tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13140772.post7011858418536049658..comments2023-11-29T02:22:49.926-06:00Comments on Coyotebanjo: Quick hit: posturing high school studentsCJShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02758288418215601287noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13140772.post-84525758382628999612009-03-07T22:12:00.000-06:002009-03-07T22:12:00.000-06:00"My experience over a lot of years is that playing..."My experience over a lot of years is that playing in front of people is not actually the same phenomenon, nor does it work the same skills, as practicing at home. In fact, I think practice at home is a hell of a lot *more* productive of technical progress."<BR/><BR/>Oh, indubitably, in terms of technical progress it has always been a horrible idea for me to try and "improve" a riff in front of an audience. But there is a skill set involved in working an audience; I find the piano bar players (especially Ronnie Wilson, who I think might be a badass) to be interesting artists in that respect.<BR/><BR/>"an oblivious response from an audience is *not* usually due to a flaw in the performance--but rather to a disconnect between the venue, the audience's expectations or areas of familiarity, and the music's intentions or style-characteristics."<BR/><BR/>This is something I am not sure about, but reading your thoughts over the last couple of months on performing in pubs and bars has me thinking about it: on some level, great performance art is the creation of a space and the transformation of an audience... <BR/><BR/>the creation of a Situation?JohnReevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03353991093860799107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13140772.post-26858913506176438462009-03-07T11:08:00.000-06:002009-03-07T11:08:00.000-06:00Thanks for your comment. See below:"As much as I a...Thanks for your comment. See below:<BR/><BR/>"As much as I am fine playing with myself at home, practice in front of actual people is an efficient way to judge progress."<BR/><BR/>Yes and no. My experience over a lot of years is that playing in front of people is not actually the same phenomenon, nor does it work the same skills, as practicing at home. In fact, I think practice at home is a hell of a lot *more* productive of technical progress. Over the past 35 years, my observation and experience suggests that an oblivious response from an audience is *not* usually due to a flaw in the performance--but rather to a disconnect between the venue, the audience's expectations or areas of familiarity, and the music's intentions or style-characteristics.<BR/><BR/>That was, I guess, more or less my point.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again.CJShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02758288418215601287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13140772.post-59097628574237893512009-03-07T11:01:00.000-06:002009-03-07T11:01:00.000-06:00I dunno. I played a similar gig at the same venue...I dunno. I played a similar gig at the same venue last night, and I felt it was more-or-less us invading their turf: I'm neither a Christian, a self-absorbed teen, nor a midnight coffee drinker. <BR/><BR/>So it comes across differently to me: a low pressure gig where we can try out new material and get paid in Orange Crush or cheesecake. As much as I am fine playing with myself at home, practice in front of actual people is an efficient way to judge progress. If the audience is largely indifferent/oblivious that is part of the game I'm trying to beat.<BR/><BR/>Of course, T. made origami out of her cut of the pay from the last gig we did there together. If I were going to rant about something, that is where I'd start.JohnReevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03353991093860799107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13140772.post-22180631536402767542009-03-06T17:37:00.000-06:002009-03-06T17:37:00.000-06:00then again, for some of us, it was just what we ne...then again, for some of us, it was just what we needed to hear.sunshinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10890629106218775794noreply@blogger.com