Originally posted by Taike:
I can't think of even ONE arranger keyboard player that fills stadiums, arenas, concert halls or jazz clubs. What would be the reason?
How would the typical arranger player fare if, due to some mishap, he had to play WITHOUT the accompaniment features.
I refuse to play at Carnegie Hall, and stadiums, because I believe I would lose the intimacy established when playing for a smaller audience.
I have no plans this winter, of doing any concerts at venues where the audience numbers more than 10,000.
Seriously, I have had my arranger screw up (brought wrong adaptor) and had to do the evening playing on my P-85 which I retrieved from my car...no problems whatsoever, other than a slight change in repertoire. It was actully a fun experience, and a good workout.
I think Chas has every right to feel the way he does, just as I have the right to remain steadfastly in support of using an arranger at my gigs.
Watching an arranger player is surely not going to be every one's cuppa tea, but neither is watching someone play jazz organ/piano. I have several friends, including my girlfriend(who, by the way, is an accomplished piano player) who find jazz boring.
Why do some people hate Country music, why do some dislike Celtic, or Classical?
I don't know...I like them all, but I guess it's just personal preference, a right we all have and one we can freely exercise and need not defend.
I don't listen to many arranger players...actually only one, who I referred to in a previous post. He keeps my interest, not just because he's a great player (he was Glen Campbell's piano player in Nashville for some time) but I enjoy his imaginative arrangements, and his interpretations of tunes...he uses no SMF, and like me, assembles his own styles.
We have
something in common, so I suppose that helps too.
Chas has something in common with jazz organists, because he plays the same style, and likes the arrangements.
At that point, he and I
do not differ, for we both appreciate a good job done.
We do differ however, in that I can enjoy both types of players.
But for me, and again like Chas, the players have to be reasonably at the top of their game.
Great topic Chas.
I'm secure enough in my environment, and with my skills, not to be offended if someone does not appreciate my level of skill on an arranger...sometimes it's because they do not understand the time and patience and years of working with these instruments that it takes to pull off a good performance that
looks easy.
Everyone who plays has a message, some are simple, and some are complex, some are even in a foreign language, but the bottom line is still the fact that we can choose to listen and appreciate and maybe learn something, or simply ignore and enjoy what we always chose.
One of the easiest ways to to being unsuccessful, and a big source of frustration, is trying to please everybody.
I just do my own thing, and it works for me, and above all...I love doing it.
That's
success in my books.
Sorry for the rambling...just got up at the crack of noon, and I'm still half awake.
Ian
[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 12-06-2009).]