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so this happened last night

Freebird, Journey, Metalica, etc should all be game for a Jazz group. The "Real" book is full of tunes that were once pop songs. Jazz use to thrive on taking the pop hits of the day and letting loose on them. I would love to hear a Bari sax take on a Metalica tune. Jazz started to die when it went away from interpreting the tunes of the day. Now, it's rotting in the museum like Classical.
 
So I read through this thread and enjoyed all the hilarious stories. Seen the same many times in many contexts, and despite my limited gigging experience have even had it happen to me. And the more I think about it, the more peculiar the whole phenomenon seems to me. Think about it: There is this perception among some/many people that if you know how to play some songs on an instrument, you must know every song ever written and be able to play it at any moment. But not just that: They are often so sure that this is true that if you tell them you don't know the song (or how to play it), they don't believe you. They even get angry and belligerent about your "refusal" to play it: They are so certain that you could play it if you wanted to that they assume you are just being a jerk by refusing to give it up. Or, they think that if they just offered you more money you would suddenly be able to play it, again as if the problem were lack of motivation rather than simply not knowing how.

If you're not persuaded that there is something really weird about this, try to think of another domain of life or work in which this happens to the same degree. I can't think of a single example that is even remotely similar.

Sorry if this is too "serious" for a thread intended to be amusing, but I'm really intrigued by this and would be interested to hear what others think. What the H is going on here? [Disclaimer: I happen to be a college professor and psychological researcher in my day job, so this is the kind of stuff I think about for a living!]
 
I had a dude flipping 20's into the tip jar like he was a rapper in a video making it rain just to hear sweet home Alabama. we let him get go for a minute before playing it for him. he probably dropped 140 in the bucket.
 
I had a dude flipping 20's into the tip jar like he was a rapper in a video making it rain just to hear sweet home Alabama. we let him get go for a minute before playing it for him. he probably dropped 140 in the bucket.

At the risk of sucking all the hilarity out of this thread by trying to turn everything into a scientific research question, this is another music-related phenomenon that is fascinating to me because it seems utterly bizarre if you stop to think about it for a moment. Why in the world would somebody -- no matter how drunk -- be so desperate to hear a particular song at a particular time that they would pay $140 to hear it at that moment? Again, I challenge you to name another domain of life or work in which this happens....
 
At the risk of sucking all the hilarity out of this thread by trying to turn everything into a scientific research question, this is another music-related phenomenon that is fascinating to me because it seems utterly bizarre if you stop to think about it for a moment. Why in the world would somebody -- no matter how drunk -- be so desperate to hear a particular song at a particular time that they would pay $140 to hear it at that moment? Again, I challenge you to name another domain of life or work in which this happens....

One gig, A few years ago, we had a guy who apparently had either won a lottery or robbed a bank, because we got to the end of our show and he paid us to play another 45 min! He literally threw almost $400 on the stage, in $20's & $50's, it was AWESOME! Unfortunately, we never saw him again.

The two things I really enjoy are when drunk chicks come up and request something that we were going to play anyway and this-
Drunk Chick: Can you guys play that one song?
Us: Ummm, which song?
Drunk Chick: You know which one I'm talking about, it goes *insert some horribly-done, random misquoted song lyric*
Us: Sure. It's coming up later OR Darn it, we did that one earlier and the bar owner told us not to repeat any songs...:D
 
Think about it: There is this perception among some/many people that if you know how to play some songs on an instrument, you must know every song ever written and be able to play it at any moment. But not just that: They are often so sure that this is true that if you tell them you don't know the song (or how to play it), they don't believe you.
Well, the kid who wanted Metallica at the early medieval festival didn't want to believe us, and he kinda had a point. Around here those are full of metalheads, and two of the guys in the band knew some Metallica.

People just seem to underestimate the amount of effort that's required to pull music off. A lot of musicians also think production is a lot less work than it actually is, producers think software development is easy and if there's a bug in a plugin it must be that a developer was just lazy and didn't want to fix it...

In a way people who can do things we can't seem like they have magic powers, and we don't have the slightest clue of what limits these magic powers might have, if any.

I also had a club owner once ask for a particular song, the singer told him she knows it but the band doesn't, and he was all "well, you can just play it with the bassist, he's good". That guy seemed to have genuine mental problems, though.

Also, busking one time, had some guy who looked like a random drunk ask for something in C. We complied, he pulled out a harmonica, joined in, and then left us a pretty good amount of cash. Turned out to be some famous theater actor.
 
you sure thats the FULL definition? haha just busting your balls for making a dumb remark about women.
That's the full definition.Inherent is not inherited.Two different words.And my comment wasn't a "dumb remark"It's a fact.Most women don't like Jazz I.E. Allan Holdsworth.Or Progressive instrumental such as Dream Theater or Tosin Abasi's music.Practically ALL of the music acts I've been to were almost all guys.And if there are women in attendance they are likely an unwilling girlfriend or wife.Do you know otherwise?
 
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Most women don't like Jazz...Practically ALL of the music acts I've been to were almost all guys.And if there are women in attendance they are likely an unwilling girlfriend or wife.Do you know otherwise?

Um, I don't know about that. I spent 4 years backing a woman jazz singer, subbed for a female-female-male trio, and am finishing arrangements on two tunes written by a woman pianist tonight with vocals by a woman.

If we're only talking about experiential evidence, 100% of all small jazz combos contain women, and 2/3 have more ladies than dudes. Also, every cab driver in Florida is from Haiti, and 60% want to go back when the kids are grown.

Experiential evidence isn't good for statistics, or generalizations of any kind really. That's what "IME" is for.
 
Um, I don't know about that. I spent 4 years backing a woman jazz singer, subbed for a female-female-male trio, and am finishing arrangements on two tunes written by a woman pianist tonight with vocals by a woman.

If we're only talking about experiential evidence, 100% of all small jazz combos contain women, and 2/3 have more ladies than dudes. Also, every cab driver in Florida is from Haiti, and 60% want to go back when the kids are grown.

Experiential evidence isn't good for statistics, or generalizations of any kind really. That's what "IME" is for.

Your experience is not my experience.Most women would rather listen to some bouncy dance music than listen to a Simon Phillips disc.
 
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as far as people throwing money at bands to play tunes I could care less about their motivation. I just want the cash!

but I do think it is crazy. you have to work half a day or more to make 140 just to throw it away for 5 minutes of tunes.
 
I played a lawyer office/customer appreciation gig last year. Total country scene and did almost all Waylon type stuff. 3 drunk Hispanic construction worker guys were sitting off to the right, having a good time. Between sets, one hands us a napkin with a request....

Open Arms by Journey