THE JAZZ NETWORK ~ "A GREAT PLACE TO HANG"
Funny Jazz Musician Stories
Well, I thought I'd start this process, I know many of you have funny stories to share that we would all get a kick out of....let's do our own little version of a "FUNNY THING THAT HAPPENS TO MUSICIANS" coffee table book. So please, indulge me/us, if you have funny pictures as well, post them, this is like a big family enjoying the world of jazz....it personal. ;-)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Karl-Friedrich Degenhardt on -
Actually...there are two stories I remember very well when I played at the local Jam session recently. =)
First thing: The stage (it`s about 8-10" high and about 10-12 square meters big)...was small. But always having fun when gigging, I didn`t care...although it was hard to set-up there, even if the drum set-up was small.
And first we played Mr. PC. Well, that`s one awesome tune by John Coltrane but yeah, it`s originally played as a swing and we played it up-tempo...with the hi-hat stepping. And suddenly I noticed the hi-hat stand moves...MUCH. In front of this was a leg of the cymbal stand. So it all moved and when I wanted to catch it all it was too late...Falling cymbal stand!!! ...because as I said, the stage was too short. Wow...luckily it hung up at the leg of the bass drum so nothing crashed seriously.
Immediately the bass player set it up again and we had a good laugh about everybody`s face when it fell over. haha...
Second story....not really a funny one but a very positive experience I thought I`d share. ;-) Same song, Mr. PC. And I did a solo...I played the solo like I`d simply do it. And when I played a few seconds the guitar player laughed, then the piano player smiled. They were surprised about the melodic and musical qualities of drums. I played melodies, referring to the theme and such stuff, at least in the beginning of the solo to build it up.
Yeah, so that`s it for now. =)
best wishes,
Karl
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Permalink Reply by Tokeli on -
This is deliciously and rather diabolically hilarious; I'm uncharacteristically giggling out loud while I'm reading it! Good show.
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Permalink Reply by peter boothman on -
A guitarist friend of mine in London passed this true story onto me last week..
In his words....
A trombone player related this tale to me recently.
He was walking into the dressing room backstage and saw the clarinet player, opening his clarinet case.
Thinking he was alone and unobserved the clarinetist looked in the clarinet case and said..
"Sorry, it's me again"
Peter B
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Permalink Reply by Gordon Neave on -
My ribs are hurting.
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Permalink Reply by Ingrid Müller-Marx on -
Lovely!!!!
Kind regards, Ingrid
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Permalink Reply by Nelson Harrison on -
You are so right. We are definitely in tune. I started a blog last year on a similar vibe.
Check out: http://paytheband.peopleaggregator.net
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Permalink Reply by Pat on -
LOL. This is bril!
When I first started singing jazz I found that my nerves subsided a bit if I sat on a bar stool. The gig was in a small intimate pub here in Glasgow. I sat elegantly as I was singing a beautiful ballad. As we moved toward the final crescendo I went to stand up but had unfortunately tucked my right leg behind the crossbar at the bottom of the stool.
I toppled....chair and all. (in what seemed like slow motion....it WAS a ballad afterall!) Oh how my dignity flew out of the window! Just as well I have sense of humour..... I couldn't sing the next number as I was in tears laughing and couldn't catch my breath........no more multitasking for me!
Pat x
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Permalink Reply by Kwame Coston on -
Nothing wrong with 'bringing the house down.' I think every working musician has at least one humbling gig experience. One of my 'skeletons' involve getting the date, place and time of the gig confused thus missing the gig. Actually, it wouldn't be a bad idea to write a book and publish it if only to reassure other musicians and singers who may have had worse experiences.
Peace + Love Always,
Kwame Coston
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Permalink Reply by Vaughnette Bigford on -
What about this one? Performing in front of hundreds of people at the Naparima Bowl in South Trinidad. Just picked a flower to put in my hair for my rendition of God Bless the Child. Apparently, there was an ant nest inside the flower. Of course, the ants made their way out of the flower and onto my back and inside my ears whilst I was singing. One of the most uncomfortable feelings in the world. My guitarist was probably trying to figure out why I was singing the song "medium swing" when we practiced it "slow and bluesy".........I CAN LAUGH NOW. Wasn't remotely funny then.
