There's an exclusive country club in my area that won't hire you back if you don't play some Buffett. And, after looking at your song list, I guess I offically qualify as an old fart. But I must say I'm a happy old fart who is as busy as I want to be.

Ciao,

Joe

------------------
Songman55
Joe Ayala

Jazz - Pop - Oldies it really doesn't matter to me.... I love music, period ....

Russ Add:
Darn That Dream
All the Things You Are
Foggy Day
Round Midnight
My Romance
Where Is Love
Cocktails For Two
Harlem Nocturn
I'm Old Fashion
Body And Soul
Night Train
A few jazz blues charts, A couple hundred more up-tempo old Jazz standards and I'll move (Is it Kentucky)there and play tenor sax with you for free if you'll have me.
Let me know ASAP.
Boo
PS Sorry, but for some reason thinking Kentucky, I always thought you were a Ray Price type player. Boy did I have you wrong. Maybe I didn't read enough of your post or comments.
I will from now on.


[This message has been edited by brickboo (edited 03-30-2008).]

DanO ... would love to hear your version of "(How Far Is) Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys ...

Russ .. would love to hear your version of "Four" and "Song For My Father" ...
t.

PS: ... DanO ... I can remember when The Steve Miller Band came out with "Abra..." and Laura Branigan came out with "Gloria" ... around 1982 ... The band I was with played both of them for the first time at a high school 'father - daughter dance' ... the girls absolutely loved it ...

t.

[This message has been edited by tony mads usa (edited 03-30-2008).]

Dan,

What keyboard are you using for the duo and what styles are you using for those songs like; Heaven, Ramblin Man, etc.?

Al

Boo, thanks. I play 95% of your list in my regular rotation.

I can't imagine anything you can do to a Buffet song to make it sound like anything but fluff.

Gary, you may be right. A Buffet instrumental might work at a restaurant. Not at a jazz club. Almost anything will work in a restaurant if arranged and played appropriately. Not for me. I can't imagine anyone who can hold a paying job who couldn't play Buffet. Some of us just choose not to.

I'm called for many of my jobs specifically because I DON'T play Buffet. Luckily, the management team of the largest independent upscale restaurant group makes "no Buffet" or the like a hard rule.

My change in approach is to replace as many arranger singles with jazz trio or duo jobs.
That way, playing each tune is an adventure, with every performance slightly different. And, I've got the chance to play with different people. Most who can play "Giant Steps" would never be happy playing fluff.

It's my intent to make work for those who have progressed to the "Giant Steps" level, and to support a significant population of upcoming jazz students coming out of programs run by a couple of friends at UK, Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky State and Morehead State University.

To me, playing jazz is an ultra-serious lifetome learning experience. And, it's worth the effort to keep the art form evolving and vital.

Russ

NOTE: My opinion ONLY. No intent to imply that this is the correct approach for ANYONE else. No intent to criticize arrangers, OMB's or players of other than jazz music.

I've made a very good living playing fluff! There are a lot of great jazz musicians around here. They all have day jobs.
DonM

Diki, even MILES couldn't get me to like Cindy Lauper's 'Time After Time'.

chas

Which he covered, in case you didn't know.

[This message has been edited by cgiles (edited 03-31-2008).]

Don, you're right. Sadly, that's why I have a day job, too!

You know that "fluff" applies to my opinion about what's appropriate for me and is no reflection on anything you do.

For jazz folks, the options are to starve trying to play jazz or "sell out".

You could easily get into the jazz arena, but wisely choose not to. That's smart. I'm just too far gone (read old and addicted to jazz) and such a poor entertainer that the die is cast.

R.

Morehead State. Isn't that where Monica Lewinsky went?

chas