Hey everyone,
A few thoughts the day before my final rehearsal with my band for the upcoming gig at The Tea Lounge (see Calendar listing for the details).
The process of rehearsing is different with every band that I play with. And, for myself, the process of rehearsing my own big band has evolved over time. It's interesting to me what musicians respond to… whether its how the music is copied, how I am conducting (ouch!), or just the response when I ask for a specific focus in their interpretation of the music. I still hear Manny Albam saying (at a BMI reading session years ago) that "if its not in the parts, it won't get played" Well, that is true, to some extent, but both as a musician and as a composer/band leader I have found that sometimes you simply need time to discover the music, and that requires time rehearsing and playing together. And the time that I have spent wasn't just for my band, it was for me too!
Suffice to say I am very grateful that these wonderful musicians have been willing to give me their time to discover my music.
Onward...
deborah
P.S. For those of you in the NYC area, come to the gig to hear the results...