A new experience for me - how a band gets put together in 2023.

[ossyrocks]

I’ve been progressing steadily in my playing since taking it seriously early last year. I landed a gig with a local jazz band, after meeting folks at the jazz jam in Lancaster and getting to know them, and we do the odd gig. We played yesterday at the Ribble Valley Jazz & Blues Festival and went down well.

 

However, I’ve kept looking for other opportunities, JMB and Facebook being the main searches.

 

Anyway, a few weeks ago, someone posted on JMB and Facebook looking for musicians for a soul/ska weddings/functions band. I answered the add, and after a bit of to and fro was sent 10 numbers to look at. This guy is a trumpet player and has sax and trombone already lined up. Basically it’s a horn section forming a band around themselves, and they’ve been playing together for about 20 years. A WhatsApp group was created, and over the course of the last few weeks, new people have been added to the group and introduced along the lines of “welcome Joe, our keyboard player”, “welcome Suzie our vocalist” etc. In the end it’s ended up with nine people in this “band” on WhatsApp who don’t know each other from Adam, and have never met, played together, or have any clue what standard anyone is at. Male and female vocals, keys, drums, guitar, bass (me), and three piece horn section.

A rehearsal room was duly booked, and everyone showed up, to meet each other for the first time and play these 10 tunes. It was a nice room, plenty of room, with good PA, back line and drums provided. I had a Hartke head through 2 4x10 Ashdown cabs.

Now, based on past experience, this could go in any direction, however, from the first count in of the first number, there were grins all round. Everyone had done their homework, the keys player and drummer are great, the guitar player knows what he’s doing, the horns are in tune and locked in with each other, and the singers can bleeding sing. We rattled through the 10 numbers twice, only pausing to fine tune starts and endings, agreeing where the pushes should be etc. 
 

I couldn’t really believe it, it was like a good band from the very first note. Some tunes we did again after wondering whether that perfect run through the first time was a fluke, but it wasn’t, it could be replicated. 
 

Get home later, the WhatsApp group is happy, another 10 tunes are distributed, rehearsals are booked and there’s talk of booking gigs already.

 

I’m still not sure how this actually happened, I need to pinch myself.

 

Is this a unique occurrence, or does this happen often?

 

Anyway, I’ve got 10 more tunes to learn in the next week and a bit, and some of them are a bit tricky, so I’ll be practicing every night I can between now and then, as I know now that the whole band will have them nailed before they arrive.

 

Rob
 

[odysseus]

Sounds like you've struck gold there, dude. In my experience it's like herding cats. Enjoy!! 😁

[paul_5]

That’s brilliant news!

[Lozz196]

Sounds great, always good when things turn out this way

[Shaggy]

Sounds like a fortunate blend of like minds and good planning, nice one 👍.  

 

Some of the musician websites and potential for online playing together in virtual rooms are fantastically useful of course.  But personally (and bring old and grumpy 😠) I find that every new development in social media and personal communications relentlessly increases one’s exposure to other people’s verbal diarrhoea.  Which is why I don’t do any of it, beyond texting.

’Course, when I were a lad it were all done wi’ little cards in t’ local music shop.   And all this were fields........

[ossyrocks]

1 minute ago, Shaggy said:

Sounds like a fortunate blend of like minds and good planning, nice one 👍.  

 

Some of the musician websites and potential for online playing together in virtual rooms are fantastically useful of course.  But personally (and bring old and grumpy 😠) I find that every new development in social media and personal communications relentlessly increases one’s exposure to other people’s verbal diarrhoea.  Which is why I don’t do any of it, beyond texting.

’Course, when I were a lad it were all done wi’ little cards in t’ local music shop.   And all this were fields........

I’m with you. I’ve always known people beforehand, known what and how they play, jammed, talked, hung out, been the pub etc. Usually bands were formed with friends. This is totally new to me.

[TheGreek]

@ossyrocks... @ossyrocks...wake up...breakfast is ready.

 

Were you having that dream where all the musicians knew what they were doing and it all fell into place straight away??

 

Never mind, maybe one day...

