A Change Is Gonna Come....Sam Cooke 1964

[losthobos]

Sam Cooke released this the month i was born Feb 1964 and has been rocking my cradle ever since...

hope you enjoy....was tougher than I'd expected to play
interestingly enough i have a solo pub lunch garden gig tomorrow and I'm gonna attempt a Sunday Service Gospel and Blues set and not play one 'accordion' tune....
Let's see how hat goes...Say a Little Prayer for Me...

 

[jozz]

so how did sunday go?

 

[losthobos]

@jozz ...far from according to plan... In fact pretty dreadful and i lost my nerve and resorted to Besame Mucho and Parisian waltzes which seemed to keep the pub lunchers chomping happier..
I was quite disappointed and disillusioned but played the same tracks at home along with a hammond organ rhythm unit and they move really nicely so perhaps they just need that swing push behind them..
I have another gig on first weekend oct to a more discerning audience so will try again then and see what needs ironing out...
Perhaps solo accordion gigs need to be solo accordion type tunes and the bigger gospel blues mixes call for a bigger line up... Or perhaps I'm just totally delusional...
You gotta love a learning curve no matter how tight... ?

 

[jozz]

no sweat @losthobos Terry

was just discussing about what to 'give' to the audience with the mrs., it's no easy task

i've been more on the side of the well-known stuff always needs to be in there, and she thinks more about theme or song list progression

we always end up in the middle, keep everybody happy

but sometimes you want to get excentric, just for the heck of it - so i feel you there

on to the next one
cheers,
jozef

 

[Dingo40]

Terry
It's hard to please everyone and hard to please anyone for long.
I remember my cousin's wedding.
He had hired an excellent group of musicians ( including accordion), with female vocalist, who certainly could play and sing.
Unfortunately, their entire repertoire consisted of "bal musete ". As the entire assembly had no French connection whatsoever, the novelty soon palled and the rest of the evening became something of a torture for the bridal party and guests.
However, it certainly was "memorable "?

 

[losthobos]

Yep, I've learned my lesson... No excuses
In future I'll diversify the set and keep the tunes popular and within peoples "i know what i like and i like what i know" range..
I'll keep my treasures for my own backyard and perhaps just inject a few blue/gospel techniques into standards rather than making them the tunes..
Funny I've always struggled with sunday lunch gigs as people are often "hanging" from their Saturday night overload and an accordion can be painful, by 4 o'clock or the early evening gig they're drinking again so things generally go smoother..
Smoothest gigs for me seem to be for the "greys" as they are easily charmed by a mix of nostalgia and gratefulness..
My girlfriend always says avoid the middle aged audience as the menopause period will make the people hate everything...and she's the voice of experience...
Sun's out so I'm gonna banish myself to the garden for a few hours practice..
Thanks for your concerns... Appreciated

 

[Pipemajor]

In my experience I've found that, if playing alone or with friends, anything goes, but if you are playing for a paying audience, then the old adage "he who pays the piper etc." is certainly true. While'st I only play the accordion alone or with friends, I have played pipes for getting on for 50 years at various functions, some pretty prestigious such as for royalty, in the Royal Albert hall , and various functions for the British Embassy in the UK and on the Continent, and of course, innumerable weddings , funerals,Burns Suppers, New Years Eve, etc. and have usually had requests for a particular tune which is a favourite or holds particular memories for the requester. I always do my best to oblige. The odd £10 or £20 note thrust into the players hand is also very welcome . I think you have to remember that a pleased audience can lead to repeat bookings.

 

[losthobos]

@Pipemajor ...thankfully they rebooked non the wiser but inside myself i know i should have read and played the audience better.... Alas no notes thrust my way but a couple of gentle thankyou smoothed my exit