last night, after picking up my "new" Buescher Aristocrat tenor, I needed to get some dinner. I stopped at a local place I rarely go to and, as it was Saturday night, there was a trio playing standards to, welll, me and two other people.
Here's what occurred to me as I ate at the bar: these three guys ( drums, electric bass and guitar) were all very good players, emphasis on "very". They played the old warhorses like Stella, Nardis, Someday My prince, Sandu, and a bevy more.
They were very aware of dynamics, too. There was not a false note or a bad one. They were all in their late 30s, to mid 40s, I think.
And it was almost unlistenable for me after 3 tunes.
I wondered, as I drove up the mountain home, if these guys would like what they played if they heard it played back to them. I mean, they obviously were inspired by all the great players and recordings, none of which sounded like this endless line of leading tones they were playing. There was zero tension, almost zero space and, although they seemed to be enjoying themselves, no joy or elan in the music. And certainly, no surprises at all.
I don't mean no surprises for me, as a player. I mean, no place for me as a listener to participate.
The guitaroist had a gorgeous tone and touch and could play anything and everything easily. The electric bassist had a beautiful tone and touch as well, and played a kind of "lead bass" throughout the set I heard. The drummer, who I think had a hard job to try to be creative and also be a bit afraid to hit the drums because of the confined space and the boomy room, played well. He played very nicely throughout
I didn't know these fellows at all, so this was all fresh to me.
I came away wondering if they were trying to sound that way because that's how they want the music to sound, or if they just had taken this path so many times it was easy to "phone it in" in terms of ensemble music. They are not a steady trio but rather an "I've got a gig" band, I'm pretty sure.
But listening to those tunes, I was a bit disheartened by how ordinary and the same they made them sound, with all that talent at their disposal. They didn't seem to be ready to work.
The food was good, the wine better.:|
Here's what occurred to me as I ate at the bar: these three guys ( drums, electric bass and guitar) were all very good players, emphasis on "very". They played the old warhorses like Stella, Nardis, Someday My prince, Sandu, and a bevy more.
They were very aware of dynamics, too. There was not a false note or a bad one. They were all in their late 30s, to mid 40s, I think.
And it was almost unlistenable for me after 3 tunes.
I wondered, as I drove up the mountain home, if these guys would like what they played if they heard it played back to them. I mean, they obviously were inspired by all the great players and recordings, none of which sounded like this endless line of leading tones they were playing. There was zero tension, almost zero space and, although they seemed to be enjoying themselves, no joy or elan in the music. And certainly, no surprises at all.
I don't mean no surprises for me, as a player. I mean, no place for me as a listener to participate.
The guitaroist had a gorgeous tone and touch and could play anything and everything easily. The electric bassist had a beautiful tone and touch as well, and played a kind of "lead bass" throughout the set I heard. The drummer, who I think had a hard job to try to be creative and also be a bit afraid to hit the drums because of the confined space and the boomy room, played well. He played very nicely throughout
I didn't know these fellows at all, so this was all fresh to me.
I came away wondering if they were trying to sound that way because that's how they want the music to sound, or if they just had taken this path so many times it was easy to "phone it in" in terms of ensemble music. They are not a steady trio but rather an "I've got a gig" band, I'm pretty sure.
But listening to those tunes, I was a bit disheartened by how ordinary and the same they made them sound, with all that talent at their disposal. They didn't seem to be ready to work.
The food was good, the wine better.:|