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Permalink Reply by Noelle on -
Vaughnette, I would've tossed you a travel size can of "Raid for hair"!:) I used to be a tomboy growing up catching insects,etc.. but, to have an insect anywhere on me...yikes!:) Glad you made it through that experience!:) Peace...Noelle:)
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Permalink Reply by Cathrynn on
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I wish I had a tale to tell - but - I have loved reading all of yours...*big smile*....love Cathrynn X
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Permalink Reply by Mike Smith on -
This is not a funny story. But I think its a bit inspiring. I was on the road in Switzerland. Somehow orchestrations were misplaced or lost. The conductor was also an orchestrator/arranger & we had to rehearse the next day. Well, he went to his hotel room...wrote 14 arrangements for 25 to 30 pieces.
I was one of 3 percussionists and a there was drummer, so we had loads of percussion of all kinds.
Everything was correct on the charts, even the instrument transpositions, & he had no piano or instrument of any kind in his room, nor did not make any errors on our parts. Talk about impressive!!
But wait....There's more!
Some of us landed a few Jazz gigs in Clubs while we we there & this same man played Jazz piano pretty close to Oscar Peterson in technique & speed...I kid u not!
So...we get to the Club, we all go into the kitchen area & he just writes out about 5-6 charts for us right there. Again, everything was perfect. We play the gig, no rehearsal & had a blast. Well, we continued to play other clubs after out orchestra gig. Wow..did we have fun!
Ok....I know u r dying to know his name....LOL! His name was Kirk Stuart & he was on staff @ Howard Univ. Prior to Howard, he was @ Southern Univ. in Louisiana.
Eventually, he left Howard & worked in Las Vegas at the Desert Inn Hotel Lounge when it was still there. He has since passed on... But he left me with this message.
One day he told me..."Don't play the music...let the music play you".
I've never forgotten this & I have strived to do so ever since.
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INSPIRATIONAL CORNER
Uncle Hugh 'Peanuts' Whalum is my 80 year-old uncle who has FORGOTTEN more about jazz than I've even learned yet! He released his CD "Introducing Hugh 'Peanuts' Whalum" after gigging in the St. Louis scene for over 55 years! Needless to say his voice, his saxophone, his piano... like a fine, aged Merlot. His energy?! I dare not try and keep up. I'm on stage falling asleep by the time he gets going good – cut from a different cloth. Arnette, Coleman, Hamp, Hank... fine cloth.
Why do I bring them up? Because they represent something really important that we now get to enjoy, like they did back then, but now through technology on sites like this, that we've been missing.
The good news, since family – in this case JAZZ FAMILY – and relationships are much more important, more fulfilling... is that I feel RICHER knowing and following you guys music on THE JAZZ NETWORK!
Sincerely,
Kirk WHALUM
www.kirkwhalum.com
"Congratulations on your creativity, energy and dedication to Jazz, knowing and have worked with your Dad ~ its all in the genes".
~Clem De Rosa
Professional Musician, Educator, Arranger, Composer and Band Leader
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Happy Networking!
:-)
Artwork courtesy of Jeff Laibson
SPOTLIGHTED ARTISTS
Finding THE JAZZ NETWORK has been an amazing experience for Musique Noire. The opportunity to not only gain exposure among the jazz community, but to also learn and network with others in the jazz world has been invaluable. It is a place where we are all treated equally, whether one is a major label act or an indie artist, whether one plays traditional jazz or any of the "branches" of the jazz Family "tree".
Musique Noire is honored to be spotlighted here and are deeply grateful to Jaijai for creating this wonderful world. We're here to stay!
~ Musique Noire
Jaijai, what a wonderful mission you've undertaken to create such a place for artistic minds to meet and share their hearts. A place to renew faded determinations, and revive lessened momentums. A place to display our wares and reconfirm to one another that we actually are on the right track.
