The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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    Wedding Gig-285032885_575122000639421_3144111324233379783_n-jpg

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Hopefully this isn't your gig!

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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyV
    Wedding Gig-285032885_575122000639421_3144111324233379783_n-jpg
    A "well rounded musical education", but the pay sucks... ...

    in other words Father of the Bride [FOB]

    A member of the wedding party who usually escorts his daughter down the aisle during the wedding ceremony procession. Traditionally, he wouldpay for the majority of the overall wedding costs.


    Might even be an ex or aspiring Jazz Guitarist


    Ray

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    Quote Originally Posted by RayS
    A "well rounded musical education", but the pay sucks... ...

    in other words Father of the Bride [FOB]


    A member of the wedding party who usually escorts his daughter down the aisle during the wedding ceremony procession. Traditionally, he wouldpay for the majority of the overall wedding costs.


    Might even be an ex or aspiring Jazz Guitarist


    Ray
    I've done many a wedding gig with a trad band and often ( but not on every one) asked myself " Why the hell are we here?"!

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    I used to play quite a few weddings every year, it seems that over time, the demand for live jazz is declining for weddings. So be it, the young people getting married get to choose the soundtrack for their special day.

    I feel honored to have been chosen many times to be part of that important day in so many people's lives. I always make sure to be compensated well and also have a clear understanding of what is expected from my end before agreeing to the gig. Those who have unrealistic expectations or who want to pay far too little can find someone else.

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    Wedding gigs...(shudders, breaks into a cold sweat). They used to be great - fun, food, finance - before DJs came along and everything just went to hell. Too many personal experiences to recount here, but I did read about a Pittsburgh wedding between the Motagues and Capulets of the local boxing scene. Over a hundred celebrants were arrested in the resultant (inevitable? ) melee.

    There is a part of me (of which I am not proud) which would kind of liked to be there. Well away from the action. With a Telecaster, just in case.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    I used to play quite a few weddings every year, it seems that over time, the demand for live jazz is declining for weddings. So be it, the young people getting married get to choose the soundtrack for their special day. I feel honored to have been chosen many times to be part of that important day in so many people's lives. I always make sure to be compensated well and also have a clear understanding of what is expected from my end before agreeing to the gig. Those who have unrealistic expectations or who want to pay far too little can find someone else.
    +1! But every once in a while a great surprise comes along when playing "the outside", as this segment of the business is known around here.

    I was lucky enough to play for Harriet Fay for several years. She was an outstanding leader who hired the best players around (along with me, probably because we went to the same college). She had a small office with a few leaders who did gigs under her "banner", and I played for one of them as often as I played for her. She also sent me out to lead a few gigs, most often bluesy dates with 6 to 9 pieces. She once called and asked me to lead what the bride-to-be and her mate described as a "blues wedding". We discussed the fact that the kids thought that's what they wanted, but that they had families and guests who'd want the usual wedding fare and we'd throw in some blues tunes that they liked.

    The leader on a wedding has to establish rapport with the families early on and keep everything on an even keel - so I went to the house to meet with the kids and their parents a few months before the date. I patiently explained that it's common for the newlyweds to want music a bit different from what their families want and that we'd work out a general list together that would keep everyone happy. But they both insisted that their entire family and guest list wanted a blues wedding - and they brought their parents in to confirm this. It turns out that these people were serious blues hounds, including the grandparents!!

    So I put together an 8 piece band with trumpet, tenor, harmonica, keys, me, bass, drums, and a great local blues vocalist / second guitarist (Georgie Bonds, a friend with whom I've worked since the early '90s). It was an amazing event. For cocktails, they wanted the usual small group thing with tenor, me and the bass player. But our harp player (another old friend whose blues chops are 'way up there) said he'd like to try playing a few standards - and he turned out to play like Toots! He brought a chromatic and did everything from ATTYA to Misty.....and amazed everybody in the place. Then we had 'em on their feet for 4 hours! Never before or since have I encountered this - but it was one incredible night!