I’m working on learning some tunes today. Over the next few days, I have three very different gigs. I get to play some jazz, some blues & rock, and then play with a 10-piece big band playing just about everything!
There are charts for the jazz gig, including one that’s in 7/8 switching to 9/8 for a few bars and then to 3/4. This chart is well written, so I’m confident that it will be just fine. I am practicing it anyway!
I’m subbing in a blues/rock group, and they don’t have charts, but they dropped off a CD with their tunes. In this situation, I find it really useful to make my own charts. Sometimes, it’s just a “road map” indicating the basic groove and the number of bars in each section. Other times, I find it useful to write out more detailed charts. My goal is to go to the gig and sound good – hopefully as good as the drummer that I’m subbing for and/or the drummer on the recording. I want the leader to be as comfortable as possible, especially given the fact that there’s no rehearsal.
The 10-piece big band has some hard stuff. I’ve played most of it before, and I was able to bring the drum book home after a rehearsal the other day. I’ll make sure to go through the tunes on my own. Again, if I’m as comfortable as I can be, then the band should be able to play well. The drummer in this band is “driving the bus” as they say. It’s actually true of most bands. The drummer drives the band. Even if I have never played with a certain group, I want to sound like I have. I want all the musicians on stage to be able to rely on me AND have lots of fun!
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