1940's Love Song?
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Lover man?
Nature Boy?
All of Me?
Everything on the Coltrane/Johnny Hartman album
My One and Only Love
Not sure of timeframes exactly, but they are all "of the era"
dv
Nature Boy?
All of Me?
Everything on the Coltrane/Johnny Hartman album
My One and Only Love
Not sure of timeframes exactly, but they are all "of the era"
dv
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4,283 Posts
Ballads popular during WWII:
I'll Be Seeing You
I Know Why and So Do You
As Time Goes By
There I've Said It Again
Lili Marlene
Lover Man
It Could Happen To You
Paper Doll
I'll Walk Alone
You'll Never Know
Dream
Over The Rainbow
I'll Be Seeing You
I Know Why and So Do You
As Time Goes By
There I've Said It Again
Lili Marlene
Lover Man
It Could Happen To You
Paper Doll
I'll Walk Alone
You'll Never Know
Dream
Over The Rainbow
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798 Posts
While not reflecting ill on the original poster, one thing that the music "business" has taught me over the past four decades is that it pays to have a nodding acquaintance with the history of pop music. I'm not talking her about an in-depth ability that allows you to play every note that issued from the bell of a Mulligan baritone, but rather a bit about the genesis and subsequent history of the 'songs'.
I know that most don't look past the chord changes, but "non-musicians" take a real interest in more than the musical basics. Being able to associate a given tune with both Ella Fitzgerald and Nora Jones better connects with our listening public.
I generally have one or two factoid on the various vocals that we do, and use them to fill the set up time needed when taking the old vocalist off or bringing the new one one. My current boy singer (who's moving too far away for my comfort very soon) has this sort of patter down as well. It makes for a nice bridge to cover the gap.
Generally, we phrase the patter in the form of a interesting facts first, and then lead into something like "...so here's the lovely Traci, delivering a tune that has made Bebe Newirth famous .... And All That Jazz".
In other words, it's less about music (which is the main thrust for many sax players) and more about good business (which is what saxophone players who want to do well need to add to their toolbox in addition to all of that musical ability).
One thing that computers have enabled for me is to have multiple version of our band book, each of which can be sorted in a different way. The basic version on the laptop is in Excel, a program with which I have always had a cautious relationship.
In addition to stuff like number, title, arranger, genre, key and part distribution (mostly for administrative purposes), there are also an infinite number of added cells that each can hold keywords like "'40's Love Song", "Band Vocal", "Up tempo four beat rock" and so forth.
Once done along these lines, you can easily sort by any of these fields and offer your services in a more organized fashion.
The list that I carry (on a PDA) doesn't quite have all of that data (I'd not want to order tunes based on that list alone), but it does the sort method pretty well. If I need to add a set on the fly, I can shake out the right amount of tunes in a given mood that I know the current vocalist has rehearsed in the past without a comprehensive consultation.
I know that most don't look past the chord changes, but "non-musicians" take a real interest in more than the musical basics. Being able to associate a given tune with both Ella Fitzgerald and Nora Jones better connects with our listening public.
I generally have one or two factoid on the various vocals that we do, and use them to fill the set up time needed when taking the old vocalist off or bringing the new one one. My current boy singer (who's moving too far away for my comfort very soon) has this sort of patter down as well. It makes for a nice bridge to cover the gap.
Generally, we phrase the patter in the form of a interesting facts first, and then lead into something like "...so here's the lovely Traci, delivering a tune that has made Bebe Newirth famous .... And All That Jazz".
In other words, it's less about music (which is the main thrust for many sax players) and more about good business (which is what saxophone players who want to do well need to add to their toolbox in addition to all of that musical ability).
One thing that computers have enabled for me is to have multiple version of our band book, each of which can be sorted in a different way. The basic version on the laptop is in Excel, a program with which I have always had a cautious relationship.
In addition to stuff like number, title, arranger, genre, key and part distribution (mostly for administrative purposes), there are also an infinite number of added cells that each can hold keywords like "'40's Love Song", "Band Vocal", "Up tempo four beat rock" and so forth.
Once done along these lines, you can easily sort by any of these fields and offer your services in a more organized fashion.
The list that I carry (on a PDA) doesn't quite have all of that data (I'd not want to order tunes based on that list alone), but it does the sort method pretty well. If I need to add a set on the fly, I can shake out the right amount of tunes in a given mood that I know the current vocalist has rehearsed in the past without a comprehensive consultation.
