Friday, February 11, 2005
Sitting In
In Vermillion I had a friend who was a musician. Not only was he a musician, but he was an evening jazz DJ on public radio, so besides being able to play an instrument (well actually, he was a drummer.....) he knew lots of musicians. We would hang out on weekends and catch bands playing at the local bars. It never failed, if someone playing recognized him, they would ask him to sit in.
I was envious. I always thought that would be the coolest thing to sit in with a band. My friend suggest that I learn one song on trombone, complete with a solo, and when he sat in, I could sit in too. That was nice of him, but I wanted any offer to be for me, not just because I knew a drummer.
In the last year now, I've sat in with bands a couple of times. The first time was after 957 played at my sister's house this past summer. TSA had to head out early, so JB and I hung around and played a couple more tunes before we left. JB wanted to check out Charlie's in Box Elder because friends of ours, "Firewater," were playing there. I grew up in Box Elder, and I knew Charlie's to be a real redneck bar. I had never actually been inside, so I thought it might be fun. Let me tell you, it was every bit the dive I thought it was, but the band noticed us right away.
When the band went on break they hung out with us and asked if we wanted to do a song with them. JB acted like it was his every wet dream come true. I didn't act like that, but I probably felt exactly the same about it. It was the coolest thing ever! So we did a couple of tunes with the band, including their favorite song of ours, "Cobra Commander." When I woke up that morning I would have thought it more likely that I would be elected Pope than be playing "Cobra Commander" in a redneck bar.
All of 957 sat in with "Firewater" a couple of other times. After the breakup of the band, though, I went to a "Firewater" show, expecting to meet TSA there when he got off of work. Eric came up and asked me if I wanted to do a song with the band. I said sure even though all I had was my walkin' around C harp. TSA did show up later and he was able to borrow Bill Brown's twelve string. That with my C harp allowed us to do "Got My Mojo Workin'" with five pieces; electric guitar, twelve string, bass, drums and harp. It did get a little 'countryfied' but the effect was good. Best of all, I got asked to sit in. I'm sure they would have asked Andy if he had been sitting with me at the time, but I was there alone and they asked me.
Tonight I met Mike Reardon at the Canyon Lake Chop House. He was scheduled to play there solo, but he had lined up some help, a former guitar student of his named Eric and me. OK, it wasn't a spur of the moment invite to sit in, but it was still awfully cool. And I played songs I had never heard before. Give a harp player a key, and he'll come up with something. Eric had to work early and left shortly after 10pm, so Mike and I finished out the night. With just Mike and myself, Mike decided to dip into the "Slappy is Jebus" catalogue. We did "Brian Wilson" and "Mojo" to finish out the night. Not only did I get to sit in on harp, but I got to sing.
A year ago none of this would have been possible. First of all I didn't have the skill to do it. Second, even if I would have somehow had the skill, I wouldn't have had the confidence. Playing as much as I have in the last year, I acquired both of those traits. People asked tonight again how long I had been playing. Sure I've been noodling on the harmonica for the last 20 years, but I've only actually played it the last 12 months or so. It's amazing how you pick up skill when you're just trying to keep up with the musicians around you.
BOJ
I was envious. I always thought that would be the coolest thing to sit in with a band. My friend suggest that I learn one song on trombone, complete with a solo, and when he sat in, I could sit in too. That was nice of him, but I wanted any offer to be for me, not just because I knew a drummer.
In the last year now, I've sat in with bands a couple of times. The first time was after 957 played at my sister's house this past summer. TSA had to head out early, so JB and I hung around and played a couple more tunes before we left. JB wanted to check out Charlie's in Box Elder because friends of ours, "Firewater," were playing there. I grew up in Box Elder, and I knew Charlie's to be a real redneck bar. I had never actually been inside, so I thought it might be fun. Let me tell you, it was every bit the dive I thought it was, but the band noticed us right away.
When the band went on break they hung out with us and asked if we wanted to do a song with them. JB acted like it was his every wet dream come true. I didn't act like that, but I probably felt exactly the same about it. It was the coolest thing ever! So we did a couple of tunes with the band, including their favorite song of ours, "Cobra Commander." When I woke up that morning I would have thought it more likely that I would be elected Pope than be playing "Cobra Commander" in a redneck bar.
All of 957 sat in with "Firewater" a couple of other times. After the breakup of the band, though, I went to a "Firewater" show, expecting to meet TSA there when he got off of work. Eric came up and asked me if I wanted to do a song with the band. I said sure even though all I had was my walkin' around C harp. TSA did show up later and he was able to borrow Bill Brown's twelve string. That with my C harp allowed us to do "Got My Mojo Workin'" with five pieces; electric guitar, twelve string, bass, drums and harp. It did get a little 'countryfied' but the effect was good. Best of all, I got asked to sit in. I'm sure they would have asked Andy if he had been sitting with me at the time, but I was there alone and they asked me.
Tonight I met Mike Reardon at the Canyon Lake Chop House. He was scheduled to play there solo, but he had lined up some help, a former guitar student of his named Eric and me. OK, it wasn't a spur of the moment invite to sit in, but it was still awfully cool. And I played songs I had never heard before. Give a harp player a key, and he'll come up with something. Eric had to work early and left shortly after 10pm, so Mike and I finished out the night. With just Mike and myself, Mike decided to dip into the "Slappy is Jebus" catalogue. We did "Brian Wilson" and "Mojo" to finish out the night. Not only did I get to sit in on harp, but I got to sing.
A year ago none of this would have been possible. First of all I didn't have the skill to do it. Second, even if I would have somehow had the skill, I wouldn't have had the confidence. Playing as much as I have in the last year, I acquired both of those traits. People asked tonight again how long I had been playing. Sure I've been noodling on the harmonica for the last 20 years, but I've only actually played it the last 12 months or so. It's amazing how you pick up skill when you're just trying to keep up with the musicians around you.
BOJ
# posted by Blind Orange Julius @ 11:59 PM 
