What to play

[jazzzzz8]

Im always asking myself, what to play at a gig where the punters are not into jazz at all....I go for some mowtown; blues brothers; Nino Simone 'feeling good' even Roxy musics Lets get tegether' singing and playing the sax solo part.

What would you play to get the right mood on a saturday night in A brusers pub.....

 

[Taz]

Are you talking as a solo artist with backing tracks or as a band, if a band then what other instruments, and talents are with you?
I play with a rock 'n' roll band at the moment and that gets most people dancing. (If we don't get them dancing then most are either singing or foot tapping) Classics like Teddy Bear, Mess of the Blues, Stray Cat Strut, and Choo Choo Ch'boogie. With my old band which was more blues rock based then Brown Sugar, Free Bird, Sweet Home Alabama, Stuck in the middle with you and Red House.
If We haven't been punched, kicked or thrown out then I recon we've found a wining combination. :laugh:
Best of luck if your putting something together 😉

 

[jazzzzz8]

Hi Taz just 2 of us, my friend is the main singer...we do use backing tracks mainly. I know it;s not pure jazz, or bossa nova which is my main love...But I just need to play, so I'l have a crack at anything, rather than stay at home and play.

I like the sound of some of your tracks, will try them out...I also solo on stuff from backing tracks while my buddy has a beer and chats the landladies up.

Any more Ideas are welcome.....

 

[Taz]

Here's a set list from my present band "Cliff Topp and the Lemmings" It's not all Rock'n'Roll but see what you think 😉

Set one
Doesn't matter any more. That's alright, Please Mama Please. Three steps to heaven. Say Mama. Jeannie Jeannie. Nothing Shaking. She's not you. Only 16. Route 66. Blue Suede shoes. All shook up. Precious time.

Set Two
Bye bye love. Perfidia. Matchbox. Don't come knockin'. Breaking' up is hard to do. Rocket trip. Whole Lotta shakin'. He'll have to go. Only make believe, Lonesome fugitive. Mess of the blues. Be bopa lula. Hound dog. Twenty flight rock. Earth angel. C'mon everybody.

Set three
Choo choo ch'boogie. Rag mop. Stray Cat strut. Good rockin tonight. Bony Moronie. Green door. Put another log on the fire. Folsom prison blues, Walk right back, tears on my pillow, Summertime blues, High heel sneakers, Teddy bear, Honey don't and high class lady.

It's no wonder I need a lie down when we've finnished >.< :laugh:

I hope this helps

 

[Pete Thomas]

Take me Girl I'm Ready
Pink Panther
Tequila
Castle Rock
Peter Gunn
Night Train
What A Difference a Day Made (disco version - listen to Gato Barbieri)

 

[philthd]

trust your art
play whats in your heart
thats at least one person pleased - not a bad start

 

[Bobby G]

Anything motown/60's soul, or rock'n'roll, or 60's/70's hit tunes usually does the trick I reckon - have a look at Paulyt's bands' set list too 😉

 

[jazzzzz8]

Awsome set Taz...i'l be taking a leaf out of your list...if I may

 

[jools]

Pete- "Pink Panther" ! ! - I know this is the sax player's equivalent of the guitarists "Stairway" or "Smoke" but it REALLY wins a pub crowd over! I've seen it done by a mate of mine who was loosing the audience once and they just erupted in cheers. Sometimes, it's a case of 'giving 'em what they want' - They'll love you for it. I've also heard the inevitable "Baker Street" played by a sax player to similar effect.

In that kind of setting, I've also been heckled with "sax-a-mo-phone!" and have learnt the Simpsons tune off by heart so I can respond - which they love! ...play to the gallery, eh? 😉

 

[Pete Thomas]

Another one, and you can do some jazz on it, is the Flintstones

written by my favourite composer, Hoyt Curtin)

 

[jools]

Ahhhhhhh - good old "Rhythm Changes" - 😉 can't beat a bit of that.

 

[losaavedra]

Hoots Mon (there's a Moose loose aboot this Hoose!) will get all the punters joining in on the vocal bit. Lord Rockingham's XI wasn't it, circa late 1950s TV "Oh Boy" show (showing my age rather drastically!). Needs a nice dirty sax as I remember ...

 

[Pete Thomas]

losaavedra wrote:
Needs a nice dirty sax as I remember ...

Believe it or not we sometimes did this as an encore with Richard Thompson.

One of my saxophone teachers (Red Price) when I was at college was in Lord Rockingham's XI, and he once said to me:

"Pete, we had two tenors and two baritones in that band. We used to tune one tenor sharp and the other one flat. Also, one bari sharp and the other one flat."

Then he'd pause to let that sink in before finally

"...and that's how we got that f***ing awful sound".

 

[old_git]

Ronnie and Tubby were approached to play in Rockingham's, according to the MM at the time. They refused on the grounds that it had taken long enough to learn to play in tune.

 

[losaavedra]

I never said it was 'tuneful'!!!!!!!!

 

[Bobby G]

Pete Thomas wrote:
Another one, and you can do some jazz on it, is the Flintstones

written by my favourite composer, Hoyt Curtin)

I'll testify to that, it gets dragged out and kicked around quite regularly at Val's Jam Night. Marvellous fun, even for a relatively unaccomplished player like me.