Loving these Dred Scott posts- keep them coming!!
i’m reading ron carter’s biography by dan ouellette. it is a very
thorough look at the career and personality of jazz’s greatest living
bassist. one thing mr. carter always insists upon is that his
bandmate’s be dressed well. very well. in fact, when he and mike
stern were on a week long gig at the blue note, mr. carter told the
guitarist after the first nite that if he was going to dress in a
t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes the rest of the week, he was not
coming back. next nite, mike stern was wearing a sport coat. i’ve
always felt that when i was onstage i was onstage and should dress
appropriately for the gig. if i was playing with mr. carter at the
blue note, i would (after vomitting my nerves down the crapper) make
sure my suit looked great.
when i played with an allman bros cover band this past weekend at the
national underground, i wore my plaid dress shirt and a trucker hat.
for my jay collins gig this weekend, i will don something between that
and those kind of rumpled suits the guys in the band used to wear.
tonite for my gig with mc extra cheese, i think a track suit will be
appropriate.
which brings me to an interesting item i saw in page six yesterday,
that brings the whole issue of dress into question (speaking of the
brothers). butch trucks, drummer for the allman bros. is quoted in
next month’s relix relating the reaction of duane allman
to his band mates while watching led
zeppelin perform for the first time,
‘what the fuck is this? it’s as much about the ballet and the
costumes as about the music…if not more so. i’m either going to go
up there and kick the shit out of that guy or we’re leaving.’
and they left.
i don’t have to worry about duane showing up to any of my gigs, but i
hope if mr. carter someday hears me play, i am dressed appropriately.
tonite
mc extra cheese w. the dred scott trio
rockwood music hall
11pm
the dred scott trio
midnight
w/ ben rubin, bass
tony mason, drums
friday nite
jay collins and the kings co. band
blue note
12:30 am
www.dredscott.com
www.myspace.com/dred666
well i’m raring to go!