TromboneChat

Last Monday I was informed the big band I play in would be providing a Dixieland band at parade tomorrow. I asked what the songs were as I don't play by ear. I was told Saints in the key of F. OK, I dug up a transcription of a solo and practiced some licks, no problem there, and agreed to do the gig. We get an e-mail yesterday with a map and what I thought was all the information I needed. Tonight the director tells me there are two other songs, neither of which I heard of. Why does it take him until now to let me know on this little tidbit????? It's a little late in the game for me to work something out. I would tell him to stuff it, but the other trombone player going dented his slide and has to borrow one of mine to play so I have to go anyway or there would be no bones, period. Oh, yeah, I can't park at the parade assembly area or keep my cases there so I have to park at remote parking and take a shuttle carrying two trombones and put my accessories and my water bottle in my pockets. Am I wrong for wanting to give the band "leader" a slide enema????

Two trombones in a Dixieland band?? Seems a bit extreme. Most bands I know use Clarinet, Cornet, Trombone, maybe Tenor Sax, and Rhythm (tuba or bass, drums, geetar or banjo). That's 6 or 7.

What new tunes did he unload on you? There are a bunch of standards that you should really know. When we paraded, we did Saints, Five-Foot Two (in Eb), When You're Smiling, and At the Jazz Band Ball (our theme song). We also did Running Wild because our wagon driver used to go "crazy" with the horses pulling us. Other common Dixie standards are Struttin' with some Barbecue, South, and a few others I am blanking on.

One parade we were followed by a stilt walker and we played Five Foot Two and the stilt walker danced around like crazy. Crowd loved it.

Are you riding a float? If so, can you load the gear on early? If you are marching I feel sorry for you -- I hate those gigs now.

BGuttman wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 9:27 pm
Are you riding a float? If so, can you load the gear on early? If you are marching I feel sorry for you -- I hate those gigs now.

I've done some of those float rides, and finally just resolved to be unavailable ever again.

That constant jerking of the float and bashing of the mouthpiece is more than I'm willing to tolerate. I appreciate that a lot of us are too old to march, but I'm too old to ride.

I also became unavailable for 4th of July gigs when the security requirement meant we show up at 1:00 for a 9:00 concert, get checked in and can't leave, and then clearing the parking lot takes 90 minutes after it all ends. This is one event where the crowd actually does appreciate a real concert band, but it doesn't include me anymore.

BGuttman wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 9:27 pm Two trombones in a Dixieland band?? Seems a bit extreme. Most bands I know use Clarinet, Cornet, Trombone, maybe Tenor Sax, and Rhythm (tuba or bass, drums, geetar or banjo). That's 6 or 7.

What new tunes did he unload on you? There are a bunch of standards that you should really know. When we paraded, we did Saints, Five-Foot Two (in Eb), When You're Smiling, and At the Jazz Band Ball (our theme song). We also did Running Wild because our wagon driver used to go "crazy" with the horses pulling us. Other common Dixie standards are Struttin' with some Barbecue, South, and a few others I am blanking on.

One parade we were followed by a stilt walker and we played Five Foot Two and the stilt walker danced around like crazy. Crowd loved it.

Are you riding a float? If so, can you load the gear on early? If you are marching I feel sorry for you -- I hate those gigs now.

They have electric keyboard, drums, electric bass, alto and tenor saxes, who knows how many trumpets, and at least 2 bones coming. We are a big band playing Dixieland music, we aren't a Dixieland band.

Jumpin’ at Symphony Sid and Joe Avery Blues.

Why should I know standards? I've never played in a Dixieland band before without sheet music. The band leader knows I don' play by ear.

Riding on a trailer, no room for cases. It'll be close to 90 degrees by the time we are done.

Does everyone else in the band know the tunes, and improvise? No rehearsal, I assume?
Should be, ummm, interesting; and you may fit right in, for better or worse.
Ask what keys the tunes are in, and figure out the bass line - you can fill in for the tuba! Most of the older Dixieland tunes don't get too far away from I - IV - V - I.

Don't forget the sunscreen.

My experience working in dixieland bands is that they just expect people to know a good number of tunes, or to be able to fake them. It's quite typical to change setlists, call tunes on the spot, or even just jump into a tune without even announcing it.

I don't know the people you're working with, of course, but this is all typical for that music scene, in my experience. For my first few dixieland gigs, I tried learning some appropriate tunes, only to find that the bandleader would call something entirely different on the gig, and I pretty quickly stopped preparing for those gigs at all.

It's not much help if you don't feel comfortable learning on the spot, but perhaps it's helpful to know that this isn't at all uncommon.

It's all part of owning a trombone. Just do it.

I ended up playing sousaphone in a similar brass band for a wedding gig, because somebody knew I owned one.
And then a German band gig with a big Conn 20J tuba, for the same reason.

Well, I survived. We had 2 bones, 2 saxes, 2 trumpets, drum set, vocalist, and a generator (very quiet one) for the keyboards and electric bass. Funny thing, the band leader couldn't make it... I dug up sheet music for a second of the three songs, the third had an easy melody so I was able to learn it on the fly. The band would play the melody twice thru, then we had one or two trumpet solos, trombone, sax, keyboard, guitar, drums, then play the melody twice again. The vocalist did two verses of Saints to boot and the band did one.

The biggest problem I had was my tuning slide was stuck all the way in. No idea how that happened, it was sitting in the case in my basement and I had played it just two weeks ago. In trying to pull the tuning slide I broke loose the solder joint on the tube between the valve and the tenon. It didn't leak air (much!) and I ended up playing every position about a 1/3 further out so I could be in tune. At least the driver was good on his starts and stops, no jerky motion at all.

Glad it went OK. If you really want to feel jerky motion, try riding on a horse drawn wagon.

Forgot to tell you all that the guy who had to borrow a trombone from me didn't even bring his own mouthpiece. Lucky for him I had one in the case. No good deed goes unpunished...