thepurpleblob

Like Groucho said, "I wouldn't join a tour that would have me as a member".... something like that anyway !!

Tha jazz has a neck like a twig and - the most irritating thing in the world - two volume controls when it should have had one volume and one blend. Bah!! However, what do I know, everybody and his canis familiaris seems to play one.

Both 4 and 5. I tend to stagger between the two. I actually started on a five then "discovered" four and and now back to using a five about 50% of the time. There's also the issue of a 4 with a de-tuner that I also use (open drop-D is a different thing to fretted low D on a 5). It's all so complicated!!

I just want to improve my theory knowledge and listen to some new stuff.... please don't fight :-(

[quote name='Hutton' post='455341' date='Apr 6 2009, 12:46 PM']No, that's the Brand New Heavies that you are thinking of. A great band and like the Crusaders consisting of professional musicians. These are people who love playing music and do not care about the boundaries of musical genre.[/quote] D'Oh.... close but no cigar

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='455303' date='Apr 6 2009, 12:17 PM']Again, I would urge caution. The Crusaders are not what a lot of people would call jazz - maybe pop/funk/fuzak? Not sure where to put them but jazz? I wouldn't put them very deep into that category. Its not my call but bands like these can be a bit sugary for people brought up on edgier musics like rock and punk. As I said - look around.[/quote] Yeh - I just had a listen. Aren't they those "midnight at the oasis" dudes? If that's Jazz I give up right now... back to your elevator

It's genetic or something. I think you always tend to remember a song faster than it actually is. It's really surprising/educational with a lot of songs to get the tempo spot on with a metronome and realise how slow some are.

See that clip just scares me.... I'll *never* be able to play that. What about some stuff that an amateur might actually be able to aspire to playing??

[quote name='Alun' post='454973' date='Apr 5 2009, 10:24 PM']+1 to what Urb said about seeing jazz live One thing to bear in mind is that "jazz" covers everything from "When The Saints Go Marching In" and Geln Miller to noisy avant garde stuff, just as "rock" can cover a multitude of styles. If you're coming from a rock background, maybe start with some guitar based stuff like Mike Stern or some of the Brecker Brothers stuff. That's how I started - by "easing myself in" on stuff where there was still some resemblance to music I understood For a good grounding in jazz standards, try some Oscar Peterson Trio recordings - "We Get Requests" or "Night Train" are both fantastic and feature the great Ray Brown on bass. I'd also recommend any of the Cds mentioned by Urb. For an idea of what's possible on the bass guitar in jazz, check out anything involving Laurence Cottle or Steve Swallow, amongst others. Tom Kennedy and Mike Pope also come highly recommended on bass guitar and upright. If you want to really get into the nuts and bolts of it all then I can't recommend "The Jazz Theory Book" by Marc Levine highly enough ( the only caveat being that it is all in standard notation and there is a lot in treble clef). Cheers Alun[/quote] Cheers... there's some stuff to be going on with there. Luckily I can read standard notation - more or less - so that aspect isn't worry. I'll check out that book I was getting a bit worried because I thought Miles Davis was *really* boring - sacrilege I believe.

[quote name='elom' post='454918' date='Apr 5 2009, 09:10 PM']The suggestions about set lists are pretty spot on. For me it boils down to, whatever your genre, play stuff that people know. As a covers band that's what you're there for. One of my bandmates keeps suggesting great songs for us to cover but we hardly ever do because, good as they are, almost all the punters will never have heard of them. We used to play Celebrity Skin by Hole, which we thought people would like, but when we'd finish it was like tumbleweed was blowing through the venue - [i]every time[/i].[/quote] It's a whole thread by itself, "what covers did you think would be a dead cert but went down like a lead balloon?". Anything by the Arctic Monkeys is my bitter experience

I know it's wrong... but I'm strangely envious

[quote name='leschirons' post='454939' date='Apr 5 2009, 09:43 PM'][size=6]Bb[/size][/quote] Is that like A#...... only jazzier??

[quote name='urb' post='454809' date='Apr 5 2009, 06:03 PM']This venue has loads of good local jazzers on: [url="http://www.thejazzbar.co.uk/"]http://www.thejazzbar.co.uk/[/url][/quote] Actually, I've even been there, but not to see a jazz act as it happens.

