Working outside my comfort zone

[Doctor Jeff]

For reasons known only to god (and she ain’t sayin’), a singer who is an acquaintance of mine asked me to work with her on an upcoming show she is doing.

She casually sang a couple of songs with me and my pianist years ago, and asked me to accompany her for 2 songs during a recent show (Time after Time and Can’t Help Falling in Love). But now she plans an extravaganza in which I will be intimately involved in most of the songs. She has a long-time piano player, and asked a very well-known local saxophonist to play with her. I suggested 2 friends of mine from a former combo who play bass and drums. So the group is set.

The tricky part is that she likes, no loves, 70’s/80’s RNB. Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, etc. I am used to playing All of Me and Summertime with a singer who sings like Nat Cole, not funking out to Motown. So it’s been a bit of an adjustment.

It’s been fun to work on the guitar parts. Mostly I’m relying on my Gretsch 6117 reissue, but for a couple of songs I’m using the Cordoba Stage nylon string. I’m not really soloing much, just comping and providing color, which I guess is a good job description for Motown/Atlantic/Muscle Shoals guitarists.

Most songs are pretty straightforward, but damn Stevie Wonder throws in some crazy chord changes, and modulates up 2 steps virtually every song. Must be tough for the piano. There are a lot of tricky rhythms as well—2/4 changes, etc. Anyway, nothing impossible.

Jacqueline wanted to do Christopher Cross’ Sailing as kind of a coda to the show—an hour and a half of love songs mainly. This is an interesting song, and actually my favorite of his. He is an excellent guitarist, in case you didn’t know. But I was having a heckuva time with the arpeggiated guitar parts, which are so critical to the song.

Then on Ultimate Tabs (my go-to for pop song chords and lyrics), I found that CC used a non-standard tuning…DADGbAE. Voila—problem solved. Fingerings were now simple. I have never played in this tuning, but it is quite a versatile setup that lends itself to major 7 progressions. Kind of like most upbeat songs of the 70’s.

Fortunately there will be some time while J is singing with her pianist for me to retune the nylon string. Add a little chorus and a fair amount of reverb, and I think this will be the shizzle.

Anyway, I’m playing above my pay grade here. Fortunately everyone is very nice—no prima donnas here.

I wondered why Jackie would ask me…but then I thought, sometimes (as a singer) you might want a reasonably competent person who will follow you and not get in the way or overcomplicate things. You don’t want George Benson. You want Steve Cropper (admittedly much more competent than I will ever be, but tends to fly under the radar).

That’s my goal. To channel Steve Cropper. And Christopher Cross.

Anyway, late night musings on Friday night after a glass or 2 of Angel’s Envy bourbon. Thanks for listening.

[Doctor Jeff]

Jackie’s setlist (for now):

JEFF - One (1) SOLO TO START AND SETTLE FOR THE EVENING


SPOKEN CUE - “….Love is SO AMAZING”


SO AMAZING (Arch Solo)


SPOKEN CUE - “….How love makes you feel”


MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE - Bb (Arch, Bobby, Jon & I)
Arch vamp; Arch pause… Bobby intro alone….Jon join Start of Vs. 1 (A1)


FEEL LIKE MAKIN LOVE - Eb (uptempo groove/R&B shuffle) (Full band)


BOBBY ONLY - No pause - VAMP DIRECTLY INTO INTRO OF ‘This Will Be’ WHILE I SPEAK - SPOKEN CUE FOR BAND TO JOIN “….How we think love will always be”


THIS WILL BE - G maj/Bb (Full Band)


YOU ARE THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE - Eb (Full Band)


OVERJOYED - Eb maj to F maj (Full Band)
A1 - Bobby/Arch alone
A1 repeat - Bobby, Arch, Jac’E, Bryan join
Bridge 1 - Add Jeff and John


A2 - Bobby/Arch & I
A2 I’ve come much too far - Add Bryan
Bridge 2 - All


THE LOOK OF LOVE - A min (Full Band ) Bobby Intro w/ Bryan/Brush, Arch plays soft; Jeff & John join after intro; Bobby - instrumental solo mid-song


YOU ARE MY LADY - (Arch Solo)


NATURAL WOMAN - G (Full band)


AIN’T NO SUNSHINE - A min (Arch intro then add Full Band)


SUNNY - Bobby - F min (Slower) G min A min (2 measure between verses/vocals) Slow - Bossa and piano to medium to intense and uptempo/groove (Full band)


BOBBY SOLO
L.O.V.E.
CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT?


BOBBY & I Only
TAKE ON ME (SLOW) - C


BRIEF BREAK


MY, MY, MY - (Arch after break)


Bobby vamp on ‘AGAINST ALL ODDS’
SPOKEN CUE FOR BOBBY TO START SINGING - “…..just let the one we love walk away”


BOBBY
AGAINST ALL ODDS (Move straight into our duet)


DUET -
HOW DO YOU KEEP THE MUSIC PLAYING? - Bb (Bobby & I)


BOBBY & I
EASY - Bb - (Bobby, Bryan & I)


NEITHER ONE OF US WANTS TO SAY GOOD BYE - F maj (Bobby, Bryan, Arch & I) On the sheet music cross out 2 measures (Dmin & G7 - Adding Bobby will explain)


WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO? - C (Bobby & I)


SPOKEN CUE - “……After every winter there is spring


OPEN ARMS - D connect (Bobby, Bryan & I)


SAILING - C (Bobby intro, Bryan, Arch & I)


SPOKEN CUE - “……Believe in your love”


I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME - C (Bobby, Bryan??, Arch, & I)


AT LAST - Eb (Full band) Arch play Intro & Bobby support with shakes - Everyone join after intro)


ARCH SOLO ENDING - Get them moving; You choose songs
JOY AND PAIN
BEFORE I LET GO
OUTSTANDING
Arch Continue….

[pauln]

One of my old bands opened for CC about 20 years ago, big concert stage setup at the horse track, 4000 people right out in front, lots more in the stands. CC and his crew were total professionals in every way and nice as could be.

Pro tip: a petite female singer in high heels can destroy a guitar cable in a way that even a massive bass player in Doc Martins can't...

Sounds like you have the right grasp and attitude, wish you well on the project.

[benhatchins]

Good luck with achieving those goals! My main goal for this year - finish the college finally and don't go mental. I have a full time job, small daughter at home and studies which ended up to be much more intense that i expected. Without help of academized.com i wouldn't be able to sleep at all probably. At this moment i don't think it was the best idea of mine to get a second diploma, but it is too late to change something

[picodogg]

Hey man, that sounds great. Stretch a little out of your comfort zone, have fun, and it's up to the singer to sell it to an audience.

[Doctor Jeff]

Playing the Chris Cross arpeggios for Sailing on the tenor uke (electrified). Sounds great with a little reverb and chorus.

Got a tube overdrive pedal for the power chords in Open Arms.

It’s coming together…