Mardi Gras tune list (just in case anyone is interested)

[bloke]

I'm very grateful to have a Mardi Gras gig (vs. last year) this year (as well as being healed up well enough to hold up a sousaphone and do it), and - apparently - it's fairly well-funded, because - earlier - we were brought in to do a video/demo (prior to being contracted) and actually are REHEARSING tonight. The job is located two hours from blokeplace - in another state...(rehearsal in Memphis - in a fortress-like building - cinder block/steel door/no windows ... blokemobile should be safe: manual shift).

Just in case anyone is interested in clicking through it (and listening to 10 - 15 seconds of each tune) here's the tune list that the gigmeister sent me...
(...the gigmeister being the amazing drummer - and pianist - James Sexton...I linked a video of him demonstrating a whole bunch of different styles of his set playing, a while back, and you can easily find that on youtube as well)

Thank goodness I've played all of these tunes before, and just needed to be reminded. For some reason, I can remember somewhat-involved chord changes much more easily than funky bass lines (with almost no chord changes).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnB3FJ5 ... Ib&index=5

bloke "B-flat, E-flat, and F: the three notes needed to play most gigs"
(We fesshunuls, though, also play some A-flats, and some-other-flats. )

[Casca Grossa]

bloke "B-flat, E-flat, and F: the three notes needed to play most gigs"
(We fesshunuls, though, also play some A-flats, and some-other-flats. )

I was asked to sub on a traditional jazz gig this past summer. First such gig in 19 years. I was given the names of the charts and key signatures. No music. Rehearsal was for a few minutes before the gig started and just ran sections of music briefly. We ended the gig with Joe Avery Blues. The very talented saxophonist that led the group decided to pretty much run the circle of fifths on that tune as the grand finale. I held on for dear life. At one point he looked at me as a new chorus began and yelled tuba solo. I think we were in the key of E or B at that point. I don't remember. Anyway it was truly fun and terrifying all at once.

Casca Grossa "who is many years past his fesshunul playing days and pretty much used every note on that gig"

[bloke]

The ONLY TWO of those (seventeen...??) tunes that ain't in one of those three keys are (well: always...A-flat) "Bourbon Street Parade" and "Tiger Rag" (also A-flat)...and "Tiger Rag" is ONLY in A-flat BECAUSE the band (on the recording) ONLY plays the LAST strain...as the (NONE of the first three strains on the recording) first strain is in B-flat, the second strain is in F, the third strain is in E-flat, and the FOURTH strain (finally) is in A-flat, per this:



As I’ve probably noted before:
country club brunch (etc.) “Dixieland/traditional jazz” and “New Orleans brass band” repertoire probably overlap about 15% of 25%, and those which overlap hardly sound the same tunes.

[bloke]

I just found out that this gig includes what looks to be a four block parade, so I’d better start walking my stitched back together self up and down the road into blokeplace two or three times each day.

Those versions of all those tunes…
Having listened to each one of them a couple of times, James can sing/play/teach every riff played in every one of them.

[bloke]

OK...
I spent another hour, just now (mostly, the tunes based on very specific funky bass lines - those with far fewer chord changes), studying these tunes some more, and updating my "cheat sheet" with more reminders (as well as "numbers of times" for this/that/the-other licks.

I haven't played very much of this style (only two or three times, in recent years) since the N.O. Jazz Ramblers broke up, and - though I can remember the funky bass lines - I'm not sure I can connect up the funky bass LINES with tune NAMES, and (thus) IMMEDIATELY (as required) "pull them out of my hat" (again: without a cheat sheet). We're marching, so the cheat sheet (and my ersatz manuscript - with tiny/wiggly staff lines) is very small.

34°F. during the gig...leaving blokeplace at 4 P.M. - back to blokeplace by 11 P.M.

NEXT Saturday, though: 14 Dvořák notes, indoors, sitting down, 34°F., and only forty minutes from blokeplace.

Hey...I had my FIRST REAL "tub-soak", today, after my surgery...It sure was nice.

bloke "It's good to sort-of intensively revisit a portion of this NOLA brass band repertoire - even if only for one gig...

...after all: 'This may lead to more gigs, y'all'. "