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So I've hooked up with a female singer in my first ever purely jazz duo. Previous duo's have always been a mix of music often times not even featuring one jazz tune.
The purpose of this duo is to make extra money through gigs and have some fun ( and improve musicianship).
We'll have a YouTube channel but more for promotional purposes rather than with a view of monetizing it. Same for the other socials.
We've had 4 rehearsals so far today will be number 5 and we have just 5 songs that we can play pretty much from memory.
I can play some solo guitar tunes to get us through the early gigs too. Maybe one or two per set.
Just keeping the guitar part easy atm. Four to the bar with some solo sections that I play Tim Lerch / Ted Greene style.
The main objective is just to get the harmony of each tune into my ear. Plenty of time for fancier playing later.
The majority of rehearsal time is finding which tunes sound best, the best key to play these in and intros and endings. Also discussing the mood, feel and tempo of the tunes. Then playing the tunes.
It's amazing how fast time passes by when rehearsing.
The tunes so far are;
Why Don't You Do Right
Dream a Little Dream
Misty
Blue Moon
Summertime
The plan is to do some busking first, then play the markets, then play corporates getting solid at each stage.
We are both a little older so she is watching her voice and I am watching my hands.
Anyhow the purpose of this thread is that hopefully it will help someone who wants to know the reality of starting a jazz duo and getting it of the ground.
Peace.
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04-03-2024 03:53 AM
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We have our first gig coming up at a restaurant. Although I gig often in bands I’m looking forward to this one. Me on my tele, a bass player and a female singer who also can play some percussion. The bass player and percussion obviously opens thing up a bit but this will still be out of my wheelhouse so to speak. We are doing plenty of standards but mixing in some R&B and classic and “modern” country tunes. Maybe even a surf instrumental here and there. I suppose the trade off to being “aural wallpaper” on this type of gig if that we aren’t expected to bring people. So the pressure is off in that regard. Also the “set-up” will be super easy.
As a duo I think intros will help break things up nicely.
Keep us posted on your new endeavor and good luck.
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My band was booked as a trio, upright bass, trumpet and guitar. We are having a rehearsal Saturday to see how it goes.
My advice to everyone doing this is, you can get away with playing less, but if you try to step up and biff the fancy stuff everyone will know,
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Just a little update.
We have changed our name to Dreamland Jazz Duo which I think that you'll agree is better than Aurora Jazz Duo.
Had our first busk today. Went well apart from the wind factor.
We did;
Do Right
Misty
Dream a Little Dream
Summertime
Blue Moon
The Way You Look Tonight
Cry Me a River
Moon River
Plus I payed some solo stuff before and after the list.
Nice way to practise once you know the tunes ok.
We have also have Autumn Leaves and The Girl from Ipanema in our set but they are relatively new yet but might include one or both next week.
Heading out tomorrow again. Basically practise on familiar tunes while building up the kitty.
Perhaps our first market gig next month? Fingers crossed.
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And there I was going to say that you were in illustrous company with that name...
Originally Posted by Liarspoker
ENSEMBLE AURORA
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We have been meeting regularly and have 3 gigs lined up, the first being at the end of May.
Plenty of time to practice or so we thought. I got a text this morning to see if I could fill for someone next Sunday. A quick confirmation text and everything was well.....
Until I picked up a food bowl that one of my boys left on the ground. In doing so I got a splinter lodged underneath my picking hand index finger nail. It actually broke the nail a bit and hurts lot so I can't practise.
We don't have enough material for two sets so I'll play solo fingerstyle guitar for a set then the duo for a set.
We have
Do Right
Dream a Little Dream
Misty
Summertime
Blue Moon
The Way You Look Tonight
Cry Me a River
Moon River
Girl from Ipanema
Autumn Leaves
Crazy
My Funny Valentine
Hope that my finger heals pronto....I need to practice!!!
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alltunes and AllenAllen, any updates on your trios?
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The trio gig went great. We have another booked in June, I'm going to try for more trio stuff. It's fun to be uncomfortable.
You're only 6 songs away from 2 45 minute sets. I do 9 song sets with my group, usually the last one is cut short.
