[Frank D]

Playing a gig last night and the tune was "Masquerade". Well, the drummer kicked it off with an entirely wrong groove, something that was just about impossible to adapt the tune to. We tried to clue him in, but he was having a brain f**t or something. In that situation I always like to take it out as quickly and gracefully as possible, then move on with something else. Unfortunately the keyboard player (also the vocalist and wife of the drummer) kept the tune going for several choruses trying to put it back on track. These folks are all seasoned musicians who have been playing gigs for more than 10 years, so it wasn't a case of inexperience.

What do you do when faced with a disaster?

 

[Mike Cesati]

Shake my head no to the leader /pianist when they expect me to come in and let them deal with it. Especially if you know you're going to sound bad on the tune because of the tempo/feel glitch. Hey, what's wrong with stopping and starting again?? better than sounding bad. My .02

 

[saxphil]

Just laugh.You can't help but dwell on it cause it sucked so bad.In the big picture it's only one song.I have sung entire songs in the wrong key started wrong by our guitarist,talk about stinky.
Over time these moments become treasured gems in the annals of screwups that you and your bandmates can visit for a laugh.It gives you one more thing to revel in.

 

[Al Stevens]

A stupid mindset exists among musicians that says once a tune begins, you have to see it all the way through, no matter what. The show must go on, or some such foolish notion.

Nonsense.

Stop the band. Say WHOA! Step up to the mic and say, "Folks, you almost witnessed a train wreck. Now we'll do it right. In Eb, fellas. Latin. One, two, three, four..." Or whatever the parameters are.

 

[dohertyjazz]

Stop the band. Say WHOA! Step up to the mic and say, "Folks, you almost witnessed a train wreck. Now we'll do it right. In Eb, fellas. Latin. One, two, three, four..." Or whatever the parameters are.

I agree that this is probably the best way to handle the situation. We're all human aren't we? Mistakes happen. I think it is more important to recognize when they do happen and fix them than to let them go on.

A couple years ago, when I was on tour with the GMO, we had a guest singer sit in with us at one of our concerts. After about 40 bars, it was obvious that the singer was hopelessly lost, so Larry O'brien cut us off, made a comment to the audience and then brought us back in. It was smooth, professional, and no one really cared at all.

I've seen classical performers get thrown off as well (page turner turned too many pages and messed up the singer for example). I think if the performer doesn't make a big deal out of it, the audience is less likely to care. Although, ideally this shouldn't happen from a classical perspective where parts are prepared and rehearsed and not improvised.

 

[ianhart]

A TRAINWRECK? Oh no!


I really think that the best thing to do is to not make a huge deal out of it, and just try to get back on track at a known point in the song.

 

[Bill Mecca]

Mike C and Al have it right.

Reminds me of a time with my last band, Ihad a brain fart and started singing the Fever (Southside Johhny's song) but started with the 2nd verse, different chords etc. We just stopped, laughed and said "take 2!"

Let the audience in on the joke, they will feel a kinshipand guess what, you will appear human too!

 

[CashSax]

fire the drummer

 

[Tharruff]

One night at a New Year's eve gig the bandleader had called up some song that started out with a screaming trumpet line but then changed his mind to a ballad that started out with a quiet piano intro...

One of the trupmet players didn't hear the changeup of tunes and for whatever reason, the two guys standing next to said trumpet player didn't seem to notice that he had the wrong tune on his stand...

The bandleader counted the tune off and the trumpet played blasted out his screaming line over the piano, though he kind of stepped the volume down with every note until he completely dropped out when he realized that no one else was playing along with him...

The whole tune fell apart in about two bars and the whole band busted up laughing and we started over...

 

[ehrgie]

I used to play in a string band many years ago (think mummers) anyway as you would often be marching and playing in costume in unbearable weather, either too hot or too cold, and on top of that very often have young inexperienced players who would often fall out of time, play too loudly, not know how to play with other horns, etc, etc. During this time my father was the music director which is the only real reason I was there, so he had a plan when a song started to fall apart he would let it go until it was obvious then yell "TILT" and give a count, we would then play a tune set up just for this that everyone could play well. Most of the time the crowds thought this was a planned event and would laugh and have a jolly old time, never realizing we had just screwed the pooch for real. Yeah those were the days, grin. Jay.

