Pipedreams or inspiration?

[Chas]

I never was much for New Year's resolutions or such.

But I finally resolved to start with fulfilling a dream of mine that has refused to die. I want to be a bandleader. I have a book already forming in my mind; it's going to take me years to track down all the arrangements, but you can be sure that it will be amazing. There are Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie and Duke Ellington arrangements in the book that so far only exists in my mind. Be assured- NO Glenn Miller will be played by my band. No disrespect intended to the GM fans in the house.

I haven't picked up an instrument in years, but I went out and rented a Tenor Sax today, so I can follow two of my heroes:

Coleman Hawkins-

And Charlie Barnet.

I took guitar and piano as a kid, and I was pretty good, but this instrument looks really complicated.

Perhaps in six months I will decide that this instrument is too damn hard, and I will settle for waving a baton. But I am determined. Life is too short and I am sick of wishing, and have finally decided to do something about it.

So there it is. I'm bearing my soul.

 

[reetpleat]

Hey, follow that dream. If it does not come to pass, it might lead you somewhere else you need to go, and it will be about the journey. If it does come to pass, and there is no reason why it can/t, then you will be one of the few people in this world who can truly say they followed their dream. Go for it.

 

[number6]

band leader

Well done , go for it !:eusa_clap

 

[anon`]

For whatever it may be worth, I took to music in the opposite manner you did: I learnt to play sax way back in like, 4th grade. Now (about 14 years later) I've just taken up bass (hey, it's almost a guitar!) and keep telling myself that I need to learn piano (as someday I'll be inheriting a 19th century parlour grand, and it would be a shame to not be able to play it).
Anyway, point is that I think the sax and its kin are much easier to play than string instruments. Maybe it's just that I'm much more familiar with it, and have forgotten all the trouble I no doubt had when I was beginning, but I imagine that you'll do just fine.

Hey, follow that dream. If it does not come to pass, it might lead you somewhere else you need to go, and it will be about the journey. If it does come to pass, and there is no reason why it can/t, then you will be one of the few people in this world who can truly say they followed their dream. Go for it.

123

 

[Warden]

For Christmas young Edna bought me a Ukulele for Christmas. So far I have mastered 2 chords, but it seems a slow process to learn and its only been 3 days since the big day.

But one day I will play like this

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NSed1K-QNMc

Harry

 

[Fletch]

Chas, you go boy. I have led bands and I have been to Vancouver, so maybe I can play for you one of these days. I play tenor myself (and all the family).

No Miller? Pre-1939 Miller can be interesting...some of the clarinet-section style stuff he did for Noble and the Dorseys? The '37 Brunswick band? I Got Rhythm was the first Miller side I ever heard.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Good for you!

This reminds me of a book I really liked called Wishcraft by Barbara Sher. One of her themes is learning to pursue your dreams without the tyranny of having to become famous or "the best", to just do something because you love it and to have that be enough. Helpful advice for a perfectionist like myself.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Go for it, Chas! I'm making a big change in my life, too, but with photography. I spent ten years being deliriously happy with it as a hobby, and bordered on going professional, but then quit for another ten. Through the years it's been pacing the backstage of my head, waiting to make a curtain call. I've decided that 2008 is the year to put it back in the spotlight. A photo shoot I recently did with FedoraGent and Magneto showed me how much I'd missed it . . . a lot!

I had a boss (I worked in her photo lab) give me some advice that I never heeded, until now: "Never limit yourself."


Don't let anything stop you, Chas!
Lee

 

[Mr. Lucky]

The only limitations we have are those we place on ourselves. - Me.


Just have fun!

 

[MrNewportCustom]

The only limitations we have are those we place on ourselves. - Me.


Just have fun!

