Suggestions for Jazz-Noob's First Gig/Rescue Mission

[onetruevibe]

Hello all,

A friend of mine is a fairly experienced jazz singer, and she agreed to do a small gig at a coffee shop in the next town over. The problem is, she doesn't have a band!

She asked me (guitar) and a mutual friend (piano) to help out, last minute. I'm a novice jazz player and the pianist has no experience playing jazz, whatsoever.

First question: Should I run for the hills or should I make the best of it, helping out a friend in a pinch?

Second questions: How would approach this? I am completely new to jazz, so all suggestions are welcome.

Certainly, what we do will depend largely on the tunes we select, but I'm also thinking we'll need to select songs that fit the instruments. My first thoughts were that I'd cover the harmony, rhythm, low end, as best I can on guitar while the piano comps. The singer also plays trumpet...so maybe have her solo a bit???

Thanks for any input!

[GodinFan]

Sounds like a bad idea. A pianist who's never played jazz?

[Gramps]

If you're interested in getting your feet wet decline the last minute gig but suggest that you'd be willing to get together to jam in private with her and the piano player to see how it goes. Ask her for a song list and keys that she sings in prior to jamming and do a bit of woodshedding.

This sounds like a really un-fulfilling gig. The worst jobs are the ones you're not prepared for.

[dmorash]

Yes it sounds like a big leap if neither you nor the pianist are familiar with jazz. In my experience from starting out as a rock player, it felt to me almost like learning to play again - the chords and rythms are different. Getting together to jam and learn sounds like a great idea though.

[FatJeff]

That's a recipe for disaster. Last-minute jazz gigs are the domain of experienced jazz musicians who can read like crazy and have a large repertoire and experience under their belt. The fact that this singer even asked you to do this makes me wonder how sane she is - after all, it's her reputation that is at stake.

Do the jam session.

[onetruevibe]

Originally Posted by GodinFan

Sounds like a bad idea. A pianist who's never played jazz?

My thoughts exactly.

Originally Posted by Gramps

If you're interested in getting your feet wet decline the last minute gig but suggest that you'd be willing to get together to jam in private with her and the piano player to see how it goes. Ask her for a song list and keys that she sings in prior to jamming and do a bit of woodshedding.

This sounds like a really un-fulfilling gig. The worst jobs are the ones you're not prepared for.

Yes - when I was first approached, I thought of it as a small, low-stakes kind of gig that would allow me to get my feet wet - but you're right. Seems like setting myself up for failure. I'd rather do the prep-work up-front and have my first gig be fun, and not stressful. All points well taken. A month lead time is just not enough.

Originally Posted by dmorash

Yes it sounds like a big leap if neither you nor the pianist are familiar with jazz. In my experience from starting out as a rock player, it felt to me almost like learning to play again - the chords and rythms are different. Getting together to jam and learn sounds like a great idea though.

Thanks for the response dmorash. Yes, it does seem like a leap. However, to be fair to myself, I've been playing the guitar for over 20years and listening to jazz my whole life. Yet, I really only started studying jazz hard and working my chops in November. You're absolutely right - it is like learning to play all over again, and with your non-dominant hand.

Honestly, I would be more at ease if it were just me and the vocalist keeping it real simple.

So...unless someone on the board jumps in with some monster motivation on moving forward, I think I'll bow out and recommend we hit the woodshed and look at summer events.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond.

Brian

[mangotango]

My first thought was - "don't do it!"

then I gave it some more consideration.

So now I'd say - "Definitely don't do it!"

If you have no experience of playing jazz live, and the pianist has no knowledge, I don't think that with that format, you have any chance to make it sound good. You will only get a reputation that you don't want down the line when you finally do get a gig that you want.

But, worth trying to get something going with those people? Only you can decide.

[onetruevibe]

Originally Posted by mangotango

My first thought was - "don't do it!"

then I gave it some more consideration.

So now I'd say - "Definitely don't do it!"

If you have no experience of playing jazz live, and the pianist has no knowledge, I don't think that with that format, you have any chance to make it sound good. You will only get a reputation that you don't want down the line when you finally do get a gig that you want.

But, worth trying to get something going with those people? Only you can decide.

I hear you- points well made.

You all have done a wonderful job at confirming my doubts about the feasibility of this project - which were being over-shadowed by my intense desire to play jazz! So tempting!

Anyway - just to give the group some context, which I probably should have done at the beginning of this thread: I live in a small town in Western Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. That said, talent is hard to come by, and jazz groups don't exist. This would most likely be a first for the community. The venue would be a small coffee shop who is hosting a local winery to try and increase store-front traffic. They would like a small jazz group to be playing during the event.

[brwnhornet59]

A straight ahead Jazz gig? No, I would nix that.

Question, since it is a coffee house gig, which are usually very open and liberal with their performers, at least the ones I used to do were, is it possible that you could find some common middle ground? There are Jazz-ish tunes that you could put together. This would also allow room for perhaps some blues and more traditional material that you would all be familiar with.

Just a thought.

[onetruevibe]

That is a thought. Do some bluesy/jazzy numbers like My Funny Valentine, Fever, I Got it Bad. Maybe Misty?

Any other ideas?

[mr. beaumont]

Those songs would work. As long as she sings them.

Normally, the singer calls the shots...I can fumble my way through a melody...lay out on a chord if I can't hear it or remember it...but if a singer don't know the words...

If you can handle the changes to "Valentine" you could handle just about anything in the jazz standard realm...

[onetruevibe]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Those songs would work. As long as she sings them.

Normally, the singer calls the shots...I can fumble my way through a melody...lay out on a chord if I can't hear it or remember it...but if a singer don't know the words...

If you can handle the changes to "Valentine" you could handle just about anything in the jazz standard realm...

Yeah - this whole thing just feels all backward and inside out.

Another thing struck me: solos - certainly I can't expect her to sing for the entire set - we'd have to alternate with some soloing to give her a break, right? Not seeing that happen with what we have to work with!

ANYWAY - I really appreciate you experienced guys popping on here and helping me sort through things. I know there is rarely a "right answer" to situations like this, but I do believe there is a "best answer" arrived at only through experience. As I mull over these things, it is great to have you experienced guys chime in to give me little nudges - keeping me moving in the right direction!