[Dave Pollack]

Hey everyone! Here's a brand new Virtual Big Band video. In this one we're playing "Samba Con Getchu" by the great Bob Brookmeyer. Hope you enjoy it!

 

[dexdex]

Fantastic !

 

[Dave Pollack]

Fantastic !

Thanks! The best thing we can do as musicians is create, so that's exactly what I'm doing.

 

[adamk]

Very nice!
Do you know Nigel Hitchcock?

 

[mascio]

Great David. That was a lot of fun.

 

[Dave Pollack]

Very nice!
Do you know Nigel Hitchcock?

Nope - should I?

 

[Grumps]

Just one thing... MORE COWBELL.

Actually, that was a lot of fun to watch/hear.

 

[Dave Pollack]

Just one thing... MORE COWBELL.

Actually, that was a lot of fun to watch/hear.

Hah! I said that to my students last school year and only 1 kid got the reference

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

 

[dexdex]

I’ve listened to TJML’s live version a zillion times (a total fan, was lucky to hear the real band here in Switzerland in 78...). You managed to recreate the same type of energy. You guys are all exceptional, but I’m blown away by how your drummer seems to carry the whole band, like Mel Lewis did. Just totally amazing.

 

[Dave Pollack]

I've listened to TJML's live version a zillion times (a total fan, was lucky to hear the real band here in Switzerland in 78...). You managed to recreate the same type of energy. You guys are all exceptional, but I'm blown away by how your drummer seems to carry the whole band, like Mel Lewis did. Just totally amazing.

Thank you so much!! And I love that the drummer (who is also playing keys and aux perc on this), the trumpet player, and myself are all public school band directors. See, our kind can play a little bit too!

 

[dexdex]

Thank you so much!! And I love that the drummer (who is also playing keys and aux perc on this), the trumpet player, and myself are all public school band directors. See, our kind can play a little bit too!

Sorry if the question sounds stupid: does "public" in this context mean State owned and supported ?

 

[Dave Pollack]

Sorry if the question sounds stupid: does "public" in this context mean State owned and supported ?

Yup.

 

[lydian]

Dave, fantastic as always. I really enjoy your videos. You've got a great sound on tenor.

I think you said in an earlier video that you put this together where the horns lay down their tracks first, then rhythm section is last so they can react to what's going on. I guess it has to be that way, but it's amazing to me how tight the band is without the rhythm section. My local big band always has trouble keeping it together when the rhythm section is out. I guess it helps that most of the section is the same person.

Anyway, not bad at all for lowly public educators ;-). Seriously, our kids are extremely lucky to have folks like you teaching them. My high school band director was like the guy in Whiplash :-(

 

[dexdex]

Yup.

Congratulations. We tend to have a good public school in general in Switzerland, but I can't dream of anything like school bands and directors like you guys. You must be doing something right.

 

[Dave Pollack]

Dave, fantastic as always. I really enjoy your videos. You've got a great sound on tenor.

I think you said in an earlier video that you put this together where the horns lay down their tracks first, then rhythm section is last so they can react to what's going on. I guess it has to be that way, but it's amazing to me how tight the band is without the rhythm section. My local big band always has trouble keeping it together when the rhythm section is out. I guess it helps that most of the section is the same person.

Anyway, not bad at all for lowly public educators ;-). Seriously, our kids are extremely lucky to have folks like you teaching them. My high school band director was like the guy in Whiplash :-(

Thanks so much! For this one there was a scratch track of drums/bass/keys that we used to play along with for all the horns, then the real rhythm section was recorded after.

Funny you mention Whiplash - the school where my middle school students go is what the movie was based on (in real life the director died of cancer, he didn't get fired) and I know the guy's brother, so I know a lot of details about how it went down back then. Also the director of the movie was a drummer in the band there and that's what he made the movie about - all of the craziness of cursing, having alternates, kicking kids out in the middle of a performance - that was all true and actually happened.

 

[lydian]

Thanks so much! For this one there was a scratch track of drums/bass/keys that we used to play along with for all the horns, then the real rhythm section was recorded after.

Funny you mention Whiplash - the school where my middle school students go is what the movie was based on (in real life the director died of cancer, he didn't get fired) and I know the guy's brother, so I know a lot of details about how it went down back then. Also the director of the movie was a drummer in the band there and that's what he made the movie about - all of the craziness of cursing, having alternates, kicking kids out in the middle of a performance - that was all true and actually happened.

Wow, what a cool story. My director wasn't quite as bad, but he did scream and curse often and even threw a chair at the band once. Luckily everybody ducked and it landed behind us. If the band didn't get it by the third try, he exploded.

 

[jvsax]

Cool video, sounds great!

 

[adamk]

Nope - should I?

I played flutes on an original album (Bandzilla) by Richard Niles.
He recorded here and in England where Nigel lives so i never met him but did here his solos on alto which are great.
I thought maybe you knew of him because of your fantastic playing and the group of equally great group players.

https://nigelhitchcock.com/