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Originally Posted by Stevebol
Hey Stevebol,
Vegas. Hmmmm.
When you get there, let me know. I played private functions the MGM Grand penthouse and the Paris some years back, and did tons of weekend wine tastings at several upscale wine & spirits places but I never looked into the jazz scene or investigated the strip for gigs. (I drove in from LA each time). The night spots didn't seem to have much actual jazz if I recall but that was several years back.
The trick on my gigs is that I fool them by singing the heads either by myself (as a single) or front the duo/trio then I play (or we play) the tunes with several chorus solos (trades w/drum if they are on the gig etc). I can book gigs as a 'crooner' but play the gig as a jazz band.
Sneaky, but it works. For any jazz guitar players that croak well enough to sell a song, it's a great option to book as jazz/standard/crooner singer and then play the tunes as a jazz guy. You can learn all the GASongBook tunes from a different angle too, and add lesser known standards easily.... it really expands the repertoire.
I used to be a bit of a snob/purist. Vocals? ..... phft! That's not cool enough. I play real hardcore JAZZ guitar, or so I used to think. No mamby pamby vocals for me.
Not working enough certainly changed my attitude. Besides, I love singing now too.
So, I keep harping on this as I would like to trade tips and ideas with any others doing what I am doing. It is helpful to get input from other 'jazz guitarists' disguised as 'ersatz' crooners for gigs. So if anyone has a comment, please jump in....Last edited by docdosco; 10-31-2016 at 03:04 PM.
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10-31-2016 03:01 PM
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Doc, I agree, I started singing a few years ago after a 40+ year career as a guitarist. Instantly doubled the gig opportunities, singing in the Gilberto/natural style, no vocal pyrotechnics at all, soft and easy. I was always busy, but the landscape changed, and the vocal aspect opened the senior market for daytime gigs, and singing in Portuguese and Spanish landed me a great position with an African band that needed someone to demonstrate the African influence around the world, especially Brazil, Cuba, etc. Jazz is not the focus, but it always part of my approach no matter what gig I do, and I've always been somewhat egalitarian, combining classical, flamenco and jazz into my own style. Even in this economy and cultural desert we have created, I do nothing but play the guitar, sing and produce concerts and recordings, for years now. I'll never be rich, but I live well and am free as can be: that was always my goal; freedom, personal and artistic. My lifelong work-avoidance program.
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Originally Posted by docdosco
It's all surreal.
Whatever you have planned might work. Give it a try.
If I was to do anything it might just be a jam band. Bad funk is better than no funk. I could care less about working in clubs. I don't want to 'plan' anything.
I have about 50 drum tracks on my cell phone in wave format. I spent a lot of time on that. It's just a bunch of mostly older funk/R&B tunes. On my laptop I have the midi versions in a DAW with some of the other parts of the songs here and there.
I've been working on producer stuff the last couple years. Not much guitar or bass. Just computer music. I like bass these days.
Vegas is a drummer town. R&R town. That's a pet peeve of mine. I like some of the 80's Industrial rock. A lot of it didn't use a real drummer. A lot of R&B didn't either.
I don't need to remind jazz musicians that drummers call the shots in a lot of music.Last edited by Stevebol; 10-31-2016 at 05:21 PM.
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Originally Posted by ronjazz
Ron,
Bravo. This is good to hear. Thank God for seniors!
People really don't care for the vocal gymnastics on my gigs also. They want to hear the songs. As long as there are no sour vocal notes, people dig it. And, as long as I give them the melodies to the tunes, soft and easy, as you say, I get to fiddle about somewhat too. I read lyrics. I can't possibly memorize all the new lyrics at my age. I can always remember the changes it seems, but not the words. However no one cares if I have a book up in front of me.
My gig Saturday was a smashing success. I brought Thelma Jones (a legendary diva in her own right) just to be in the band (3 piece band plus her). She usually headlines and has her own charts and show but just a member of the band, it was really cool ....and the folks went nuts at the end when Thelma did some of her signature blues and funky stuff. Earlier in the night, we just did jazz / standards and she harmonized with me or we traded choruses. We totally winged it but it really worked really well.
