Set List

[Happy Jack]

Discover last Thursday that there'll be an Alternative House Band at my favourite open-mic session on Tuesday (i.e. tomorrow), with me on bass. Great!

Ping an email to the guitarist who's organising it - what's the set list going to be? (This is a firmly blues-based session, though rock & funk are fine in small doses.)

No response.

Just before I go to bed last night, ping him a chaser - what's happening?

Response comes in overnight. Are you ready?

QUOTE

Sitting On Top Of The World. Cream. The live version off "Farewell Cream"
Dixie Chicken. Little Feat.
Watch Your Step. Bobby ?????
Night Train. James Brown.
Caladonia. Louis Jordan.
Move To The Outskirts of Town. Allman Brothers version off "Live at Ludlows Garage"
Must Have Done Somebody Wrong. Allman Brothers. "Live at the Fillmore East"
Turn On Your Lovelight. The Grateful Dead. "live Dead"
Southern Man. Neil Young
Hallaluja I Just Love Her So. Humble Pie. "Rockin' The Fillmore East"
Lonely Avenue. Ray Charles
Rollin' Man. Fleetwood Mac.

END QUOTE

I pinged back that I could handle four, maybe five, of those but: [i]as to the others, you win this year's Brian Eno award for sheer obscurity. There's not one of those tracks that I could even HUM without downloading it first, let alone play on stage tomorrow evening, and with zero rehearsal!
[/i]

I'm no spring chicken, and I've been listening to music more or less seriously for about 40 years, but I'm staggered that he was able to come up with so many tracks that mean absolutely nothing to me. And even more staggered that he's suggesting playing them live tomorrow!

Am I being precious?

[Muppet]

Self indulgence vs crowd pleasers.....!

[BigBeefChief]

What a pretentious set list.

He'll probably being tutting away when people ask what the f*ck he's playing.

[beerdragon]

The guitarist is being a bit cheeky if he already knows that lot and expects you turn up and play them at short notice. i dont think they are all twelve bar songs. it sounds a bit of hard work that lot!

[acidbass]

That's a very obscure setlist for a house band that plays rock and blues! The only tunes I could make a stab at without practicing would be Southern Man, Sitting On Top Of The World and Dixie Chicken. The rest -

[stingrayfan]

That list'll clear the place.

[obbm]

Go back and ask him for a set of chord charts.

[alexclaber]

And he wants you to sing the lead vocal on SOTOTW too?

Alex

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I'd send an alternative set list and ask if he actually wants a bass player onstage.

What an idiot.

[The Funk]

What the hell made him pick obscure arrangements of well known tunes? Isn't the point of a jam session that you come up with whatever arrangement happens to develop onstage?

Sitting On Top Of The World by Cream (who are my favourite band) is bollocks compared to the Ray Charles version.

EDIT: Just send him a set-list with the obvious...

1. Stormy Monday
2. Rollin' and Tumblin'
3. Hoochie Coochie Man
4. Mannish Boy
5. Sweet Home Chicago
6. St James Infirmary
7. Born Under A Bad Sign
8. All Your Love (I Miss Lovin')
9. Dust My Broom
10. Ain't Nobody's Business

Edited April 14, 2008 by The Funk

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='176465' date='Apr 14 2008, 05:34 PM']And he wants you to sing the lead vocal on SOTOTW too?

Alex[/quote]

No, he likes to handle the vocals too!

I could do [i]Dixie Chicken[/i] and I already do [i]Rollin' Man[/i] for the blues band I'm in.

What's more, I'd get the words right ...

[Happy Jack]

Incidentally, and in case you're interested, the others on his list that I can play are [i]Southern Man, Night Train[/i] and [i]Watch Your Step[/i], though I play the last one in A (Peter Green) rather than the E that he prefers.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I was worried that it was me who had the problem.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='The Funk' post='176514' date='Apr 14 2008, 06:16 PM']6. St James Infirmary[/quote]

Huh? You've put that in with some very illustrious company, so I think I'm going to go and Google for a while.

[The Funk]

It's a great song - not as well known as some of the others but recorded many times by many blues artists.

Check out the Bobby Bland version.

[gary mac]

Don't you just love guitarists?

The Humble Pie one is great, there's a nice bass bit in the middle, not a exactly a solo, but a good line to play.

Good luck with it.

[acidbass]

Just suggest some tunes from the 'Genericana' genre, ie Green Onions, Stormy Monday, The Thrill Is Gone and so on. Perfectly good to jam to, and well known enough so as to attract a crowd.

[Buzz]

I recognize ZERO in the playlist.

Woo for a tiny knowledge of music!

[tauzero]

[quote name='Buzz' post='176803' date='Apr 15 2008, 01:27 AM']I recognize ZERO in the playlist.

Woo for a tiny knowledge of music![/quote]
Oh good, it's not just me then.

Half the time on open mic nights I'm watching the guitarist's fingers. It's my version of sight-reading.

[burray]

[quote name='tauzero' post='176903' date='Apr 15 2008, 11:03 AM']Oh good, it's not just me then.[/quote]

I'm guilty on that count too.

I'm guessing most of it was well before my time.

[FJ1200]

Blimey! Some list! Sort-of recognise one or two...

Going as a spectator to my first Open Mic night Thursday (I think) - see if I have the guts to do a sesh next time round!

[gypsymoth]

St.James Infirmary - Eric & Animals, Every One of Us. perhaps not their biggest selling record. but if it's an open mic jam, Year of the Guru would be a better choice as it's a) more fun and has three guitars going. Edited April 15, 2008 by gypsymoth

[The Funk]

[quote name='tauzero' post='176903' date='Apr 15 2008, 11:03 AM']Half the time on open mic nights I'm watching the guitarist's fingers. It's my version of sight-reading.[/quote]

Haha, it's always the fall-back when you can't hear anything and don't have a chart.

[CPBass]

If he's so precious about the set ask him for a session fee

[Happy Jack]

The fee is £10 each.

We've done this once before, about a month ago. After the set, he approached the landlord and asked for the dosh. The landlord said "No problem - you got my invoice?".

Erm ... what invoice? Turns out the regular House Band know that he HAS to have an invoice to keep the taxman happy, which is perfectly reasonable.

Ah well, double bubble tonight then.

Incidentally, having spent some time trawling the net I've managed to download some of the unknown tracks. I have to say I rather like the Louis Jordan one, which turns out to be called [i]Caldonia Boogie[/i]. Jordan was apparently a VERY influential jazz/bebop musician in the Cab Calloway mould during the 40's/50's and I may have to get some more of his stuff. He's FUN!

[CPBass]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='177197' date='Apr 15 2008, 05:47 PM']The fee is £10 each.

We've done this once before, about a month ago. After the set, he approached the landlord and asked for the dosh. The landlord said "No problem - you got my invoice?".

Erm ... what invoice? Turns out the regular House Band know that he HAS to have an invoice to keep the taxman happy, which is perfectly reasonable.

Ah well, double bubble tonight then.

Incidentally, having spent some time trawling the net I've managed to download some of the unknown tracks. I have to say I rather like the Louis Jordan one, which turns out to be called [i]Caldonia Boogie[/i]. Jordan was apparently a VERY influential jazz/bebop musician in the Cab Calloway mould during the 40's/50's and I may have to get some more of his stuff. He's FUN![/quote]

Sounds like youll have a great time.

My previous comment was slightly flippant as Ive had it happen to me so many times but it all turns out in the end. I always learn something from being landed in the deep end.

Enjoy the night and let us know how it goes.