Edited April 30, 2023 by TheGreek

[nilorius]

The band where i play now, was made by a woman - vocalist. She posted her voice samples on facebook and told exactly what musicians she would like in future band and what music she would like to create. I liked all and responded. In a short time (1 mounth) all band was completed. Vocal, 2 backvocals, piano, solo guitar, rythm guitar, me bass and drums. We are all satisfied with each other and working. At 2.june is planned the first gig for 1500 listeners.

Edited May 9, 2023 by nilorius

[Richard R]

That's fantastic!

And of course everyone else will also be thinking "Wow, that was good I'd better up my game and make sure I don't let the band down", so you'll all get better together.

 

Let us know when you're playing!

[Kitsto]

I think this is how classical music ensembles get together and function (a mate of mine plays bassoon in an amateur orchestra). They learn the music beforehand and there's an inherent democracy (in my mate's orchestra the members elect a committee which oversees the running of the orchestra, the repertoire and hires in the conductor). 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Kitsto

[ossyrocks]

I should post the setlist so far, especially as I'm going to find one or two of the second 10 a bit tricky.

 

Song, Artist version

 

Brown Eyed Girl - Reel Big Fish

Hard to Handle - Commitments

Rocks - Primal Scream

Superstition - Stevie Wonder

Valerie - Any Winehouse

Son of a Preacher Man - Moonraisers

Tainted Love - Gloria Jones

Hot Ska - Skameleon

Hold on I'm Coming - Beverley Knight

Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac (live version with horns)

 

Lady Marmalade - Patti Labelle

Piece of my Heart - Beverley Knight

Rescue Me - Fontella Bass

Mercy - The Third Degree

10/10 - Paolo Nutini

Gangsters - The Specials

I Wish - Stevie Wonder

Unchain My Heart - Joe Cocker (2002 live version)

December '63 - Frankie Valley

Seven Nation Army/Sweet Dreams mash up - ska version

 

It's varied and interesting for sure. Lots for punters to like, and lots for me to like in terms of interesting and cool bass lines. The first 10 are more or less there after one rehearsal. I have much less time to work on the second 10 though, and I think "I Wish" is going to take me a while.......

 

There's going to be another 10 released upon us after the next rehearsal. For the time being I'm happy to just be a part of this, and I'll learn whatever gets thrown my way. I guess in the longer term, the rest of us will have more say in the material that gets added.

 

Cheers,

Rob

 

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by ossyrocks

[ossyrocks]

Well, I take it back. I Wish is not that hard  when you actually look at it. Got the notes down in about 15 mins. Playing it in time, with that tone will take practice.

Edited April 30, 2023 by ossyrocks

[BassBunny]

NoWe're a similar line-up to you. A 10 piece with a second female singer an have about 60% of those numbers in our set list including Seven Nation Army.

If you're doing a ska version, is it the Ben l'Oncle Soul one? We do the version he sang on Later with Jools. Cracking number.

 

[TimR]

It's down to the band leader doing their homework and asking the right questions and giving the right information.

 

I've recently been approached by two people putting together bands. It was pretty obvious to me which one was clued up and which one was a deluded dreamer just from the WhatsApp messages. If they're clued up they'll attract the right musicians and be upfront about what they expect.

 

You're probably very lucky in that you've hit someone who knows what they're doing. It can take a long time and a lot of dead ends before you learn who to avoid. 

[Downunderwonder]

14 hours ago, ossyrocks said:

Is this a unique occurrence, or does this happen often?

I think it happens when the instigators are clear about what they are wanting to achieve.

 

In your case they felt people out a little before adding them to the list?

 

In my case both bands I am in started by putting out a notice of intent in the local paper and stipulated "must be able to read". That is a clear delineation between the jazzers that can and the jazzers that can't. First goes were similarly sucessful.

 

I imagine your guys were pretty clear about what they needed also.

[ossyrocks]

11 hours ago, BassBunny said:

NoWe're a similar line-up to you. A 10 piece with a second female singer an have about 60% of those numbers in our set list including Seven Nation Army.

If you're doing a ska version, is it the Ben l'Oncle Soul one? We do the version he sang on Later with Jools. Cracking number.

