Steel guitar with a 22 pc. jazz orchestra!

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Actually, TWO 22 pc. jazz orchestras... last week I had the distinct and unusual pleasure of being one of the guest musicians for the Cameron University 25th Country-Jazz Fusion Concert, in Lawton OK.

The main artist was Montana singer-songwriter Stephanie Davis, along with her arranger/pianist Bob Finnie, Rick McRae on guitar, and yours truly. Cindy Cashdollar originally got the call, but for some reason felt she couldn't make the gig, so she called me to fill in and it worked for my schedule. We went up to Lawton on Tuesday and rehearsed for a couple of days before the show on Thursday.

Bob wrote some amazing charts of Steph's material for two jazz big bands; the first was the University Jazz ensemble, the second was for the Lawton/Cameron Community Jazz Ensemble. Each band featured 6 saxophones, 5 trombones, 5 trumpets, and full rhythm section. We also had a 5-member vocal backup group.

The first half of the show was with the university group, the second half with the community group. Both were excellent, though I'd have to give the slight nod to the community group, since they were more mature musicians. Many were ex-professionals, and some were band directors at other schools.

Aside from never having worked with a band that size and operating strictly off of big band charts, contributing a little to my pre-show apprehension was the fact that other steel players who have done this show are Buddy Emmons, Doug Jernigan, Paul Franklin, Hal Rugg, and Steve Palousek.

It was a challenging experience, trust me. Many of the arrangements had chord changes on every beat, and in keys like Db, Ab, and Gb (meaning unusual fretboard positions). My less-than-professional-level reading skills (rhythm parts written in bass clef) were fully utilized, you bet. Another side benefit was learning to read bass clef, finally!

But there is something magical about playing a swinging blues chorus with a full big band riffing behind you, and a monster guitarist like Rick McRae comping along.
When you're being accompanied by two dozen fine musicians playing very hip charts powerfully, you get a taste of what the big band soloists of the past swung with. Really an experience I won't soon forget.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 07 November 2004 at 07:59 PM.]

jim flynn · From: Salado,Texas

Congrats Herb, Now you must know the feeling of "hair raising on your back". Great isn't it. A majority of your peers would not care
to try it. Sure hope it helps others EXPAND
their dementions. You are a hero!!
Maybe some RAP is next! Just kidding of course, however you'd get the same applause from me if you did.
Jim , Lone Star Steel Guitars

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Jim Saunders · From: Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

Herb, Congratulations! I must say, they got the right man for the job. This kind of exposure is exactly what the steel needs to broaden it's base of fans. I love "old Ray Price tunes" as well as the next guy, but playing in mainstream venues expands the limits of the instrument.
Great news!

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Emmons Legrande II, D10, Gibson Console Grande D8, Peavey Nashville 112, Peavey Nashville 400.

Jennings Ward · From: Edgewater, Florida, R.I.P.

Congratulations Herb.....You , my friend, HAVE ARRIVED AT THE PENICALE!! So glad you had the HOHOR.... Best to you ,,,Jennings..

WE PLAY STEEL FOR THE BEAUTIFULL ANGELIC SOUND....................

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EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Jim Flynn:
Mega ditto's on the "hair raising" experience. I recall a gig I did back in 1984 at UT (Univ. o' Texas) for their centennial celebration. In the middle of the gig the UT Longhorn band, all 120 of them, marched into the hall, surrounded the band, and played "Texas Fight." Totally powerful, and symbolic of what it means to be Texan. I had chicken skin that day, for sure, and I never even attended UT!

Jim Saunders:
Yes, I did expand the horizons of steel guitar. Part of the activities was being guest lecturers at a couple of music classes (unfortunately at 9am

); we arranged and rehearsed some numbers with the classes present and explained what each instrument did within the orchestra structure.

I explained the pedal steel, how it was tuned, how it operated, etc., to a very curious and interested group of students. Several came up after the classes and thanked me profusely, saying they'd heard the instrument a lot before, but had never seen one played or knew how it operated. This in fact was one of the most rewarding aspects of my trip.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 07 November 2004 at 07:49 PM.]

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Good onya, Herb!
My band has a gig backed up by the Philadelphia Classical Symphony in April of '05; hope it works out as well as yours seems to have done.
Cheers,
Jimbeaux

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Jimbeaux... you will totally groove to the experience, I'm sure. Make certain the performance is recorded! Our show was recorded and video'ed and I can't wait to see the results.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Congratulations Herb-It does my heart good to see steel guitar in a venue like that.

Thank you!................al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

That's great, Herb. I wish I had been there. You are superbly qualified for this gig, reading deficiencies not withstanding, because of your great time, swing, and tone.

Wayne Cox · From: Chatham, Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.

HERB, did anyone think to bring a recorder?
No, not the toy flute;a machine that records
good live music.
~~W.C.~~

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Super Herb!
It is wondeful to see the steel expanding it's horizons, and you too.

Playing with a large band is a trip for sure.
And being a featured player even better.

My biggest group ever was doing Caramina Burana (on bass) with 450 singers, a band of 110, and a Grammy winning guest conductor. 570 performers...
I listen to the recording I did and it still can be hair raising with the volume up.

So a BIG congratulations to you.
I bet you can't wait for the next time.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 08 November 2004 at 12:48 AM.]

Michael Garnett · From: Seattle, WA

Herb-

After having heard you play with Bush a few weeks back up here in LBK, I'd say you have nothing to worry about walking in the footsteps of the likes of Buddy, Doug, Paul, Hal and Steve. Nobody really knows who those guys are anyway...

Congrats on the cool-sounding gig. Anything to learn a little bit more every day, right?