[quote name='urb' post='454785' date='Apr 5 2009, 05:19 PM']You might want to check out [url="http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/"]this website[/url] for an idea of the current UK scene and find a gig near you[/quote] Mmm... seems Jazz hasn't made it to Scotland!! Just "Mathias Eick Quartet" in Edinburgh. Who?

For you jazzers out there I guess. I have read a number of discussions on here about Jazz concepts that, while often over my head, I find really interesting. I also keep reading variations on "learn some jazz concepts and it'll really set you up as a player". So, is the latter true and if so where do I start? I have no clue about Jazz music - never listed to any which is probably a bad start. Any recommendations?

[quote name='Linus27' post='454762' date='Apr 5 2009, 04:28 PM']No, not at all. In the email I got mid last week, they asked if I could learn 3 songs, so I learnt to play 4. After we had run through them twice they gave the impression that it was going very well and so said, lets run through some others and mentioned a few titles. I said the only problem is I don't know those songs and have never heard them. They still wanted to jam and told me the chords for the verse, bridge and chorus. We then just started playing through them. I had no idea on structure or ryhthm etc and so had to make up bass lines and listen what was happening with the drums and structure. Also, some of the songs I had learnt, they had changed the structure a little so I had to re-learn the new structure on the spot and write a few new bass lines. I also locked in really well with the drummer. Still, it did go very well even if I don't get it [/quote] Good for you... being put on the spot like that sorts the men from the boys. I would have crumbled in blind panic

The last audition I did ended with "we'll need to stop there... there's another guy coming at 5 - I hope he turns up". You may be surprised to learn that I didn't get it

As a matter interest did they tell you in advance they'd be asking you to play songs you had not had chance to rehearse?

[quote name='hubrad' post='454638' date='Apr 5 2009, 01:17 PM']Dammit! I was hoping you all meant Valerie by Richard Thompson! [/quote] Let's face it.... it's actually not a bad bass line and I could look at the legs on that scouse bird all day long (Please excuse sexism and racism all in one sentence!!)

[quote name='OldGit' post='454387' date='Apr 4 2009, 10:17 PM']Oh and if I was playing that list I'd not expect to rehearse for 6 months. As an experienced covers band player I could probably gig that lot in about 2 weeks time, if everyone else knew what they were doing. That's the other side of taking on experienced covers players .. They are not used to heavy rehearsal schedules ... Make up set list CD's, give them out and everyone learns that version.[/quote] I always think that playing covers is the art of "getting by". I've been in a position of having to learn 50 songs in two weeks and you have to make some compromises. As long as you start and finish together, play more or less the right chords in the middle and keep smiling you're laughing! Taping notes to the back of the PA helps enormously too

For God's sake.. don't start the Mustang Sally argument again

IMHO, the best way to pick material is to choose the appropriate, popular local radio station and listen to what they are playing. That would be a good start. You average Saturday night pub customer will have heard nothing else unfortunately. Having said that, my current covers band play whatever we like so we don't get that many gigs We don't care though... the bands that play three gigs a weekend every weekend are all out there doing "summer of 69" and suchlike.

[quote name='Linus27' post='453206' date='Apr 3 2009, 12:06 PM']Tomorrow afternoon I have my first ever audition. In the 20 years of playing I have never had one before. Always been in bands with friends. So as you can imagine, I am a little nervous especially as for the last year I have been learning to play with fingers and I really want to play with fingers in this audition. 20 years of pick player is a hard habit to change. All the songs are original and I feel fairly comfortable with what I have learnt so far despite some of the bass being hard to hear in the mix. Can anyone offer me some pointers, tips or advice for my audition. Thanks. [/quote] If you like the stuff and you can play it well you've got every chance of getting the gig. If not you won't. Auditions I've gone to where I know deep down I'm pushing my luck I've crashed and burned. Other than that be polite and friendly and say thanks for the chance even if it doesn't work out - you never know You're going to be a bit nervous s0 make sure you have the songs down really well... That might sound obvious but there'll be all sorts of stuff going through your head so you don't want to have to think about getting the notes right!!

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='451996' date='Apr 1 2009, 10:17 PM']Simple answer to a simple question, Peter... Yes. Most shops won't let these out of the door for less than about £500. I tried last summer at a place in Hull! Rich.[/quote] You went to Hull and lived? I lived for some years in Hull (a long time ago now), I'm trying to remember the name of the music shop just down from the now totally unacceptably named "Asbestos" store Oh... £350 for a Tribby. Buy it. Damn good bass.... I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.