a full live band...
watch the video at this web site ...to me, there is NOTHING like the interplay and camaraderie between band members ... now I KNOW I'm going to hear the war stories about guys not showing up, drinking on the gig, etc. etc. etc. and I know that happens, BUT as I have said, in 26 years gigging 2-4 times a weekend with the same guys, there was NONE of that ... I also am realistic enough to know that at our age we could not compete with bands like this ... but what GREAT fun it was and if we are honest, most of us LOVED it when we were doing it ... I love what I am doing now, but I still miss it ... 30 - 40 years ago I would not have THOUGHT about being a OMB ... maybe in 30 - 40 years these guys will be OMBs also ...
http://www.highdefmusic.net/

Right On Tony!
Eddie

Tony, my point is the up front folks there are the singer/entertainers - not the horn players, drummer, guitar players - it's the singers that make it all gel, at least IMO. I loved it when I played in a band - but I love playing as an OMB entertainer a lot more. I wouldn't give up being an OMB entertainer if all the band members were still alive and ready to go on the road tomorrow afternoon.

Gary

Right on Gary!!

I'm fortunate in that I get to play a few times a month with some great players, who are also nice guys with no ego issues or other problems, like drug/alcohol abuse.

I get to use a different set of skills than I use when playing Tyros4, and I enjoy the camaraderie, and learning experience that goes with these sessions.

One thing for sure, I have no desire to do gigs with a band, especially bar gigs. I've had my fill of those, and don't miss them.

The arranger provides another outlet for the music inside me, and, I like having total control over what I play, in much the same way as I enjoy giving up some control when playing with others.

So, there is a difference, and I like it.

Ian

Once again we differ, my friend ... I would go back with 'my' guys in a heartbeat ... and in our band, there were no 'singers' - everyone played an instrument, everyone sang - well, not the sax player and drummer - we wouldn't LET them ...
And while the singers may make it all gel, where would they be without the horn players, drummers, guitar players etc.? ... they would be playing ARRANGER KEYBOARDS !!! ...

Like wine and women, even in song everyone has a preference ... and everyone's choice is RIGHT - for them at that time ...
I always say, we never know if we made the BEST choice, we only know if we made a good choice or a bad choice depending on the outcome ...

Tony, OMB is great but it is like eating alone in the kitchen with no one to talk to.

For those who never had the opportunity to play with a great group and feel the interplay, it is hard to understand. There are very few words to explain emotions.

Four men: Drums, B3 with bass pedals, Tenor Sax, and me on Guitar and lead vocals. The interplay between the Sax player and me at times was --- err, ELECTRIC, I have no better word. We experienced a feeling that we could not describe, and when it was over we just smiled wondering what happened.

The Tenor man added so much to lift my guitar playing and my vocals. When I played rhythm I helped him reach a place that he could never feel and reach alone.

For the last 15 years I have not had that feeling as a OMB. This does not mean that I do not enjoy doing a single with my keyboard, it’s in a different category.

Hey, I could be talking about sex here. (smile)

Memories, John C.

John ... Obviously we are 'on the same page' here ...our band was Alto Sax, Guitar, Bass, Drums and me on keys ... I progressed from accordion to Cordovox to Fender Rhodes during those years ... the best musician was our Alto player and we fed off him ... the Bass player was our 'featured' vocalist, and the guitar player and I sang more rock and pop stuff ... I actually preferred doing harmony and counter melody background (I guess I just happened to be a little better at it than the others) ... during the Christmas season the past few years I have concentrated on having my audience sing the melody to many of the songs while I sing harmony and counter melodies ... I've been performing at some of these places for a number of years now and the folks have come to look forward to these 'sing alongs' ...
Have a Merry Christmas ...

I'm such a group player that I often hire someone out of my pocket...take less money for me, even though it is a single.

Luckily, I make enough that it is more fun that anything else.


Love that interplay.


Russ