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Nice one AllenAllen. Duo gigs next for you
We'll get a full set if I do improv but am actually looking forward to the solo set more. I love the freedom.
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Our first as a trio is May 10. We will mix it up pretty good, jazz standards with vox, some old school R&B, classic country; a few instrumentals. The gig will be in a restaurant type setting Originally Posted by Liarspoker
but with an active bar.....will report back.
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I've tried to get a duo thing when someone comes back that they mostly do solo acoustic acts. No bites yet. I think I gotta make a stupid website, with a stupid EPK. The business side of music is just awful. Originally Posted by Liarspoker
Nice one AllenAllen. Duo gigs next for you
We'll get a full set if I do improv but am actually looking forward to the solo set more. I love the freedom.
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We had a good gig today. Went as expected.
Friday rehearsal was terrible on my part and was very nervous for the gig. Saturday rehearsal was bang on which made me excited for the gig
Funny how that works.
Woke up early today and practised my solo tunes and little solo parts for the duo pieces, then the gig then when I came home, after packing the gear away and eating, I dove into the blue Tim Lerch book. I've enough done now.
For the gig I did half an hour solo guitar then the other 90 minutes with the singer.
Due to my solo playing we had a few spare tunes. Next gig there is in three weeks so we'll have a full two sets of duo tunes. Can't wait.
You can follow us and see pics on FB.
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What does Cork-based mean?
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Based in Cork. Where the leprechauns are.
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Because of these leprechauns blasting their music too loud buskers need to get a busking license from May 20 onwards. Originally Posted by grahambop
Based in Cork. Where the leprechauns are.
€30 acoustic license, €60 if an amplifier is used.
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Hmmm so it’s not something I can use to distinguish my self as lounge jazz.
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I forgot to mention something cool and money which is very important obviously ( plus some questions at the end ).
The cool part is that during the solo tunes a guy came up to me and asked me about my amp which was a battery operated Roland Micro Cube as it gives a great sound.
I had my Vox AC15C1 ready to go but got asked to bring a battery powered amp instead. Not sure why since there seemed to be plenty of power available.
Anyhow long story short the guy found out that I teach so took my number and send me a message afterwards. So hopefully new student.
The gig paid a set fee and we can busk too which is fun.
The singer thinks that she jumped on my gig so wants me to keep the set fee while she keeps the tips.
Tips were about 1/5 if the set fee.
I did play over half an hour solo but we often rehearse at my place and she often brings coffee.
I'm happy to go 50/50 with all gig income. What do you think?
Edit: Also at the moment we are putting earnings into a kitty for things like pro social media headers, business cards, maybe new equipment such as a small pa etc.
So you think that's a good idea?
Our aim is to play corporates where everything has to be pro ( but they pay very well ).
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50/50…..good vocals are hard to find and vox are usually the star of the show…
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I would keep the pay as it is until I bought the gear my band needed, then as new gigs come, split the pay differently.
Essentially, split the corporate gigs after you use this money to buy yourself a PA.
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Our show went very well (guitar, bass, vocals). The venue asked for more dates. It was quite nice to have such a simple set up. I played my Tele through a tube amp; no pedals; just a little reverb in the amp. Bass player had a small amp. Singer sang through a Bose S1 Pro that we just put on a chair behind us. The diners seemed to enjoy it. We played in a room with people eating dinner very close by. Keeping the volume under control allowed them to enjoy their dinner conversations. I mean we were so low I could hear someone say they liked us across the room lol. Having a singer makes our job so much easier.
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The currency in Cork is Euros? Good lord, what are things coming to? But I suppose sterling is seen as imperial British. Originally Posted by Liarspoker
(Just looked it up, happened in 2020. Ah well)
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And it wasn't Sterling before the Euro either, it was the Irish pound, or punt (since 1927, btw). Originally Posted by ragman1
I'm sorry I missed this thread earlier, I was in Roscommon with lots of free time for 2 weeks in April, but will do the same again in October. I'll bookmark this thread and check it before we head over again and maybe I can catch one of your gigs
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I played a farmers market and the Sax player brought an S1 Pro to sing though, it kept up just fine, it's a cool speaker. Originally Posted by alltunes
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