They're not all "Days from Hell"

[littledog]

After describing my day from hell last Sunday, only fair that I give equal time to the opposite experience:

Showed up at the Fogg Museum on Harvard Campus (for private party) with Yamaha S-90 keyboard and a Barbetta amp - only to find there was a pristine Bechstein in the room we were playing in. Keyboard never left car.

I was hired by the singer - one of Boston's finest veteran jazz vocalists very much in the Sarah Vaughn mode. And to my delight the latest drummer from the Crusaders was on the gig, along with one of the best local acoustic bassists and trumpet/flueglehorn players.

Except for the singer, we did the whole gig "unplugged". Great music by great musicians - not one chart or lead sheet to be seen. Call a tune and name a key... What a delightful and inspiring evening! And best of all, we only had to play two hours out of the four hours booked, as there was also a DJ!

Hell, if they were all like that I might consider returning to full-time performing...

[Pricey]

I was always puzzled by the credits on "A Night at the Opera":

Freddie Mercury : Vocals, Vocals, Bechstein Debauchery and more Vocals.

I didn't know that Bechstein was a piano! That must be what he played on the album. Gorgeous sound.

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by littledog
After describing my day from hell last Sunday, only fair that I give equal time to the opposite experience:
...snip...
Hell, if they were all like that I might consider returning to full-time performing...

I know the feeling; I got a call on Tuesday to play bass on a gig last night Thursday); the band was called "The Blues Other Brothers" (isn't there a band of this name in every town in America?), and they were playing the big 4th of July weekend celebration for Bowling Green, Kentucky. A day early, but no matter...

Anyway, I wrote most of the charts on Wednesday night after a day of sessions, worked all day Thursday, then finished writing the charts as I was driving to Bowling Green (I KNOW it wasn't safe to drive and write charts - oh, well). I knew 90% of the songs, but there were some interesting arrangements; the charts were simply a road map for me to know what was about to happen. Mostly R&B, and a few disco tunes (most of them I'd played when disco was new...)

The band had 13 people in it; 5 horns, 3 background singers, a percussionist... When I arrived, there was a big sound system, burly young men to get my amp out of the truck, and fairly decent monitors. There were probably 5000 ipeople in the audience.

Anyway, we played a set, relaxed and watched the fireworks, and then played a second set. It was real music; I don't know that I'd return to full time performing, but I'd play with that band again. But I would need to remember how that solo bass lick in 'Car Wash" is played....