Can An Old Dog Learn New Licks?

[Branson]

This morning I filled in for one of the trumpet players in a local Worship Band. To say it was a challenge would be understating the situation.

The majority of the charts were “kicking” funk charts and something I have had little experience playing.

On the drive home I mulled in my mind why I was uncomfortable playing funk rhythms and soon the reason came to me. I have never played in a Funk Band before! How could this have happened? Then, after reading Wikipedia’s definition of the term Funk Music, It came to me. Funk music began after most of my active playing in early Swing, Dance Band and Shows was established. Everything I have done throughout most of my life was based on rhythmic subdivided in nothing shorter than an eighth rest…..Funk on the other hand makes use of subdivisions of sixteenths and thirty- seconds. What a revelation that was. Where had I been from the mid-60s to the present? How could I have neglected this important era in popular music. During my tenure at UNI, my student bands were playing Funk on a regular basis but as the director I seldom played the intricate parts myself.

You might wonder if I was able to play successfully during the service and judging from the reaction of the band, I think I pulled it off, but only because I put in some regular practicing on the music beforehand.

I loved the experience and would enjoy rejoining this “younger than me” ensemble again. I have trumpets older than many of these talented players.

As an interesting side comment, the lead trumpet player’s first question to me was “How long have you been playing trumpet”? That was a question I have never been asked before this morning and my response was “a very, very long time”.
_________________
http://www.facebook.com/thetrumpetblog
http://www.trumpetensemblemusic.com/
http://www.thetrumpetblog.com/

[Ed Kennedy]

Yo Bruce,

Put some TOP and Brecker Brothers on your playlist and and let it sink in. I have an Army buddy who played trombone with Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders (with Tony Klatka and Jaco Pastorius). He claimed that the degree of Funk was a function (he was a math major) of the degree of subdivision in the figures.

Ed "Butch" Kennedy

PS Still playing that B3?

[Branson]

All is well here after two heart attacks and prostate cancer.
_________________
http://www.facebook.com/thetrumpetblog
http://www.trumpetensemblemusic.com/
http://www.thetrumpetblog.com/

[Brad361]

The vast majority of the gigs I do these days are that same genre. My background was like many, started in the public school system in fifth grade. What did help though was I started playing in rock/funk bands in high school, so I sort of came up through the high school and college music systems with some experience in those genres.

What you’ll probably find is that even though sometimes a funk chart looks tricky, once you figure out the rhythms and play and hear them it will probably seem less complicated. My biggest challenge with this type of music is endurance, it’s pretty easy to wear yourself out on a four hour gig filled with Earth Wind and Fire, TOP, etc. Especially when the band leader, who determines the sets and might be a guitar or keys player, has no clue regarding brass instrument endurance. I’ve learned to play a little “smarter” in the interest of self (and chops) preservation!

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

[kehaulani]

[bean_counter]

The praise band I used to be in had the horns play on a roughly quarterly schedule, that gave us square guys time to "get it". Wasn't too bad once I figured out the syncopation. And the cross-up change the composer/arranger always tossed in late in the piece. As a comeback amateur, I had more trouble with the unusual keys (lots of sharps), hadn't been there much since student days.

Our drummer for a while was a former EW&F percussionist; no place to hide. He wouldn't let us!
_________________
Kevin Mc
Strad 180s37 (07 'True Bach'), Schilke 18 or 18B4
anon OTS Bb Saxhorn, Berliner valves c. 1860
Eclipse cornet (Yellow, Bauerfeind) DW 4B Heritage
Cousnon clairon Bb
'60s Besson tenor horn DW 3