This thread also brought to mind my seeing Monty Alexander http://montyalexander.com/
at a local jazz club a few years back http://www.chanseggrollsandjazz.com/ ...
During their break, I went to the men's room and I met the bass player ... we talked (OUTSIDE the men's room ) about the play list they were using ... he said that they had rehearsed their latest CD for weeks before going out on the road, but that night they hadn't played one tune from it ... the 'play list' is whatever comes into Monty's mind at that moment ... the bass player also said that Monty would play an intro - sometimes fairly long - and then switch keys before starting the tune ... so he had to be able to play every song in ANY key because he never knew what key Monty was going to play it in ... he also joked that it was easier for the drummer to do that ...
t.