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From: Jeff Hale
Date: Fri, 06 Aug 1999 08:02:41 -0700
Subject: band communication

Hi all,

I'm kinda stuck and need everyone's thoughts on this one. Basic facts: I'm
a competent diatonic player who learned blues by ear. I play well in 2nd
and am competent in 3rd and 4th. Still trying to figure out first position
blues. I can play many blues songs from SBI to Little Walter to James
Harman. I play with two different bands 3-4 times a week. In other words
a working sideman. But I have two problems: 1) I don't sing yet (hey,
didn't it take Jr. Wells 6 years as a sideman?) but would like to try more
often and 2) I don't know how to communicate effectively with a band when I
want to take the lead.

It usually goes someting like this: Hey Jeff, wanta do one. Well, OK,
lets try X, anybody know X? OK, how about Y, anybody know Y. OK, how
about a shuffle in A. One, two, three . . . .CRASH AND BURN. I want to
play Juke (I even have the sheet music for this) or a James Harman Rumba
tune, or Baby Please Don't Go, or I Hurts Me Too --some good harp tunes.
However, the guys I play with may not be familiar with these tunes (bunch
of 70s rock n rollers). I can tell them rumba in Gm but that doesn't mean
they are going to get close enough for me to feel confident singing it. Or
here is a perfect example, I like playing the Rick Estrin's version of
Tomorrow Night--I can even sing this one pretty well. But I can't get the
band to get the tempo or chord changes close enough for me to feel good
about it (I'm pretty sure its just a shuffle but I've even tried it as
swing). Even when I count out the tempo I may get double time or half time
out of the drummer. These guys arn't stupid (OK, the drummer . . . ) and
have all been playing for 20 years each. So, how can I communicate tempo,
rhythm, chord changes etc. in an easily understood way? Or is the answer
that I have to learn more music or do ear training.

And how come they think I can play anything they can? I guess it is kind
of a compliment but I really struggle with rock tunes such as Do It Again
(I know it is in Am and seems best to play on a G harp in third but it
still doesn't lay quite right).

So on blues songs we all know we tear it up but good and I feel great. I
don't feel that confident when they wedge me into certain rock songs
(however that ol' time rock n roll goes well) which diminishes the overall
quality of my performance. And, when I want to sing I fail to communicate
effectively to get what I need to front. And then there are the ones I
walk out on - e.g. Beatles tunes.

Any help will.

Jeff