 

[Rackety Sax]

One night at a New Year's eve gig the bandleader had called up some song that started out with a screaming trumpet line but then changed his mind to a ballad that started out with a quiet piano intro...

One of the trupmet players didn't heart the changeup of tunes and for whatever reason, the two guys standing next to said trumpet player didn't seem to notice that he had the wrong tune on his stand...

The bandleader counted the tune off and the trumpet played blasted out his screaming line over the piano, though he kind of stepped the volume down with every note until he completely dropped out when he realized that no one else was playing along with him...

The whole tune fell apart in about two bars and the whole band busted up laughing and we started over...

I wish I had been there to hear that!

 

[hakukani]

Ah, the old tunus interruptus!

 

[rim shot]

Playing a gig last night and the tune was "Masquerade". Well, the drummer kicked it off with an entirely wrong groove, something that was just about impossible to adapt the tune to.

What kind of groove was he playing? Can you describe it? I´m not messing with you... I´m just really curious.
I agree that the best thing is to just laugh it off.
The screaming trumpet anecdote is priceless! :lol:

 

[Grumps]

What do you do when faced with a disaster?

Go with it and do it in a whole new style.
I'm sure many special arrangements began that way...

 

[jazzbluescat]

When dealt a lemon make lemonaid.

 

[tjontheroad]

Quit... I mean that's what I did when this happened to me. I was playing keyboards and we started the last set with Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight". Problem was both the drummer and the bass player got so hype up on "chemicals" during the break that when they started the tune it sounded more like The Ramones then the classic rock ballad. I couldn't even follow along even if someone stuck me with an adrenaline shot in the heart
(think Pulp Fiction). Our singer/guitarist couldn't figure out what was goin' on either. I simply stopped playing and stood there with my arms crossed staring at them from across the stage until one of figured out how bad it really was.

After that, I was done with all the B.S.

 

[martysax]

I've had the pleasure of playing through numerous train-wrecks over the years in various ensembles.

When I was in the Reggae oldies band Reincarnation, if the song started off wrong, the leader would shout "REW" into the microphone signaling the drummer to start up with a rim-shot followed by the intro. Sometimes this was also done if the natives liked the beginning so much that they had to hear it again!

In the Biker band daze, methed-out rhythm sections were the norm, so I learned to play songs in many styles, tempos, and keys at the same time. It's just hard to compete with the guitarist who thinks he's Hendrix all night.

In the wedding/GB band, the drummer would drink too much and the 3rd set would start to wander rhythmically. I used to have a game with the bass player to see who could keep up with the beat better. Sometimes the drummer would fall out all together.

These days, they're not train wrecks, they're interpretations.

 

[Reedsplinter]

These days, they're not train wrecks, they're interpretations.

aka "song stylings"

Cujo hates that:angry4:

 

[martysax]

aka "song stylings"

Cujo hates that:angry4:

Seriously, have you ever listened to real Zydeco?

My first time playing Zydeco happened when I showed up to play a fill-in spot with a blues band at the Sin-n-Bull tavern in Maynard. The blues band had cancelled without calling me and, an hours drive later, I was facing an unfamiliar back-line on stage. This really deep voice called out: "What'cha doin' they-uh Son?" I explained that I was sitting in with Mary Jane and the Smokin' Section, and he said "They cancelled, but you can play with us, what'cha drinkin? Whisky?"

A few shots later I found myself next to Mickey Bones with a squeeze box on stage playing the Cajun Death Song, "it's a love song!" Mickey cried.

All night, I felt like one leg was shorter than the other, and the one shoe was on the wrong foot. I was so used to blues grooves that the herky-jerky music made me appreciate the melody line more than the rhythm. After a while, and a few more shots, these a-rhythmic happenings really turned into something.

I remember thinking how many fellow horn players would have been pulling their hair out trying to keep up with that damn drummer and piano player!

I'm sorry, I'm drifting again. That was one hell of a trip. What was the question?

 

[Reedsplinter]

That's a great story, sort of an anti-train-wreck story. But yes, I have played Zydeco, a few times; I grew up down that way, and my mother is from south Louisiana, so I spent a lot of time around New Orleans and Lafayette and Lake Charles (and Shreveport too, but that's another story, alas), and you're right: those rhythms are something else, very tough if you're not used to them (I wasn't, and am not, but would like to have the chance to try it again!).