I commend you, Jaijai, for caring so much that you created this castle of the heart for all of us. I want to share my praise for all of the new friends as well as old friends that I've met and will meet here in our castle. Here we can garnish the where-with-all, the strength, the conviction, and the selflessness through our symbiosis, to share our gift to the world with an unbiased agenda.
My mentor, Daisaku Ikeda says of art: "A beautiful flower delights and refreshes the hearts of all people equally, no matter what soil it grows in. That is the power of beauty. The same is true of great art. It is this spirit that the German poet Heinrich Heine sang of when he wrote that once the peapod bursts open, the sugar peas inside are for everyone to enjoy."
Let's be audacious, my friends!
Buster Williams
"It was a pleasure to be featured on the Jazz Network Main Page. This Network is a unique forward step for independence, contact and conversation between artist, promoters/agents and fans.
Thank you Jaijai for offering a professional meeting place. I've met new musicians and rediscovered old friends I haven't seen or heard from in years. May we all continue to expand this network.
~ Will Calhoun
"I think that what Jaijai Jackson has done with the Jazz Network shows how the eternal love for this music is passed down from generation to generation. The fire her father lit in her has burned brightly and has inspired her to pass this torch on to future generations. I'm very proud to be featured and I'm very happy that Jazz has a voice and spirit like Jaijai looking after it."
~ Ron Kearns
I am so honored to be on The Jazz Network with so many wonderful and dedicated musicians. Jazz is the truly American art form and as I travel to other countries I find that their appreciation for jazz is really uplifting. There are so many excellent jazz musicians around the world now and The Jazz Network is helping us to find each other. Thank goodness for people like Jaijai who have dedicated so much time and effort to keep the jazz community together and for opening doors to us that we may never have found.
Regarding education in jazz, having done Master Classes in many places I find students need to take time and learn from the Masters and LISTEN. They should go back in history to appreciate ALL styles of jazz and its development. They need to learn melodies and lyrics (yes, even instrumentalists need to know lyrics) and that jazz is not just a series of modes and riffs. I think The Jazz Network can be an excellent tool for that also.
Thank you Jaijai...you are awesome!
~ Lenore Raphael
"Thank you Jaijai for creating a space for the likes of me! I truly enjoy being featured here and really hope it can give me new contacts and opportunities.
Keep up the good work!"
~ Patrick Rydman
Sweden
"The Jazz Network has come into being at just the right time. I believe that we are forever in need of spiritual and artistic enrichment and the way I see it, music, particularly jazz music, is all about the spirit. The Jazz Network allows us to reach out to our fellow artists across the world, in a way that has not been seen before, enlightening us as to who's out there making hip and happening music and helping to shape the culture. Whether artists approach this music from traditional perspectives or attempt to create new and radical sub-genres of jazz, the Jazz Network
is providing exposure, performance and recording opportunities that we might never have found on our own.
The Jazz Network is an amazing resource for the Jazz community. I'm
honored and happy to be a part of it.
Jaijai, thanks for your faith and what you're doing for the jazz community"
Best,
Nicolas
It’s a rare occasion when you meet someone who you feel a real connection to … Someone who possesses a kind spirit, unyielding generosity and a dedication to the jazz community beyond expectations.
Jaijai, thank you so much for creating such a fantastic website for the jazz community. You’ve helped artists connect with each other around the world.
I’m proud to have The Jazz Network be the first site to promote my latest recording. Words cannot express my gratitude to you for your dedication to the music and the artists.
With much love and gratitude,
Denise Donatelli
Hi Jaijai,
Stopping by to show you some love and tell you just how much I appreciate all you've been doing here, not just for me but for this incredible community of jazz musicians. I see that The Jazz Network is growing in leaps and bounds daily and want you to know that I recognize the importance of what's going on here, musicians having a place to connect with each other, young musicians having a place to meet and be mentored by musicians who have been around the block. You've created a beautiful space here and it's obvious that folks are feeling very much at home. Thanks for sharing your time, your heart, your soul. This is a huge commitment and you've taken it on with such determination. I wish you and The Jazz Network continued success and support you in all you're doing.
~ Marcus
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