You have to be creative to work in this day and age. In LA, you can just open another can of guitar players anytime, so no one may to come to see you unless you are a big name player. Doc? Hmmmm. Big deal. However, with the vocals Doc expands his salability greatly. : )
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I was checking out Thelma a while back. She can sing.
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Originally Posted by Stevebol
Thelma is a knock out vocalist and a sweetheart to boot. Some of the diva type singers are difficult, but Thelma is a joy to work with. She is similar in style to Etta James and actually Etta's sons got together in an Etta James tribute and toured with Thelma doing Etta tunes. To get a feel for Thelma, just pop on the first vid on her website video page. She has a great presence live.
Videos ? Thelma Jones
Hopefully I'll get some clips of our new duo pretty soon. I gotta book us first though.
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Originally Posted by Stevebol
That's what my drummer would say. (He has no problem with letting his opinions be known). That's Guy Hawke, whose dad Ted Hawke was Lenny Breau's drummer here in LA (Ted was an in demand jazz drummer worldwide). So I am once removed from Lenny Breau through my drummer. Ha! Elusive fame. I know a guy, who knows a guy, whose dad played with Lenny Breau.
Just for shits and giggles, here is a snap from after the Saturday gig. Guy, Thelma, me, Leslie. My upright bass player is Leslie Baker, and she is dynamite too. Knows all the tunes, great walking feel and nice melodic solos. She has played with most everyone too, lots of blues/soul acts and not just jazz, so no matter what the style, we can fumble through magnificently. It is a cool vibe for me with these players.
BTW, electronic tracks can be fine. If I had too, I could probably do gigs with the ireal tracks. Some guys actually do. Not bad to get a $12.95 back-up band in a pinch....
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Originally Posted by docdosco
I don't think this would be of any use in jazz except for smooth jazz or something like that.
A lot of music today is done entirely in the sequencer and piano roll of FL Studio. It's going to be mac compatible soon. That's huge.
I don't really like this digital stuff but that's the world we live in.
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There are worse places to be than London.... Although brexit may screw things up, we'll see...
Berlin is great and would love to try it, but harder to make a living...
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Thanks for that, Christian. I am a little surprised to hear that Berlin would be more difficult than London, particularly in terms of cost of living. But what do I know? That is why I am asking these questions. In any case, yes, with a French passport I won't be moving to the UK in any case. I have been actually focusing a look at the Netherlands.
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Good-bye, USA.
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Sadly, yes. To be fair, I have not lived in the US since 1998 so it is not that I am flying the coop. Great quote, by the way.
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Originally Posted by guitboxer
Aside: I keep seeing Vienna topping lists of livable cities. I think of Vienna as stuffy or boring. How wrong am I?
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There is no offense taken at all.
You know, I have also heard good things about Vienna but have only ever spent one day there. I have known people who lived there. As with anywhere, it apparently has its good and bad points. It is not too big. I like small cities with plenty of culture and I think Vienna must qualify. Traditionally I have always lived near a coast but am trying to keep an open mind. I like the idea of a "livable" city -- for me, that connotes a moderate size, decent economy, strong cultural life, low crime/nice vibe, etc. Seems reasonable, doesn't it?
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Vienna is cool .... Need to find out more about it
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Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
Vienna? It hasn't been the same since Mozart checked out I would think.
Hang in there comrade.
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Originally Posted by Stevebol
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^^^
i have no clue what Madcity is.
Is it cable?
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Originally Posted by Stevebol
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Vienna is the city that produced Schiele, Freud, Schoenberg, Mahler and Klimt... There's an extreme passion bubbling under the surface. I liked it, although I know little about the current scene. Best place to play though, IMO is Zurich. Surprisingly cool place ...
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It seems "places with a jazz scene" and "places musicians can't afford" have a lot of overlap.
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Originally Posted by christianm77
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Paris?
You might have said that, I haven't read the thread.
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Originally Posted by rlrhett
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Originally Posted by ragman1
The EU thing may prove problematic for foreign musicians here. Not sure what will happen with the economy short term.
London is expensive, but it has the functions scene and is (or at least was) a very open city for non nationals. I don't think Paris would be as open, but I'm surprised by how friendly it has become compared to its bad reputation.Last edited by christianm77; 11-17-2016 at 03:55 AM.
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