Home » Jazz Articles » Mr. P.C.'s Guide to Jazz Etiquette and Bandstand Decorum » February 2015
February 2015
When I hear an old recording of myself, I'm always hoping I won't like it. Why? Because I'm still practicing and trying to get better. So I'm almost afraid to listen to old recordings in case I like them too much, because that would mean all my hard work since the recording date was for nothing.
—Salvador
Dear Sal:
That makes sense to me, but why not be the master of your own destiny? Next time you record, play badly enough that when you hear it in the future you can feel good about your progress.
You can do it at the group level, too: When your band goes into the studio, make sure everyone plays poorly and that the group dynamic is weak. You can look forward to some fun listening parties in the future, laughing at your own expense and feeling great about it.
I wish you all the best; not now, of course, but right before you play your last note or draw your final breath.
That makes sense to me, but why not be the master of your own destiny? Next time you record, play badly enough that when you hear it in the future you can feel good about your progress.
You can do it at the group level, too: When your band goes into the studio, make sure everyone plays poorly and that the group dynamic is weak. You can look forward to some fun listening parties in the future, laughing at your own expense and feeling great about it.
I wish you all the best; not now, of course, but right before you play your last note or draw your final breath.
Dear Mr. P.C.:
Sometimes when I start my solo after someone else's, the first couple of measures I play are completely buried by the applause for the last guy. Those are usually my best measures, too. What am I supposed to do?
—Solos Often Buried
Dear SOB:
If some measures of your solo are better than others, it's pretty obvious what you need to do: Play your worst measures during the applause, and save your best ones for later.
If you're not comfortable improvising, bite the bullet and rewrite the whole thing. It may be a lot of work, but in the end you'll have two solos; alternate between them and you'll always sound fresh!
If some measures of your solo are better than others, it's pretty obvious what you need to do: Play your worst measures during the applause, and save your best ones for later.
If you're not comfortable improvising, bite the bullet and rewrite the whole thing. It may be a lot of work, but in the end you'll have two solos; alternate between them and you'll always sound fresh!
Dear Mr. P.C.:
I recently played at a club in my hometown. We had a tip jar and at the end of the night the owner said that we had to split the tips with him. Is this some new trend or something?
—Pissed Off Owner's Recouping
Dear POOR:
Your music sounds different in every venue, right? So the music and the room are inseparable.
Unfortunately, this opens the door to venue piracy. When the public buys a disc recorded "Live at the Blue Note," they're getting the sound of the room without paying the exorbitant cover and inflated food prices. How is that fair to the Blue Note?
I'm sure your club owner knows that you'd be getting different tips—perhaps more, perhaps less—in a different room with a different sound. Unless I'm missing something, that means the tips are specific to his venue, and thus rightfully his. Be thankful he's sharing them.
Your music sounds different in every venue, right? So the music and the room are inseparable.
Unfortunately, this opens the door to venue piracy. When the public buys a disc recorded "Live at the Blue Note," they're getting the sound of the room without paying the exorbitant cover and inflated food prices. How is that fair to the Blue Note?
I'm sure your club owner knows that you'd be getting different tips—perhaps more, perhaps less—in a different room with a different sound. Unless I'm missing something, that means the tips are specific to his venue, and thus rightfully his. Be thankful he's sharing them.
Have a question for Mr. P.C.? Ask him.
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