, do something interesting with it. Don't use to push your "career".
The baby/bathwater thing with this is really about how much power it has, like I said, few of us have the self control to contain it. You are so rarely letting in just that one song or just that one element.
My opinions are just that. Opinions.
Disagreeing with me is fine - what can be nice about a discussion like this is that your position may not change but it can be refined.
I seriously doubt I'd be as dark on @Seanto's version of this idea than TBP.
I had a great experience with a mentor about listening to music on the way to the gig. He didn't like to, he said he preferred to start from nothing. I had give it serious consideration. I decided that I was into it because I wanted to start from a particular point in history.
So, I am pointing out a lot of the cons - those should be considered and an effort should be made to transcend them if you choose to to engage.
Still, while the case can be made, we have to ask ourselves if it really is our best idea. It just can't be. However, when it is about a job, it CAN be the right answer to keeping that job at this point whether I like it or not. Not any of my jobs, of course!
Cue damon smith in 3,2,1...Dunno, man. I think I saw the Stray Cats do that first.
(Run/walk for your lives!)
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Well, it says right on it that it is "Variations for Double Bass 1961", so I think Ben got there before them! I did get a quite a bit of work last year doing that piece, funny enough.Dunno, man. I think I saw the Stray Cats do that first.
"There's no Business like Show Business", whether it's the Stray Cats or Ben Patterson!
IMFO, of course.
