the Wiz - recap

homebilly · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:36 am Post subject: the Wiz - recap

i just finished a 16 show local run of the Samuel French version of the Wiz.

OUCH!

just a few observations

- the copy work is total Mickey Mouse. one of the worst that i have ever seen. how can this be sold as a pro book i ask????

- bad choices on notation that make the reading no fun at all and the weaker players just stepped in the holes night after night......

- the book is very demanding as at times the horn is on your face for measures on end with nowhere to breath or rest. i'm not sure if this was because of the reproduction, consolidation or what... but to me it felt like torture.... bad writing????

- you must have a strong brass section underneath you or you are toast.
i felt like i was being buttered and jammed every night........

- way too many unisons to count

- wrong notes everywhere.......

- printed on regular low quality letter sized paper made to be shredded afterwards. just plain cheap!!!

can anyone who has done the show back in the day tell me if the orchestrations were always this hard and if so how did you and the 2nd trumpeter handle things. are the unisons there to give each other a break??

thanks
ron
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jazzpro33 · Regular Member Joined: 05 Mar 2017 Posts: 19

OMG ! Tell me it isn't so... I love "The Wiz", but after reading this, it sounds like a horror movie, instead of the musical. You got buttered and jammed? Really?

jazzpro33 · Regular Member Joined: 05 Mar 2017 Posts: 19

Go listen to the film soundtrack for some inspiration. Jon Faddis is playing lead. Taking things up an octave every chance he gets.

gstump · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 934

Loved playing the Wiz first National Tour and the Revival tour years later.

The book is in a Motown style with Motown keys like B and F# for trumpet.

The end of the overture gets windy with the 8 beat B-C-D hold at the end. That was the only real blow in the score. Lots of high note jabs and double time Motown swing 16th notes.

We put our Detroit stank on the show by putting a G at the end of the overture.

The book looked good and was fun. It sounds like someone did a reduction and chooched it up. (Italian slang for jackass)

Also too bad you got the MM version.

All the best,

Gordon Stump
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Schilke B5
Couesnon Flug (1967)
Funk Brothers Horn Section/Caruso Student

jazzpro33 · Regular Member Joined: 05 Mar 2017 Posts: 19

This is one of my favorites ! "I'm a Mean Ole Lion". Watching the DVD, right now. Thanks for reminding me to pull this one out, again.

gstump · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 934

They took out a few funny lines from Wiz Live like when the wicked witch's magic wand would not work she said...."I guess I'll just take the bus".

And..."oh no not the Winged Monkeys!"

I did not see s problem with those lines. This show still cracks me up.
_________________
Schilke B5
Couesnon Flug (1967)
Funk Brothers Horn Section/Caruso Student

jazzpro33 · Regular Member Joined: 05 Mar 2017 Posts: 19

homebilly · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:06 pm Post subject:

those first couple of numbers were real tough to do with out a pre blow before the show getting the chops really ready for action. i tried it with just a regular warm up but i just couldn't feel loose and ready to go unless i blew really hard about 15 minutes before the show. strange.....

there are some spots a few times in the show where we are playing 40 or so measures of goose egg pads without a rest that are the real chop busters. it must be due to the cutdown to cover parts. the worst notes on trumpet no less. E, D, F and Gs.............. then a lick ending on a high C or D held note.
_________________
ron meza (deadbeat jazz musician) & (TH 5 post ghost neighborhood watch ringleader)
waiting for Fed-Ex to deliver a $50 trumpet to my door. shipping was prepaid by seller of course!
http://ronmeza.com
http://highdefinitionbigband.com

gstump · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 934

cheiden · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:58 pm Post subject:

gchun01 · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Mar 2013 Posts: 270

A few years ago, I was hired to play lead on high school production of The Wiz. After reviewing the book, I only accepted the job on the condition that they would also hire a second trumpet. There are so many unison passages between the two parts, it didn't matter if I nailed my part if the second player didn't.

Having a pretty strong second player of my choice, I was able to lay out on a few unisons during some of longer tunes, like The Tornado.

The majority of brass, woodwinds and strings were student musicians. Fortunately, most of the rhythm section were also hired professionals. The drummer and guitarist were very controlled players that were skilled at playing well at softer volumes when needed.

This version was the old, oversized bound book.

jazz_trpt · Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 6:31 am Post subject:

homebilly · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 7:51 am Post subject:

John Mohan · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:18 am Post subject:

If it doesn't kill you it just makes you stronger.

Glad you survived Ron.

homebilly · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:55 am Post subject:

strong like bull

hey john
_________________
ron meza (deadbeat jazz musician) & (TH 5 post ghost neighborhood watch ringleader)
waiting for Fed-Ex to deliver a $50 trumpet to my door. shipping was prepaid by seller of course!
http://ronmeza.com
http://highdefinitionbigband.com

MaestroTrpt · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:43 am Post subject:

Years ago, I subbed on lead trpt for a full dress rehearsal of "The Wiz" at a local high school. And yes- the book was a mess.
Poorly (hand) written score, and it looked like a copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy (i.e.- xeroxed a zillion times). Sometimes hard to tell if a note was on a space or a line. It didn't help that there were a lot of odd rock/pop rhythms (keep in mind I was sight-reading this show!), and I wasn't too familiar with the tunes (except for "Ease on Down the Road" and "Brand New Day"). I also seem to remember an improvised solo section (some weird blues progression) for the first player (in Act I maybe?). Talk about "on the spot"!

I did have a solid second player next to me, though, and he helped me out a lot.

I survived the "trial by fire", and the conductor seemed to be pleased by the end of the night, but whew! I will never forget that rehearsal.

When I encounter books like this, I also think "how can the musical rental place pass this off as a complete/clean book?" There must be something I'm missing...

Sorry to hear that the book is STILL like this! They should hire me to enter all the books into 'Sibelius' and I'll print out clean scores...for a small fee

razeontherock · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:48 pm Post subject:

homebilly · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:35 pm Post subject:

this was a Finale score that just looked hideous. it's not the technology it is the failure to know what a good part looks like and why it must be sight readable..I was a hand copyist BITD and just cringe when I see garbage like this and can't fathom that some bonehead got paid for this copy job. he should be fired and never ever be allowed to engrave again!
voilà mon opinion!!
_________________
ron meza (deadbeat jazz musician) & (TH 5 post ghost neighborhood watch ringleader)
waiting for Fed-Ex to deliver a $50 trumpet to my door. shipping was prepaid by seller of course!
http://ronmeza.com
http://highdefinitionbigband.com

Voltrane · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:11 am Post subject:

Tu as tout à fait raison!