Re: [Harp-L] Toots/SPAH 99

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

WOW, this is so absolutely on the money that I'm going to have to  
call 'Monex' to see if you have exhausted their entire hoard of gold  
reserves.

On Jun 5, 2009, at 4:34 PM, Vern Smith wrote:

> At a jazz jam:
> - Showing what you can do is primary
> - Pleasing the audience is secondary
> - Selected by the title, the audience is there to hear and play jazz.
> - The atmosphere is relaxed.
> - Listeners can drop in and leave without giving offense

Right, just like at any club. That's what -I'm'- used to. I would  
never get offended if someone walked away. I don't hold a title to  
them. :) I'm tickled as hell that they took time out of THEIR lives  
to spend it listening to me. AND when you consider that I am only ONE  
guy playing and the audience can be a couple hundred, I OWE them.

> - Many performers with varying styles play briefly.

Right, long solos (like 2 or more runs) are not Kosher. Especially  
when there are more than one solo contributor. (btw, non kosher  
means..'Por
> At a stage show with a mixed audience:

Big difference. Big BIG difference.

> - Performers should know the audience.

Start with an attention grabber. See how that goes. Then adjust from  
there.

> - The performer has an obligation to please the audience.

Especially if they are getting paid (or receiving some other  
enumeration/perk.)

> Stubbornly continuing to do what is bombing doesn't make any sense.
> - A very few unfamiliar pieces to stretch the musical horizons of  
> the listeners are OK but you can't do it relentlessly. When I came  
> to hear Mozart and Beethoven, one Hindemith is enough!

ALSO, original tunes are ok, but not all the time. The audience has  
nothing to gage by. To most listeners, music harkens up memories of  
events in their past lives. To persist in doing original tunes, robs  
them of the remembrances they need)

> - Pieces should be 3 or 4 minutes max.   - There should be a  
> variety of performers and styles.

Right, I would rather hear 6 to 7 people doing 20-25 minutes than 3  
people doing 45-50 min each. Variety is the spice of life. Everything  
in moderation. Even a STAR should break up THEIR show by having an  
occasional 'guest' performer. Either as a soloist or as a duet.  
Things like Randy & Toots or Stevie & Toots just about drive me into  
a passion coma.

> - Don't confuse polite applause with real approval.
>
> I would never leave while a performer is playing.  However, a quiet  
> departure between songs should be OK.  The audience does not have  
> an obligation to be there.

Correct. Always remember that THEY paid to be there. Whereas you are  
either being paid, enumerated some other way OR are there on your own  
dime..but CHOSE to do that.
> I don't recall an audience being rude to Toots, but on one occasion  
> I recalled that the audience thinned out noticeably toward the end  
> of one of Mauricio's sets.  Mauricio was not blameless.

I wasn't there for the 99 jazz club. But I DO have a several CD set  
of the 2 nights. If you listen really carefully, you can eventually  
tell who everyone is by listening to how people are being introduced  
by the co-ordinator. While I don't know who the co-ordinator was, it  
was apparent (after listening several times), you would be able to  
pick out everyone by general style and sound. As I recall, Toots,  
Chris Michalek & Allen Holmes stood out.

As for Mauricio, I think it was either 97 or 98 that he came to spah  
for the first time and was featured one night. He played a tune with  
his guitar player that lasted about 13 minutes. After the first 2 or  
3 minutes, it was obvious that it wasn't going anywhere. I believe he  
went into the final frontier where no man has ever gone before and  
while exploring, got lost in space. Even Will Robinson, Robbie Robot  
and Dr. Smith couldn't find him. Upon starting a second tune, it  
sounded like more of the same. Many walked out. The sad thing was  
that he was just warming up and although it took him 35 minutes to do  
so, his LAST 10 minutes were rather brilliant. Alas, too late.
> - His pieces quickly abandoned and never revisited the heads. It  
> was all "way out." Only the most determined jazz sophisticates  
> understood and appreciated this style.
> - To the unsophisticated listener, this made every piece sound the  
> same.  There was a perceived lack of variety.
> - Ten-minute plus pieces seemed relentless and interminable.
> - The audience didn't start leaving until it became apparent that  
> the remainder of the evening was going to be exactly the same.

What Jo Jo said. :)
> I posit that a show should not persist with one performer and one  
> genre for a long period of time. I suggest that variety is the way  
> to avoid recurrences.  Although you can't please everyone, you can  
> avoid displeasing anyone for a long period of time.

Wow: "Although you can't please everyone, you can avoid displeasing  
anyone for a long period of time". Almost what I was trying to say  
two days ago.

smo-joe ( who would rather Aba together than Abalone).
> Vern