Bilbo

Let's see you Rockers and Funksters make something out of that!!

Thanks, guys.

Go me. October picture selected. Shall I send it to you, Dad, or to Paul?

I think there are a range of considerations here. I play about 3-4 gigs a month. I have had periods when it was nearer 10-12 but I didn't like the music and made a conscious decision to filter out the non-Jazz gigs with a few exceptions and it plummeted to really low levels before slowly building up again. If I wanted to go pro, I would have to fill up with gigs I wouldn't like to get anywhere near a living wage. I am not one of those guys that will play anything and only play music I like. Some guys can do anything and enjoy it. Good for them but it isn't something I can do.

Papa's bought a brand new bass. I would change the strings as a starter for 10, Paul.

4 string, 7 string and a double bass. And five guitars.

Not something I fret about, if I am honest. As long as the instrument works, the cosmetics are pretty much incidental.

Did a trio gig with a current and ex member of the Pasadena Roof on a boat. Problem was, they put us in a room next to the very loud engine and I spent the whole gig trying to play standards against a drone in Eb.

My first experience of Jaco was on the Al Di Meola LP 'Land Of The Midnight Sun' - the track was 'Suite - Golden Dawn', a three part suite. It was a new sound for me and a real ear-opener. Been a fan ever since. I even remember where I was the day that I heard he had died.

I used to do 100s of gigs with people where I was the best in the band and it sucked the life out of me, in spite of the money. I took the decision several years ago to not do these shot gigs just for the money and, since then, I have nearly always been the worst player in the band. I am not sure whether I have improved but I am certainly happier. I only do about 35 gigs a year but they are with people like Alan Barnes, Pete Long, Mike Gorman, Derek Nash etc etc. Quality not quantity. I am not a pro so my day job pays the bills so it is important to me that the gigs are not factory work.

'The Rite of Spring' is a ballet. If you can dance to that......

I just remembered that Paul Gray of The Damned and Eddie and the Hot Rods fame produced (and played keyboards on) a single I was on with NWOBHM unknowns No Quarter. I would add that the keyboard in question was a nasty sounding Casio thing.

Half size won't be any good as a starter instrument and may even do more harm than good. I would avoid.

It's an interesting topic. My wife and I have a rule that, if a music video is on the TV, we have to turn it over if anyone, male or female, is dancing in their pants. We rarely see a video all the way through. It is something I have noticed in Jazz as well. The sexualisation of ANY female musician, not just singers, is, to my mind, an unfortunate trend. Eg. Diana Krall cd covers. If you see them in order, she is wearing less and less each time. It's so unnecessary. These are talented women who shouldn't have to be presented in this way. As s promoter, I have nevertheless observed that Jazz audiences like a 'pretty girl' as much as any audience. The tend to behave, though, and keep their thoughts to themselves.

I got one in, guys!! Featuring my melodica debut!! I deserve to win for that alone!! [b]https://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/carousel[/b]

I call them acrobats. Amazing but only once. There is a reason Holst orchestrated The Planets for an orchestra and not four basses!

This guy impresses me http://youtu.be/H_TJc5f_urY

I have problems with hand written charts; too small, written in fading pencil, dots indistinct, chord extensions too small etc.

I care not a jot. It's real world stuff. If you work without contracts, you can't get arsey when stuff like this is managed casually. These approaches are generally more about pragmatism than anything. As has been said, there is rarely any money involved, just egos. Hence, I care not a jot.

Fairy Nuff.

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1504334972' post='3364124'] I guess there are many levels to reading , and sight reading with no previous knowledge of the feel of the song is another level to using dots and tabs to work something out ahead of time. [/quote] It is not unusual for tunes you have never heard before being put in front of you. The reality is that there is always someone there who DOES know how it is supposed to feel so it is a quick briefing and off. Eg 'two feel ', 'shuffle' etc. Usually sorts itself out by the second or third bar.

No need to apologise. Van Mo is no worse than most other pap artists. It's just the 'Moondance' debacle that gives me the arse.

'Learning the song' is one of the issues, surely. If you read dots and are playing for an MD who writes great charts, you don't need to 'learn the song'. If I do a show, I will often get just one band call/rehearsal before Showtime. No time to'learn the songs'.

Coming at this the other way. I have an AI set up for double bass but it wasn't cutting it on electric /rock gigs so I bought a PJ 4x5 extension cab. Absolutely did the trick. I gig with Brendan O'Neil, Rory Gallagher's old drummer, and the AI PJ mix absolutely cuts it.

[quote name='jacko' timestamp='1503316019' post='3357074'] YES covering S&G's America. [/quote] 100% http://youtu.be/W-062j9dafg