Playing with a Big Band

[Greaseleg]

Basie, Woody, Duke

[Greaseleg]

Dazz, that's one of the best posts I've ever read on here. Well said.

[moosetication]

Originally posted by Greaseleg:
Dazz, that's one of the best posts I've ever read on here. Well said.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Agreed. That one's a keeper... [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[rafaeldm]

Wow! Thank you all for your suggestions.

I am new to playing jazz music, so playing with a big band is a complete new experience to me, most of the gigs I play rock, progressive rock, blues and some brazilian music.

I still have problems reading charts but I think by the end of the end of June I'll be a lot better reading charts. I learned the accents of the songs of this big band by listening and playing along with headphones. I am not really using the charts to guide me through the songs right now.

I have the Buddy Rich Memorial Scolarship tapes 1-4. There is one song that we will play, not now, that Vinnie played, I think it's called One o'clock. I will listen to the records/CD's you all recommended.

I've been visiting Steve's forum for some time, and I think this is a great forum, thanks again!

[S.P]

Sorry, honestly, next time i will not start dishing out advice on stuff i dont know, thanks for teaching me that stuff. I always thought gregg was great with the band that night, if you look at the bands faces behind them when gregg finished playing in a mellow tone you can tell they are super happy.

Thanks for teaching me too guys!

btw Rafael! i used to live in Brasil man! from when i was 2 till i was 8! I lived in Campinas (quite near Sao Paulo) and also in Rio Grande Do Sure in Novo Hamburgo near Porto Alegre and Sao Leopoldo!

great to have you here, its an amazing board

[rafaeldm]

Hi, I am new to the forum.

I would like to hear some tips on playing with a Big Band. I've joined one and we will start rehearsing next monday but I have no experience at all playing with a big band.
The songs are mostly jazz and some are latin-jazz.

Thanks for your help!

[Paraflam]

Dazzler wrote: "and be be able to read any chart that is placed in front of them"

Sorry guys. This is a great tool to have for any musician, but the fact is, in the era of big band most drummers didn't read. So to say any great big band must be able to read is false. Although reading is a great tool and I would never tell anyone don't bother with your reading skills. They're important. But not a must. Unless of course you're going in cold without ever playing the material.
Dazzler's advice was spot on and is exactly what I said, but more detailed. Chop wood? I haven't heard that expression in years! Yeah man! OLD SKOOL my man from the UK! Good one.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 29, 2005 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Paraflam ]</font>

[moosetication]

Originally posted by Paraflam:
...the fact is, in the era of big band most drummers didn't read.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This isn't the era of big band.

I have less than a hundredth of the experience of Dazzling Darren, but I've never worked without a chart - even in junior ensembles.

[zmorton]

Hmm... that may have been the case during the Big Band era but in today's modern charts reading is a must. I have played charts in my university's Big Band where reading was required in order to develop the various feels; no way to hear these charts simply by ear.

One piece of advice I have is to memorize as much of the charts as possible. I've found that once a chart is memorized and your face isn't buried in the chart your playing will open up and your connection to the band becomes much more solid. The band will love you for this.

Chopping wood? I've never heard that term either. HAHA If I were to guess though that would be a heavy back beat during a shout section.

[zmorton]

oops, double post.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ May 29, 2005 01:45 PM: Message edited by: Zak Morton ]</font>