A group of fellow performers showed up today at a gig. These folks I've known for years but they also play many of the same venues I do.

I was a bit caught by surprise. I've listened in on maybe a part of a song from one of their gigs, but didn't stick around.

These folks stayed for the show and sat right up front. They also sang along, clapped and seemed to enjoy themselves.

I wasn't quite sure what go make of it all. I have heard that some of the AD's are telling folks that my show is one of the more popular...I count that as rumor.

In any case I got a lot of compliments from this group and it was good to see them even though I found myself more nervous than usual.

Interesting gig.

Nothing like playing for one's peers to keep you on your toes ...

^ For a moment there, Tony, I thought you'd written "playing for one's beers".

Been there ... done that ...

There was a time when competition made me freeze up. My group played for a Bank of America picnic; there were about 700 people. As we finished setting up I strapped on my guitar and looked up at a crowd of four deep – they had made a circle around us.

I went to play a chord on my guitar and stopped dead. Started again, the B3 came in with the drummer and my sax man started and the place went wild. When we were done they carried our instruments to the car.

I had a similar experience in a hotel in New York. I walked into a room of 125 people and froze – they were all black. Black people love music and they are good at it. Some of the best musicians I’ve heard were black. The place went wild. Their response to our music made us play like we have never played before.

Oh how we underestimate ourselves. Music does not have to be the best; it just has to be coming right from the middle of your heart.

Times were sooo good, John C.

Playing like you never played before is much better than
playing like you've never played before
mel

I've been scouted by the competition on many, many occasions, and most of the time it was for different reasons than most would have thought of. In my case, they were looking for someone to fill in for them while they went on extended vacations, or for medical reasons. Usually, after the job was over, they would approach me and ask if I were free to cover for them for such and such a date, which I always did my best to try to fit into my schedule. When I had health problems, they were able to do the same for me, for which I was very grateful.

On a few occasions, the AD or nite club owner wanted to know if I could do the job on a regular basis, but I always declined saying this was the other person's job and I'm just helping him or her out until they are well enough to return. In many instances, I gave the person I was filling in for the proceeds from the job so they had some cash to live on and help defray their medical expenses.

All the best,

Gary

Way to go, Gary. That's the ethical approach, on several levels.

the jazz community is small round here. Sometimes, I have the only available job; so I welcome others with similar likes and abilities.

Problem is, they either don't drink (usually, any more) or can't afford to, so the bar is a little light.

Over the years, I've played for most people who traveled through Lexington...everyone from Lou Rawls to Chick Corea, Natalie Cole, Michael McDonald, all of the Who and many others. 95% were pleasant. 1/3 sat in. Can name some notable jerks, but won't.

Never got very nervous at any time.


Russ

I quite often see fellow musicians in the audience. Some are just there to eat, listen and/or celebrate some special occasion. Some are after my job and want to check me out. I don't get nervous; rather I am flattered.
We have lots of famous people come in when they are in town--not to see me but for the food.
I have played in front of Brooks and Dunn, Joe Stampley, Willie Nelson, Terry Bradshaw (he is actually a good singer and cut some albums back in the 70's), Hank Thompson, The Coasters, Brenda Lee, Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens, and several hard rock bands that I don't remember their names.
I have discreetly invited most of them to sing and some have. I did an entire night with Bonnie Owens singing harmony with me! I played MANY nights with James Burton as "my" guitar player! He just loves to play and seldom passes up an opportunity. Hank Thompson sang a set with me and was at least impressed that I knew and could play all his songs.
I know I'm leaving a lot of names out but the point is that they are people just like us, and they love to make music. They are not expecting to hear perfect in a nightclub, and I can assure you they don't when they hear me!
Competition no longer bothers me because I really don't care too much any more if I lose my job! That would make more time for fishin'! Actually I need to be able to take off more for things like Gary's Jam, or vacations. With the exception of when I was in the hospital, I haven't had more than a few days off at a time for MANY years. Musicians at my level don't get paid when they take off! Don't get paid all that much when they work either!

I'll take that as a "Yes". DonM will be at the Jam.

Probably not, but we'll see.

common Don don't disappoint your fans it ain't that far away and Gary is a awesome host!!

A great story. It may a a cultrual thing with the black community. No matter what it is, it is a good thing. After all, you said, "Their response to our music made us play like we have never played before." Once in a while, I vist my friend's church. It is a black congregation and my friend minister and organist was a recording artist in Hollywood. What a fantastic B3 player! A mutual friend who is an Italian Jazz organist once commented, "Black musicans can play the wrong note and make it sound good!" Talk about response. It is not just the music but at my friend's church peoplere were responding to announcements!!! I just loved it. Oh, once I had Peter the black B3 player came to my gig. He ended up playing the upright piano. I have never seen my audience 99.9999 White all went wild. Wow. I pondered over it for some time later. It had to be the funky rhythm he was playing more than the complex harmonies he was playing...

I can't see how the color of your skin can make you a better player, but the experiences that many have had in their lives, and their musical upbringing certainly can. I know there are a lot of great musicians and singers that started in all or predominately black churches.
The first musical experiences I remember was sitting by my mom on the big bench behind the church's B3, or C3. She would let me play when she went to practice and showed me how to turn it on even. However, she had no "soul" in her music and had to have the notes in front of her to play. She played it exactly as it was written, no more, no less. As a result, neither she or the choir director inspired a lot of feeling in the hymns or gospel music done in that church. About as far out as they got was saying "let's all stand for the last verse!" Probably why they are still looking for those Sheaves to bring in after all this time!
Some few years ago I went to a wedding in Arkansas with a friend of mine who happens to be black. If I'd had that kind of music at my first wedding, I might not have gotten divorced! They had B3, drums, guitar, bass and piano and a choir that could have toured with Ray Charles! It was the first church I'd been in that had something other than a piano or organ.
Anyway, having said all this, I can't think of a single black musician that I've heard playing anywhere who I thought was really lacking. Well, maybe Chas, but ...
Smile Chas, you know I'm joking and I love you!

I AM smiling. First of all, although I was raised in a non-religious household where you were much more likely to hear Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Count Basie (my third cousin, BTW), Billy Eckstein, Lester Young, ect., than Muddy Waters, (early) Ray Charles, or B.B. King, I had very limited exposure to blues and gospel music (and by 'gospel', I mean real, honest-to-god 'Black' gospel music (where the pianist or organist could play in any key someone started a song in ). As an adult, I came to love gospel music, blues, Italian Opera,,,in fact, any music that was SOULFUL and performed with the emotional investment required for the genre'. I think that is what accounts for my eclectic tastes in music AND artists. I love Willie Nelson, BB King, Pavarotti, Aretha, Joe Cocker, Les McCann, Rev. James Cleveland, Nina Simone, Eva Cassidy, Sam and Dave, etc., etc. just about equally. What they all share is SOUL. It's why I rather listen to Brother Jack McDuff than Barbara Dennerlien, even though technically, she could blow his doors off.

As far as Black (notice that I CAPITALIZE 'Black' when used to describe a race) music and Black musicians being more soulful or expressive, I think the first sentence of Don's post above says it very well. 200 years of oppression probably does have an influence on your music (and culture in general). I see the same haunting/soulful quality in a lot of Celtic music with some Irish folk tunes being some of the most soulful songs I've ever heard. I think all of these minor themed genre's are born out of the same kind of suffering and hardship.

In the end, I think what is important in music is not so much the genre' or WHO'S playing it, but the quality of the music and the skill and authenticity of the performer. JMO.

chas (still smiling)