 

 

I don't know the version yet for that one. For the first nine of the second batch we have youtube links, for this one we have two voice notes on whatsapp, which is a bit of a pain. I'm just going to absorb a few versions so I can play something suitable when I hear what everyone else is doing.  

 

It's interesting you're in a similar band with similar line up. I think the intention with this band is to have two female vocals too, but we've made a start after finding one.

I've been in big bands before, 8 to 10 piece (on guitar in those days, 20+ years ago), and I know how hard they are to manage. I just hope this one can get off the ground and hit the point of minimum rehearsal, maximum gig. 

I'm well out of the loop when it comes to venues and bookings though, it's been a few years since I dealt with that for a band like this, not that it's going to be my responsibility with this band. I can book little gigs for £200 for my jazz band, but this is going to have to be £more, with the potential for a lot more. I'd be interested to know where you play with your band and what kind of money you go out for, you're not that far away from me, and this band is based around Preston. Also do you have an agent? Maybe PM me if you don't want to share publicly? 

 

Cheers,

Rob

[uk_lefty]

Possibly a case of jazz musicians having more grip on reality than all the usual JMB rock-god-in-waiting types?

[ossyrocks]

20 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Possibly a case of jazz musicians having more grip on reality than all the usual JMB rock-god-in-waiting types?

I don’t think any of them would call themselves a jazz musician really, especially me, even though I play in a jazz band. I have an aspiration to be a jazz musician, and I suspect I will aspire to it for the rest of my life.

They just seem to be sensible folk, competent on their instrument, with experience of bands and playing live. The guy who’s assembled the band has done a good job, but I do see that he’s got lucky in many ways. It could have been very different. 
I do know what you mean about some JMB ads though. I answered one a while back, before this current one, where an “established band” were looking for new members inc bass. He told me about some of the gigs they had done, and I was able find them, including video of the events. I soon realised that the “established band” was just him, and the rest of the band had done one/sacked him. When I noted this in conversation, he ceased communication. 
I’ve even auditioned for bands from JMB, where I’ve had to drag the rest of the musicians through the songs like a ball and chain on my ankle, and I’m the one auditioning! Then to be told, yes, you’ve got the job, and me to say politely, no thanks. It can be quite disheartening searching for the right band/people.

 

Rob

[BassBunny]

We are North West based as well. In fact Male vox and drummer, his dad, are Preston based.

I don't have anything to do with booking gigs, thankfully. We are fortunate in having one of the band that is good in that area.

Obviously due to the size of the band we can't play the Dog and Duck so it is mainly Corporate, Weddings, Festivals and dedicated music venues. We don't have a particular agent we use. Just register with every agency you can find when you have a promo vid and some decent publicity shots.

The Continental in Preston is a great place to play and The Empire in Rochdale. Both dedicated music venues with in house pa and sound engineers.

[ossyrocks]

11 minutes ago, BassBunny said:

We are North West based as well. In fact Male vox and drummer, his dad, are Preston based.

I don't have anything to do with booking gigs, thankfully. We are fortunate in having one of the band that is good in that area.

Obviously due to the size of the band we can't play the Dog and Duck so it is mainly Corporate, Weddings, Festivals and dedicated music venues. We don't have a particular agent we use. Just register with every agency you can find when you have a promo vid and some decent publicity shots.

The Continental in Preston is a great place to play and The Empire in Rochdale. Both dedicated music venues with in house pa and sound engineers.

Cheers. All good info. I do have a mate who owns/runs an agency, but not for our type of stuff, he books name bands, but he might know who's around.

I think in house PA is going to be the main thing we'll need to be in place. I don't fancy running a rig of our own big enough to do this!

[Woodinblack]

I think with that set list I have probably been in that band!

[BassBunny]

1 hour ago, ossyrocks said:

Cheers. All good info. I do have a mate who owns/runs an agency, but not for our type of stuff, he books name bands, but he might know who's around.

I think in house PA is going to be the main thing we'll need to be in place. I don't fancy running a rig of our own big enough to do this!

Even if we use our own PA, which is very rare, we bring a sound engineer in. It's a nightmare trying to play and run the FOH. Most times if we need to provide pa we bring a company in to do the full hit.