By Rodney Jones
Rehearsal is an area where musicians often disagree.
One theory says that a great rehearsal makes for a poor performance
or recording, because the musicians have already played their best
stuff. Once played, music can only lose its spontaneityÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ
and then
musicians begin to imitate themselves. The other theory says that a
great rehearsal can make for a great performance or recording, because
the musicians become more familiar with the music and can then get past
the notes on the page to the heart of the music.
I donÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂt care much for theories, really. I have found that it all
comes down to the individual musicians and the spirit they bring to the
music. For me that is everything. So when it came to the rehearsal for
my Soul Manifesto recording, I had no worries!
The rehearsal was scheduled from noon to 6 pm at Carroll Rehearsal
Studios in New York City. I arrived early to make sure the room was in
good shape. All of the equipment was present:
- a drum kit for Idris Muhammad,
- a Hammond XB2 for Dr. Lonnie Smith,
- a Roland Jazz Chorus Amplifier for myself (I usually play a Line Six, but they did not have one available),
- a bass amplifier for Lonnie Plaxico, and
- a microphone for Arthur Blythe.
Maceo Parker was flying in that day, so he wouldn't be able to make
the rehearsal. The recording itself was scheduled for the next day.
Dr. Lonnie Smith was the first to arrive at the studio. Dr. Smith is
such a master of the organ. He sat down at this small keyboard and
within a few minutes had it sounding like the warmest Hammond B3 you
could ever want to hear. He brings such a warm spirit with him. Next
came Lonnie Plaxico. Lonnie is one of the few bassists who has truly
mastered every style. He plays the electric bass with the same ease as
the acoustic bass, and he really supports the bottom end of the music.
Lonnie reprised the role that he played on my previous CD for Blue Note,
The Undiscovered Few. He anchored the whole date. When Arthur
Blythe walked in, it was like an old friend had entered the room.
Everything about Arthur is soulful. He is one of the most inventive and
original voices ever to play the alto saxophone. I love his vibe! Idris
was last but definitely not least. He grooves when he walks! It felt so
good to see these musicians together. I was honored to have them be a
part of the recording, and I felt a sense of gratitude for the magic
that was to take place.
We played through each of the tunes. I really didn't need to say much
to these guys. All I did was to point the way and give a general sense
of what I was looking for, and their natural gifts took care of the
rest. It was magicÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ
I felt like a kid in a candy store. I enjoyed
listening and watching as much as the playing itself. We finished the
rehearsal after about three hours. There was nothing left to say. I knew
then that all we would have to do the next day was capture the spirit of
the rehearsal and we would have a great record.
PlusÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ
Maceo! That would be the icing on the cake. During the
rehearsal, we ran through the charts with Arthur playing Maceo's role.
The music was groovin' so hard that I knew it would be a perfect fit for
Maceo. Having played with him for five years, I had a good sense for
what would work.
I hope you can sense the joy the rehearsal gave to us. We shared
laughter and jokes and good music; swinging and grooving and feeling the
joy of creating art. For me, it was a dream come true, one of those
moments I will carry with me always.
Next installment: the recording session, day one!
Share your questions and comments with your fellow AAJ readers.
