To Gig or not to Gig! - Musical Genres

[Firebrand]

I gig with whoever pays me.

Would I prefer to play regularly with a well-oiled machine? Sure. But sometimes, you got to play with substitutes or in bands where you are just hired to fill in, and people may suck. C'est la vie. I get the check and move on.

I gig about 3 times a month (i'm a full-time college counselor). I made a decision early on that music would not be my main gig, because A) there's a lot of monster players out there and B) even the best (like Giovanni Hidalgo or John Benitez) are not living the highlight are always stressed the #### out with their performance lives. I don't want to live like that, though I do love performing and I love being part of the Rumbero community.

So, performing is a part-time and a cultural hobby for me.

[onile]

Vaya Firebrand!
Espero que todo este bien contigo mi hermano!

I echo those sentiments bro! I once read a bumper sticker that said "real musicians have day jobs!" I never forgot it! I too have a day gig, Social Worker for the City of Phoenix, AZ. I do music much the same way as you do, in fact....much the same way as many of us on this forum, for the love of performing and being a part of the "rumbero community"

Suave!
Onile!

[Firebrand]

so true Onile...

I'm going to live and die a Rumbero. In fact, I've already told my friends how I'm going to die...I'll be playing a good rumba solo, the excitement will be too much, and I'll fallover dead. What a way to go!

[onile]

¡Que riza me da! :laugh: :laugh:
That is the way to go however, hopefully not for a long while to come though!

La bendicion mi hermano!
Onile!

[rhumbatumba]

Currently I play with 2 bands.

1 is Funky jazz band guitar, sax, drums, bass, congas & percussion. With them I do a lot of timba, songo, Moz, guaguanco, and a good deal of improv.

2 is a larger band with sax, 2 trumpet, 2 Trombone, Bass, guitar, keys, drums, and congas & percussion. Thy use me for more authentic salsa sound on some of their tunes.

I use to play with a large ensemble of all percussion, west african, & latin folklore mostly.

[onile]

Alafia Rhumbatumba!
I hope that you are well down there "Deep in the jungles of Oklahoma" :laugh:

You know, it's always fun to work in a group that plays a variety of genres, but there's no denying, that when the count of the sticks hit, and it's a rumba/salsa/mozambique or otherwise latin rythm, the hair on the back of your neck stands up, your palms get sweaty, your pupils dialate, your pulse quickens, and you just get all tingley inside.......whew! I think I need a cigarette now....... :laugh:


Stay well my friend!

Onile!



Edited By onile on 1129926421

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[JohnnyConga]

Not every one can "live the life" of a Conga/percussionist-musician/performer. I can speak for myself and tell you that the first time, at the age of 7, when acting in a school play, I heard "applause" for the first time and "I LIKED IT"! and then at the age of 9 I was already playing bongos(or so I thought),but knew how to get sound out of them, my Uncle Manny taught me how. He played trumpet/bongos and sang. By the time I was 14 had my first pair of Mexican wooden congas and by 15 1/2 had my very first gig with Joe Panama in New York City. My second bandleader who really taught me a lot was Felipe "Phil" Diaz and the Original Latin Jazz Sextet. I was in that band almost 3 years...have I ever had a day job???..OH #### YEA!....I can tell u I worked at Lincoln Hospital-South Bronx-Bronx State Hospital and Bellevue as a "Mental Health Worker" and a few more jobs, but I have been a musician for 40 years, I like this job the best!......"JC" Johnny Conga....

[yoni]

...I like this job the best!......"JC" Johnny Conga....

My sentiments exactly!

[bdrbongo]

Primozz asked "Guys, what are your experiences with certain instrument players?
I also found out that some drummers who are not used to playin with percussionists start to play more (especially when hand drummer's around), like they are trying to beat hand drummer and not to make groove better! Egotrippin' in the worst way! "

Great question!

First of all, I too am a "gig whore", who isn't? My main bands are Banda Caribe(http://www.bandacaribe.net) and Rough Shop(http://www.roughshop.com). Banda Caribe is a quartet, playing mostly "traditional" cuban/jazz sounds. We're the whitest looking latin band around, but we try to do the music justice. We keep it simple and try to maintain the groove to keep people dancing, stretching out when we can. As it is all cover tunes, I
've noticed that lots of people think they can play along, and they are mostly drummers. We've never had a bassist or guitarist or even a horn player come up and ask to sit in, but every #### drummer in the city will sidle up and say' I play drums, can I sit in?" Only once has it turned out ok, because he was the former drummer. Also, nothing messes with the groove like 3 or 4 people bangin' out "counter" rhythms on their beer bottles, the table or the horn players perscussion( I've asked him to put them out of reach from now on). There are players who can further the groove, but faster and louder doesn't make it any groovier.
Rough Shop's sound is "Americana", roots rock , soul folk, whatever. It's a good outlet for my straight ahead drumming style. All originals, with a few covers (Talking
Heads, The Band, Dylan).
I also sit in with a ''wedding/party" jazz outfit(strictly private parties) and a duo, the Jobim Dreams, who sometimes add percussion when space and money allow. Ironically , the bass player is the same in all these groups, that makes things easier. You might say we're the duo hiring all the others.
I 've done some guest spots on some friends cd's and another friend uses me as his primary drummer for projects people bring in to his studio. That is a whole other can of worms, people who think they are the next big thing. As long as the pay is good. I can be the anonymous drummer, haha.
Peace my brothers,
Sean Anglin
p.s. I , too, have a day job. I'm sure we'd all love to play "professionally", but you do what you can. Ditto to Johnny Congas sentiment, "I like this job the best. ".