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You're OK too....
Anyway, you may want to get an old fakebook and contact the party and ask give them soom names of tunes and let THEM decide. That way when the wedding takes place, no one can say "who picked THAT song?"
Anyway, you may want to get an old fakebook and contact the party and ask give them soom names of tunes and let THEM decide. That way when the wedding takes place, no one can say "who picked THAT song?"
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Generally speaking, I've had mixed results with allowing the clients to pick and choose the tunes. I've had far more experience with what "works", and when most look at the total listing of what we've got, you can clearly see that they have just concentrated on the "names" that they know, often avoiding far superior music at the same time.
But, once again, when selling the music business, you are not only selling the notes that you play, but also your ability to know what is "right" for a given situation. Unfortunately (for the greatest part), that's only going to come through trial and error...
But, once again, when selling the music business, you are not only selling the notes that you play, but also your ability to know what is "right" for a given situation. Unfortunately (for the greatest part), that's only going to come through trial and error...
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"There May Be Trouble Ahead" We played that one at a wedding, at the bride's request. It got the laugh she expected.
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You all should take a good hard look at the lyrics for Saving All My Love For You and then explain to me why that one is a favorite with brides without exception. Nothing like launching a new marriage with a splash of home-wrecker bimbo, all set to music...
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Yes, I see whatcha mean..... I've always just sat and enjoyed WH's voice without really listening to the lyrics.... most unusual for me!SOTSDO said:
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JB,
See Al Steven's note above. Al has a site on which he put downloadable backing tracks... (I'd say use the search button, but people who do that don't tell you what to search for...) his backing track site is http://www.playalongstudio.com/ and it's got a lot of '40's vintage things that you can play along with. You'll need to either know the tunes well enough to blow along with them, or get the sheet music separately, but if you're just starting, the site has some good starting points and you can get a feel for tempos, rhythms, etc without spending the money to go out and buy a lot of '40's ballads (although that's not a bad idea either). Another thing, a wedding is not a jazz concert, and most of all it's not about you as a performer. Keep to the melodies and above all keep it pretty. Also, listen to all those guys trying to sell "Stardust"... Hoagie Carmichel and Hoagie with Johnny Mercer are super. Remember to listen to the lyrics and you'll learn a lot about 40's love songs. (Note to Al Stevens: Thanks for the site Al it's a blast trying to sit in with you!)
Good Luck
See Al Steven's note above. Al has a site on which he put downloadable backing tracks... (I'd say use the search button, but people who do that don't tell you what to search for...) his backing track site is http://www.playalongstudio.com/ and it's got a lot of '40's vintage things that you can play along with. You'll need to either know the tunes well enough to blow along with them, or get the sheet music separately, but if you're just starting, the site has some good starting points and you can get a feel for tempos, rhythms, etc without spending the money to go out and buy a lot of '40's ballads (although that's not a bad idea either). Another thing, a wedding is not a jazz concert, and most of all it's not about you as a performer. Keep to the melodies and above all keep it pretty. Also, listen to all those guys trying to sell "Stardust"... Hoagie Carmichel and Hoagie with Johnny Mercer are super. Remember to listen to the lyrics and you'll learn a lot about 40's love songs. (Note to Al Stevens: Thanks for the site Al it's a blast trying to sit in with you!)
Good Luck
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Be careful when playing weddings not to play tunes that remind the bride of the groom's former wife or girlfriend. "Sweet Lorraine" is a great tune, but not if she is the groom's ex. Avoid tunes that have ladies' names in the titles. Although Lili Marlene ought to be safe it you don't sing it.
(Looking at my list and my site of backing tracks I see that I haven't recorded some of the tunes on the list. Now I have to get busy.)
(Looking at my list and my site of backing tracks I see that I haven't recorded some of the tunes on the list. Now I have to get busy.)
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For a country tune "Thank God and Greyhound you're gone".
For you folks on the continent, Greyhound is a bus line in the states.
For you folks on the continent, Greyhound is a bus line in the states.
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"Love Is Better The Second Time Around" Is that one to avoid?
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I for one would REALLY like you to do "Little Girl Blue", Al. Not really a wedding song, just one of the prettiest melodies out there IMHO.Al Stevens said:
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