Group Communication

jhatpro · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:21 am Post subject: Group Communication

Our seven-piece trad band is still struggling with how to keep the music flowing smoothly from lead-in to solos to out chorus. Several of us lean toward a more flexible style in which the flow is more like a conversation with people chiming in spontaneously. Others in the group are uncomfortable unless there is an established roadmap that specifies who is soloing when.

What’s your take?
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

HERMOKIWI · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581

Rehearsals are for the purpose of reaching an agreement on these issues and coordinating accordingly. The rehearsal is not for the purpose of practicing something that should have been prepared before the rehearsal. The leader dictates the plan. Those who don't agree with or otherwise oppose/resist the plan should be cut from the ensemble. Rehearsals are for COORDINATING. They are not for learning the music.

Rehearsals are not democracies or public opinion polls. Those that provide the money and take the risk are 100% in charge. Constructive input is fine. Arrogance is not fine. If you don't like that then come up with your own money, take the risk of forming and funding your own band and take your arrogant/uncooperative attitude somewhere else. You are easily replaced.
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HERMOKIWI

MikeGreeninger · Regular Member Joined: 26 Jul 2016 Posts: 67

cheiden · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 12:34 pm Post subject:

My best big band experience was with a community college group. The leader would stand in front and just gesture at each to tell them to take the next solo. Obviously, the players could wave off if they weren't up to it but that rarely happened. The director would also cue in the band if he wanted pads behind the solo, and also when it was time to move on. Very flexible for both the band and the players. Very little drama.

In bands I thought handled is less well, they would quibble over who would solo, and for how long and in what order. Then players would need to scribble it into the margins to make sure they didn't forget. Then there'd be bickering if someone ran long or went out of turn. This was a drag during rehearsal and too often resulted in drama.
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jazz_trpt · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:36 am Post subject:

Out front line generally blows on everything so it's simply a matter of picking who plays the first solo and cueing that player with my horn, or via eye contact.

I usually blow second since I'm directing traffic, and I can continue to do so during the third solo.

I'm not the leader, I just direct traffic.

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Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!

delano · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:03 am Post subject:

jhatpro · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:23 am Post subject:

Jeff, thanks for that good advice!
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

Seymor B Fudd · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 2:53 am Post subject: Re: Group Communication

jhatpro · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 3:25 am Post subject:

More good advice - thanks!
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

jazz_trpt · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 11:12 am Post subject: Re: Group Communication

GizB · Veteran Member Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 199

I try to avoid having every player solo on every tune. Some players will do well on some tunes, and not others. I also do this for variety to alleviate listener fatigue.

Seymor B Fudd · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 2:39 am Post subject: Re: Group Communication

Richard III · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 9:45 am Post subject:

I was listening to Preservation Hall Jazz Band this morning and thought of this thread. Calling out the next soloist doesn't seem to disrupt the flow for them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BBgP0_cxQE

For those of us with bands made up of, shall we say, people of advanced years, forgetting where you are comes up often.

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Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

Speed · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 4:10 pm Post subject:

I once called the next soloist, an excellent sax player with a truly bizarre sense of humor. I had called him by name, sort of introducing him to the audience. He immediately shouted into a vocal mic, "DON'T CALL MY NAME! I OWE MONEY!"

It brought the house down. Everybody was laughing out loud. Without missing a beat, the sax player jumped in on his solo to a big round of applause.

After that experience, I just point!

Take care,
Marc Speed

tomba51 · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 4:47 pm Post subject:

Richard mentioned the Preservation Hall Jazz Band a couple of posts above this. Coincidentally I'm visiting New Orleans now and I just saw them at Preservation Hall last night. The great trumpet player Leroy Jones was featured that night. EVERY song had the same solo order - sax, bone, trumpet, piano, bass, and either drum solo or trading 4's with the drums. Nobody in the audience got bored with the solo order, nobody complained about the solo order, all the musicians were happy because they all soloed an equal amount. If it's good enough for them......
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Tom Barreca

cheiden · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2018 8:09 am Post subject:

Oncewasaplayer · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 974

My band struggles a bit with these issues. A couple of players need to write down solo order. However after playing together over time, everyone has become better at looking up at each solo transition to see what might happen. Sometimes I'll point to someone and a different person jumps in. Sometimes the soloist is surprised and doesn't play for a few bars--and that's ok.

Create an atmosphere of surprise, mystery and perhaps terror on this issue until everyone is paying attention on the stage during the solo transitions. (This level of attention can only come once the band really knows the music.)
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