See you out this way sometime soon.

Garnett

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Uva Uvam Videndo Varia Fit
Carter D-10, Deltafex, Nashville 400, Shure UM-1 personal monitors
Alvarez A-100 Mandolin
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HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Herb,
How does it feel to play your steel in a tux and patent leather shoes?!?!

Erv

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

KEWL!!!!!!!!

Buck Grantham R.I.P. · From: Denham Springs, LA. USA

That's great Herb. Must have been a great thrill. I bet you experienced a level of consentration that you didn't know you had.

Bob Taillefer · From: Canada

Bonjour Herb!
How fortunate you have been to be able to play with a big band. Being asked to do a gig of that nature says a lot about your musicianship. Well deserved my friend! Thanks for sharing this great experience. Salut mon ami! Bob

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Erv
Though the bands all were in tuxedos... and I do own a tux, BTW

..., Rick and I were in black pants/vest/white shirt/string tie, your basic Texas Playboys garb.

Buck
You got that right. Yes, my concentration level was high. Sight reading charts in those keys while playing steel, counting unusual numbers of measures in many sections, following commands in Italian shorthand (standard music notation though they may be), etc. on arrangements that were occasionally 6 pages long, finding voicings that didn't conflict with the horns/reeds,... need I go on? I did have to be on my toes a wee bit more than I would have to do on your standard hillbilly gig.

On the other hand, there were lots of moments when I could just lay back and listen to the band groove.

My most favorite part was a short 8-bar solo I took Joaquin-style on "Sunny Side of the Street," backed by the horns playing a Quincy Jones arrangement with more extended and altered chords than one normally would hear in that tune. Way cool. Felt like the way Murph or Noel must have felt playing with Spade.

The most challenging tune was the Jobim medley of Corcovado, Wave, and One Note Samba. I took no solos... wasn't offered any

... but I did lay out quite a bit. I had already learned Wave in D, but they kicked it up to Eb and I was too brain dead by that time to transpose instantly. The thing I learned about Jobim is that he frequently holds notes from chord to chord changing leading tones within the chord. For example, much of One Note can be played using similar changes to the Night Life intro, though the chord names are not officially the same. Pianists can't cheat on those voicings, but steel players occasionally can.

Bob T
Bonjour, mon ami back at ya! I hope to see you and Deborah in Dallas this March, or maybe AZ in January?

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 08 November 2004 at 08:08 AM.]

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 08 November 2004 at 08:28 AM.]

John McGann · From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

Yeah, Herb!!!!

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Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff.

Joaquin Murphey solos book info and some free stuff : http://www.johnmcgann.com/joaquin.html

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Very excellent, dude, bitch'n.....

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Herb my friend, I'm sure that you were qualified for that job, if not in fact overqualified, but I understand your elation in doing something different from the normal gig.

It reminded me of when I was younger and more adept than now, when a popular orchestra (not band) who normally did Dorsey/Krupa arrangements but occasionally needed one of those "whiney" steel guitars to legitimatize a booking as a "country" act, occasionally called me to perform that "whiney" function.

I always enjoyed those gigs because I had an opportunity to "exceed my ability" and no one knew the difference but me, and everyone seemed happy with the final result!

...anyway Herb, you are one of my favorites...and may God bless you!
www.genejones.com

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

Herb, congratulations on a fantastic gig.

Nathan Delacretaz · From: Austin, Texas, USA

That's too cool, Herb! Your accounts of reading down traditional charts had me squirming.

As a born/raised Okie, it's great to know that progressive, interesting projects like that are going on up there.

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Jeff
What I meant by that is that pianists have the ability to play full block chords when necessary and frequently, therefore, the requirement to do so. But steel players can frequently get by with the three notes we have picks for, and playing the partial chords that give color to the chord while relying on the bass or keys to provide the root tones or other color notes of the chord.

Example: the first four measures of One Note Samba are Dm, Db7, Cm7sus, and B7b5. If voiced only on strings 3-6, they can be phrased thusly:



      Dm       Db7   Cm7sus   B7b5    


3_____5_____________________________


4_____5________8_____7#______6##______


5______________8_____7_______6________


6_____5________8b____7b______6b_______

while the chords to the intro to Night Life in Bb, if played only on strings 3-6, can be phrased:



      Bbmaj7   Db7   Gbmaj9   Cb7#11    


3_____5_____________________________


4_____5________8_____6##______6##______


5______________8_____6________6________


6_____5________8b____6________6b_______

Not the same, but quite similar. Yes, I see the glaring D note in the Cm7 chord in One Note, but at the performance tempo it isn't disharmonic.

If the Cm7 chord were voiced like the Gbmaj9 in Night Life, it would officially be a Cm7b9sus.

Which is why I say we can occasionally "cheat."

Of course, we can get more complete voicings upon occasion, but if we limit ourselves to smaller note groups, the same familiar pedal changes would work in either tune without the full chord voicing. Knowing what partial chords work in a number of situations and where they are can be a big aid when there's multiple chord changes occurring in each measure and you're bopping along at 180bpm.

In other words, in a big band situation, we don't need to play every note and are probably not even expected to, whereas the piano may have a greater harmonic role to assume.

EDITED FOR TAB CORRECTION.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 08 November 2004 at 10:42 AM.]

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

What Herb said....

Not only can you cheat with the steel when playing with a 'big' band, sometimes it sounds better when you do cheat. For instance, in a big jazz band, while it would be possible for the arranger to have the horns play 5-10 part chords, often he or she has them play 3 parts of the chord (or less). One of the ways the steel can fit in with this sort of environment is to think like a horn, or horn section (Herb is especially good at this). And less is better, IMHO.

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