new jazz quintet

[BrassaxMan5]

Hi there,
I'm in 8th grade and I am starting a jazz quintet (well, actually trying to get a practice in, and find a bass player) and I was wondering if you guys have any advice for me on what I should do with it. One thing I need help with is getting songs to play for my band out The Real Book (5th edition). I need a string or electric bass player for my band, and I think I might have one. Some suggestions for songs out of there would be really nice.

Thanks for all the advice,
BrassaxMan5

[BrassaxMan5]

I have another question: Is it legal to play copyrighted songs from the Real Book at a gig and still make money? My trombone player (and good friend) is concerned about this.

[Doxy]

I have another question: Is it legal to play copyrighted songs from the Real Book at a gig and still make money? My trombone player (and good friend) is concerned about this.

It might be iffy. Nobody that I know of has any trouble with it in my town. Everyone uses this book. Although the book is illegal, the copyrighted material contained therein is not illegal to perform as long as the fees have been payed to the publisher (ASCAP, BMI, etc...). This is usually done by the owner of the establishment that hosts live music (club, restaurant, bar, concert hall, etc...) as a flat yearly fee established by the publishers.

I wouldn't worry about playing copyrighted matierial. If there is an infringement of copyright laws, the nazis probably aren't going to come after you, but will pursue the owner of the venue where you are playing. That's where they are going to get their money. And that is usually all they are concerned about...MONEY!

Good luck with your group. It sounds like you are on the right track. Finding bass players can be difficult.

I would suggest picking some tunes that everyone is familiar with to start with. If that's not possible, try to select some tunes that closely match the overall playing level of the group and work upward from there. For example, don't pick Giant Steps if everyone isn't comfortable with it, but maybe consider it as a goal to work up to. Listen to some recordings of your selected tunes as a group and discuss how you want to play them in terms of style, tempo, and arrangement. Don't get completely locked into the Real Book. If you hear a killer recording that isn't in the Real Book, consider transcribing it and arranging it for the group. This can even be a group project.

It is always good to go over some of the theory aspects (the chord changes and how they function) as well as the form (AABA, blues, etc.) to make sure that everybody understands the basics of each tune. The fun of playing in groups like this is the communication between players and growing together as a group. If everyone has the same level of understanding musically, your creative potential is limitless and you WILL have a lot of fun.

Good Luck.

[BrassaxMan5]

I've had 2 practices, and I think we're doing pretty good, even though our drummer needs to work on his bossa nova beat and some of the songs. We're not really together sometimes.

[BrassaxMan5]

ok, my "band" is starting to go downhill. my trombone player(also my sort of friend) isn't coming to rehearsals because of other activities, homework, and because I get the feeling he doesn't really consider me a friend anymore, becuase I tease him a bit. I want to convince him to go to another rehearsal, and actually get the band in shape, but his frame of mind makes me think he's quitting.

[Hinzaldi]

Keeping a band together is hard work, I know from experience. Ask the trombone player right away about his intentions. The sooner you can ask somebody else. Share your problems with the other bandmembers. A top-down way of organising things makes that in the end you have to solve everything on your own, while a bottom-up approach results in people rehearsing just for fun, because that are the players left who take responsability as you do.