Edited By bdrbongo on 1130547298

[TigerBongo]

I'm also guilty (as many of you appear to be!) of selling for self down the river for whatever gigs are around.

I have trained in classical percussion in the past - so have found this to help get consistent work in NZ. I play with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (occasionally), a 8-piece percussion ensemble (http://www.homestead.pandemoniumpercussion.com), a 9-piece Salsa band (http://www.ritmolatino.co.nz) and many other gigs.

I'm about to start working in the theatre again in 2 weeks time for a 3-month season of Oliver with a professional company. That'll be the 3rd show I've done this year.

I must say though that my real love is Latin Percussion and music....but unforunately there aren't heaps of gigs to go around, and also ones that pay good enough coin to make it a weekly thing.

I also have a day job - working as a systems sales technician for a large NZ professional raido communications manufacturer.

Because I hae a day job - I don't rely on gigs and can afford to pick and choose what I do abit more - so I think it's better for me - as I can maintain (most of the time!) and reasonably balanced life!

Also we have big problems in NZ - there are quite a few south american born bands around - but most of them use pre-recorded backing tracks and play some conga etc on top of it.

We are pretty much one of the only live Salsa bands in NZ, and we don't have a singel latino in the band - just great musicians!

Anyway - stay cool.

[onile]

Alafia TigerBongo!
I hope that you are well and in an abundance of blessings my friend!

I have a very good friend who is in the special effects business for hollywood. He currently lives out there in New Zealand, and he recently received two Oscars for his work on the lord of the rings, "the king returns". He has been looking for a good salsa band to listen to out there. What's the name of your group and where do you guys play at?

I'd like to turn him on to it so that he can come out and give you guys a listen!

Many blessings!

Onile!



Edited By onile on 1130708641

[TigerBongo]

Alafia TigerBongo!
I hope that you are well and in an abundance of blessings my friend!

I have a very good friend who is in the special effects business for hollywood. He currently lives out there in New Zealand, and he recently received two Oscars for his work on the lord of the rings, "the king returns". He has been looking for a good salsa band to listen to out there. What's the name of your group and where do you guys play at?

I'd like to turn him on to it so that he can come out and give you guys a listen!

Many blessings!

Onile!

Hi Onile,

I'm based in Christchurch NZ - which is in the south island of NZ. We are called Ritmo Latino and play regularly in Chch as well as out of town.

I'm guessing that your friend is based in Wellington, as that's where Weta workshops and Peter Jacksons Production house for lord of the rings and now king kong is based,

If he's ever down in Chch - tell him to look us up:
http://www.ritmolatino.co.nz

We have a 5 piece Latin jazz combo - which does more work than the 9/10 piece as its a more via option.....so more than likely he'd catch that - but we still do salsa etc.....
The 5-piece is made up of:
Piano, Bass, Conga/Bata/Perc, Timbale/Shekere/Perc & Flute/Sax......

Cheers Man,
Craig
Ritmo Latino



Edited By TigerBongo on 1130754405

[ABAKUA]

Hey Craig,

Are you familiar with Batucada Sound Machine from NZ?

We did some gigs with them with both my bands while they were in Sydney... We had some great times.

[TigerBongo]

Hey Abakua,

Yeah Batacuda Sound Machine - they are Auckland based - they've got a very good product, nice stuff. Very different from anything else on the market. I've seen them perform a few times and while it's music that I'm not totally into - it's still excellent and well polished.

We actually had Mani (the main guitarist/singer form BSM) sing at one of our gigs about 3 years ago (when our band was still pretty young!) - he was great!

My band in Chch play mainly Cuban Salsa, Merengue, Danzon, Cha-cha and a fair whack of latin jazz - as nearly all of our musicians are Jazz trained.....anyway - it's all good, most of our guys do alot of different gigs with different groups - but are all pretty loyal to Ritmo, so that's really great!

Take care man

TB



Edited By TigerBongo on 1130754215

[onile]

Alafia TigerBongo!
Thanks for following up on the info request! I have passed it on to my friend, although he hasn't answered his e-mails in a little while. He may be on the set, or on location working on the next project "King Kong!"
I did provide him with your groups info however, so I hope that when he and possibly some of the "crew" from King Kong have some down/free time, maybe they'll show up to check you guys out!

I understand that they are going to release the movie for the world to see by December, so they must be working at a frenetic pace to get it done!

Many blessings!

Onile!



Edited By onile on 1131499946