Very much like a quote of mine from years ago, Mr. Lucky: "The power of the human mind is limited only by the human mind." - Me

With the corollary, "The only way to get the job done is to get up and do it." - also Me


Lee

 

[zaika]

go you! i'll be the first in line to hear you!

i've been going through the same sort of thing...only with realizing a dream of mine to be a 3D animator. this is the year, seems like.

good luck!!! :eusa_clap

 

[deadpandiva]

That's great. I wish you the best of luck. If you don't try you'll always have that nagging feeling. I actually gave my dream a shot and I still have that nagging feeling.

 

[$ally]

Attaboy! "Don't dream it, be it"
Have you seen the movie Swing about a guy who gets out of jail and randomly decides to start a big band, even though it's not exactly in demand?

 

[Miss 1929]

How exciting! You can do it!

The sax really is not hard to play - it looks complicated with all those pads and levers, but they fall naturally under the fingers.
If you have any interest in also playing the clarinet, start with the clarinet - apparently it is really hard to gt good mouth technique on both if you start with the sax.
Regular practice is the key! And learning all the scales, in all keys is very important for improvising over the changes. I suggest getting some of the Jamie Aebersold book/cd sets to begin with - easy jazz tunes, with the charts for all the instruments in the combo and the CD to play along with. It makes it much more fun to play by yourself when you are getting ready to play with others, and if you find a few others who are also learning you can put together a combo.
Regarding the book, some arrangements can be purchased online, many of them are not available, but many are. You can probably get three sets worth (the minimum to play a dance) from online sources. Some of your local musicians may also do transcriptions if you find that you can't locate a song you really want. If you can't find anyone, PM me and I will put you in touch with some folks down here in the Bay Area.
And, if you'd like to check out our offerings at my day job...
www.jazzschool.com

Good luck to you, I hope you have as much fun with your band as I have with mine!

http://www.myspace.com/saraswingtime

 

[LocktownDog]

There are Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie and Duke Ellington arrangements in the book that so far only exists in my mind. Be assured- NO Glenn Miller will be played by my band. No disrespect intended to the GM fans in the house.

Are you looking for only tenor sax arrangements? Or any instrument? I may have some lying around here. And if not, I'll keep my eye out for them. Just keep me in mind, if you find your band needing a mediocre jazz mandolinist.

Richard

 

[Chas]

Actually, LocktownDog, I am a pretty unconventional cat. I imagine I'll be trying all sorts of things. A mandolin isn't all that way-out.

I am envisioning a late 30s swing band in the mould of Artie Shaw's '38 orchestra (loud & danceable, pile-driver rhythm section) with some pallettes of Duke Ellington's colours and Basie's beautifully understated simplicities. I also admire Barnet's Cherokee era outfit and Herman's First Herd. I'm dreaming big. Some really sweet ballads would be nice. I would love to infuse some Jimmie Lunceford-style showmanship as well. All of this is academic, of course. It's one thing to want it, but a band has it's own soul and fingerprint. I just know what I want to hear and feel.

We have to look good, and like a band. Tux jackets are going cheap. But we are talking pretty big $$ at the end of the day.

But I have to say that all of you are incredibly generous with your encouragement. I'm verklempt!

 

[pgoat]

good for you - GO FOR IT!

maybe you should tape yourself playing once you get going....then do it again a year from now and see how far you've come. I'll bet it will inspire you to keep at it!

Definitely seek out teachers/mentors/jamming partners.....always good to get the creative juices flowing with others.

 

[Chas]

UPDATE....

The band had it's first rehearsal tonight. It went fairly well - We have a drummer, bass, guitar, piano, trumpet and myself on tenor. We worked on "Night Train", "Caravan" and "Jumping With Symphony Sid".

Sometimes you just gotta keep plugging.

Holy cow....more than two years since the beginning of the thread? Rome wasn't built in a day....

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Sounds very good to me. Two years are not too long for practice. It's not like playing a guitar in a punkrockband (not that there's anything wrong about that...done that too)

We need more swing bands around! Well dressed swing bands are even better.

 

[Fletch]

:eusa_clap Keep pluggin' Chas. I want to come and play with you guys when I'm there again.