Savannah Grande: the Jazz Festival − 28 March, 2004
The high point of Rhythm Method's performances had to be the night we played at the Gainesville Friends of Jazz and Blues festival, at the Savannah Grande in downtown Gainesville.
A year before, I had attended the very same festival, except I was in the audience. I remember watching the jazz bands play: they were having so much fun, experiencing the joy of the music. And here I was, a guitarist playing with my own jazz band.
Want to know what we played? I must have been a sea captain in a past life. I keep very detailed records of what I do with my music, including the set list from that performance:
All jazz standards, right? Well, unfortunately, for me, this was the beginning of the end. I'd actually gotten bored with standards by this point; I wanted to do original material.
In jazz, in the modern day US, that doesn't go over well. People want to hear songs they know. Which is too bad: jazz was supposed to be about freedom, remember? Now we're strangling by the fancy ties of Lincoln Center . . . .
Update: I found some pictures to add to the article on 22-Jun-07. Let me introduce my band, appearing in picture u03 below:
You can't see pianist / trumpeter Kenny Schwartz . . . he was off to the side, sitting at the baby grand.
A year before, I had attended the very same festival, except I was in the audience. I remember watching the jazz bands play: they were having so much fun, experiencing the joy of the music. And here I was, a guitarist playing with my own jazz band.
Want to know what we played? I must have been a sea captain in a past life. I keep very detailed records of what I do with my music, including the set list from that performance:
- Don't Get Around Much Anymore
- Corcovado
- I'll Be Seeing You
- Watermelon Man
- Days of Wine and Roses
- I Fall in Love Too Easily
- My Favorite Things (Coltrane version, which we made last 15 minutes!)
All jazz standards, right? Well, unfortunately, for me, this was the beginning of the end. I'd actually gotten bored with standards by this point; I wanted to do original material.
In jazz, in the modern day US, that doesn't go over well. People want to hear songs they know. Which is too bad: jazz was supposed to be about freedom, remember? Now we're strangling by the fancy ties of Lincoln Center . . . .
Update: I found some pictures to add to the article on 22-Jun-07. Let me introduce my band, appearing in picture u03 below:
- Dave Forbes, upright bass.
- Yvonne Woodson, vocals.
- Bruce H. McCosar, guitar.
- Jason Stahl, trombone.
- Carmen King, saxophone.
- Greg Babbitt, flute.
You can't see pianist / trumpeter Kenny Schwartz . . . he was off to the side, sitting at the baby grand.
u01
u02
u03
