As a result of increasing my single gigs with just the guitar, I decided to go arranger-less for the entire month of March.

This is a lot easier for me, because 1/3 of my jobs are on either B-3 with at least a drummer, with my trio (piano/guitar, bass and drums) or as a single on either guitar or piano (sometimes both-alternating).

I don't do nursing homes, which are probably the ideal arranger gigs. I don't do clubs as a single. Single gigs are happy hours, pre-dinner jobs for government or non-profit groups, horse farm functions (background music) or dining room jobs, which, after a little style adjustment, actually work well as a single without "automation".

Not knocking arrangers at all, but, so far (9 jobs, with 4 more this week-end) going it "naked" is kinda cool.


The big thing for me is variety. Tonite, it's a 12 piece band doing a fund-raiser/tribute to Howard Roberts (a Jazz support organization function...sold out at 600 tickets) featuring ME on an original Howard Roberts Guitar....FUN...Fun...Fun!

If it's not too boring, I'll have a wrap-up report the end of the month detailing 30 days....24 jobs (so far booked) totally arranger-less.


Russ (old school) Lay

... Sort of giving up the arranger for the "Lenten" season ...
Look forward to your end of month report Russ ... how about making some 'live' recordings' to share with us?
thnx,

I thought the same thing!

I hope to have the same outdoor gig I had last summer (an out door Sunday brunch at a country club)

My goal is to play a set with no auto accomp. Just solo piano arrangements. So far I have about 15 tunes that I feel OK about. My goal is to get about 40 by the end of the year.

Tony, there is a job during the last week of the month on piano that I may be able to sneak in my little H-2 Zoom. The others are either loud, big affairs under lots of pressure, personal contacts and distractions (think the governor and cabinet-the entire board of the State University, etc.), or dining room jobs...quiet affairs where the resulting music is not ideal in terms of volume, selection, etc.

One is a fund-raiser at a cool restaurant for a long-time jazzer who is in need of medical help. It's a dinner, but the appropriate material would not embarrass me, in terms of letting anyone hear it (believe it or not, after all these years, I still embarrass easily-don't get nervous, just embarrassed, sometimes).

I'll try, but recording a job when you have around one a day, in completely different venues, along with 100 hours in the studio for a film is sort of challenging.


R.

I used to basically leave my H2 hooked up to the board, secured with velcro...

never missed a moment (mind you, wish I had!)

MID-MONTH Report:

15 jobs down and about that number to go. Interesting!
9 of these jobs were singles on guitar/and/or piano. They went well...quiet solos with few vocals before a meeting for a government, University or Non-profit organization.

The rest were jobs involving a group: everything from a B-3 and a drummer to part of the Philharmonic (10 pieces), with me as the featured soloist.

Believe it or not, this has made the appropriateness of an arranger clearer.

Yesterday, I was inside a lounge at one of the country clubs I play. I could see through the double-doors and knew that, if it were a Saturday afternoon on the patio about a month from now, using an arranger would result in a much more appropriate performance.

What's cool is the diversity. I'm going to start taking "low-stress" jobs on electric upright bass next month.

That's always been something I really enjoyed (I really like bass in general) and, until my accident, I was the "go to" guy for all the jazz, funk and legit jobs in the area.

That's my next recovery step, although I have been told that I really need to take it easy to avoid more damage.

I've had fun the last few weeks playing. That's something that's been in short supply the last few years.

Your positive, over-generous support of my little guitar posting gave me the push I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and "get on with it"!

Russ Lay, cub reporter signing out. I'll be back at the end of the month with a final report.


R.