First Jazz Session - HELP WANTED!

[S.P]

that sounds like an interesting concept matricks!

I just had basically what i could say my first time playing jazz with a band, and im sure CLW is a much better player than me but i found it harder to keep the time especially with the band as there were 9 or 10 memebers whilst keeping the swing feel, i got used to it afterwhile. If there is any advice i can give you from my experience, is just listen to the music first if you have time or the first 30 seconds of each tune before you play it. It really helped me when i did this today...

Good luck

[Henry II]

Originally posted by drumming sort of person:
Wear dark sunglasses and a black turtleneck sweater to the session and arrive with bongos under your arm. Once inside, demand that someone get you an espresso. Then, while they run down the first song for you, nod your head and whisper "yeah baby!"

Whenever possible, complain about the state of jazz and how the 'language' is only understood by the chosen few.... [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">YOU FORGOT THE MUSTACHE AND VAN DYKE! Humph!

[Groovemeister]

Originally posted by drumming sort of person:
Wear dark sunglasses and a black turtleneck sweater to the session and arrive with bongos under your arm. Once inside, demand that someone get you an espresso. Then, while they run down the first song for you, nod your head and whisper "yeah baby!"

Whenever possible, complain about the state of jazz and how the 'language' is only understood by the chosen few.... [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This was, by far, the funniest thing I've ever read on here and I've been here yeeeears...

MP

[Willy Brown]

I've read all of the responses and I agree with Matrix one hundred per cent. Given that this is truly a "jazz" session, you should lean on the ride and let it drive the music. Ensure your ride divisions are consistent from measure to measure or the groove will suffer. Don't use any sort of heavy, pingy ride or it will be obtrusive and work against the liquid feel you need. Read Matrix again and heed, that's my advice. Seriously, though, if this were a true jazz session, and I balk at considering Norah Jones more than a very distant relative of the jazz community, the producer would have a jazz guy do the gig. That is, if it were truly a Diana Krall sort of thing, they'd have an Erskine or local equivalent, so I wouldn't sweat it. It's probably a folk gig with lots of brushes and "alternate sounds". Bring a sizzle cymbal and some Ks and a softer beater for your kick. You don't learn jazz in a week, unless the producer is on a reduced budget....
WB

[chrisbrady]

DSOP. You're a funny guy. That was genius.
CB

[CLWarunki]

Yeah, DSOP gave me some golden advice... but should I ask for espresso or capuccino? If the taste does not meet my standards should I proceed to spit it up onto a napkin and leave?

matricks... 20mins of quarters on my ride?! That would kill me. I think I have ADD, or more like HADD - but it only surfaces when I sit behind the kit. Would be a good challenge though! Do you think Stewart Copeland could have ever sat there doing quarter notes on his ride for almost half an hour!? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Oh yeah and I guess I shouldn't have mentioned Jones with Krall, since they are TOTALLY different. Yeah, Norah is not jazz... Krall is... sorry, my bad. I have yet to get the tunes, but I think it's gonna be straight jazz more like Krall. So yeah, better get working on that ride cymbal... thanks for all the advice everyone!!!

[drumgod1]

Play time, time, time, time, time. Most likely, that is all that will be required. Jazz singers are a strange bunch, and the less you over shadow what they are doing, the better. I once asked my drum instructor (who's recorded with Karrin Allyson and local singer Angela Hagenbach) and he said what they want from you is drumming where they feel what you are playing more than hear it. If you are playing bebop kicks and trying to interact quite a bit with the other musicians while the singer is singing, you are most likely overplaying. You are there to enhance their singing and make them create a better performance. This sounds like a true less is more gig.

Good luck!

Mike

[JoesMechanic]

Flarobsticks writes.....

"I know all about the so called "black wanna be's" of jazz."

I'm curious to know who those "wanna be's" are??

CLwar....

There's a CD (was a record originally). Yellow face, all "Bird" tunes. Several different tempos...... "straight ahead" stuff. When I want to "own" or "internalize" the Jazz time or feel, that's a great CD to lock yourself up in your room for around 45 minutes and pound the "Jazz time" into your head.

[Flarobstix]

My original post was full of venting, so I deleted it! ha! Knowing that no matter how hard I try, few will get it.
But CL, I did say Good luck on your session. Go check out some Brain Blade!

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 14, 2005 04:47 AM: Message edited by: Flarobstix ]</font>

[CLWarunki]

Brain SUCKS, Brian Blade does not.