NickD

Ok, I'm going to try to start a ruckus!

What would YOU rather do in a big band: play lead or jazz?

Be honest! However, don't answer the question necessarily from where you are as a player now. For example, if want to be a good improvisor, but you are a newer player and haven't learned those skills, don't be afriad to pick "play jazz." Similarly, even if you haven't learned how to hit high G's yet, but want to be a lead player, go ahead and pick "play lead." This is all about preferences.

OK, this poll thing is a first for me. Let's see what happens!

Have fun! Vote early and often (I'm from Chicago, after all!)

Peace, all!

Nick

trickg

I picked the lead chair over the jazz chair because flat out, I just don't solo very well and the idea that I have to be creative on the fly terrifies me - it's just not my thing.

However, I would much rather sit on the 3rd or 4th book than play either the lead or jazz chair, simply because that's what I do the best - I'm a good support player and I don't mind letting others have the spotlight. Besides, I'm not much of a lead player anyway.

Wildman

The solos aren't usually long enough in most big band charts to develop to satisfaction.

GIVE ME HIGH NOTES

latinjazzcat

I dig the jazz chair, no doubt about it. I think my strengths and weaknesses come into play here, but lead parts seem much more stressful for me.

Jason Palmer

I feel that big bands can really run into problems when you try to separate the two. What made the bands of Ellington, Basie, and so many others so great was that the "lead" players were also great "jazz player", and you heard it in their "lead" playing. How many times have you heard a big band director tell the lead player to play like a soloist? Great lead players are also great soloists

NickD

Fantastic posts,so far! There are some really neat ideas getting discussed already. That's the point. I love to learn from these things.

OK, I personally have a very definite bias, but I started this fuss, so I'm going to lay out, in that regard, until more folks have posted.

Thanks again! Keep it up!

Nick

rjzeller

Okay, despite my normally soft nature and pleasant demeanor, I must say there is a hungry animal deep within that just erupts all over the play when an opportunity to play lead comes along.

I was really torn on this, becuase I really like the warm, lush, tones that a jazz chair can play with, and I love improvising and expressing myself. The jazz parts really let you be whomever you want to be, lush and sultry, vibrant and strident, whatever.

But in the end, nothing gets me going like that lead chart.

I have a ways to go in either case, but Nick's rules were not tied down to current abilities! To be fair, maybe I oughta pull out my Abersold and Frank Minear books and do a little comparison to see where Rich's talents properly lead him...

...nah...I'm a lead guy.

FlugelFlyer

All I'll say is this, the chair I WOULDN'T take is 3rd chair, i.e. accidental heaven. I'll bet dollar to dime against anybody, 3rd chair takes greater sightreading abilities than any other chair. That said, I'd rather take lead chair.

rjzeller

Hear Hear, FF!!!! I TOTALLY agree. I think the third part in a jazz group has to be unquestionably the worst. You're burried in the middle of the chord somewhere, often playing a pitch that you'd NEVER, EVER hear in a concert band or symphony (relative to the chord, anyway). Give me 4th if it has to be something other than 2nd or lead. Heck, give me 5th if the parts available, just no 3rd. No melody, no root, no solo, and unlike the second, your harmonizations just never sound quite right.

Gee...and to think I was the only person who felt that way. It's like 2nd cornet parts in concert band, completely unfriendly to the ears. At least the third gives you a sense of support, and backs up the horn parts often enough that you feel like you belong. And the first parts are, well, the first parts. But 2nd trumpet in conc band, 3rd in jazz, and you're just a misfit....

JackD

It would be cool to be able to play like Wayne Bergeron, so lead!