Post 439: SIT OR STAND TO PLAY TRADITIONAL JAZZ?

Should musicians be seated while playing traditional jazz? My answer is YES.

Obviously there are circumstances where musicians have no choice. If you play in a street parade, for example, you have to be on your feet. And some string bass players and sousaphone players claim to be more comfortable standing up. That's fair enough; though even some of them can and do sometimes benefit from using a chair or perching on a stool.

I have heard it said that trombonists need to play standing up to give 'freedom to their lungs'. I do not accept this argument. Classical orchestral trombonists - who are almost invariably seated - have no difficulty in producing a triple forte when required. And our best young trombonists today (such as Barnabus Jones) happily play sitting down.

As a general principle, I believe our musicians should be seated whenever possible. Why? Because you need to be comfortable and relaxed to contribute well in a traditional jazz ensemble. You are less likely to over-blow and more likely to listen carefully to your colleagues. The teamwork will be better.

I have written before about the layout of bands and recommended that the formation should be a semi-circle or arc rather than a 'front line' with other musicians behind it. Combine this with having everyone seated and you have the perfect formula for good teamwork and communication.

AN ARC:
Perfect for relaxed playing
and good communication within the band.

But when we see a trumpet and trombone at the front of a stage, the instruments pointing directly over the heads of the audience, there is something inherently exhibitionist and aloof in the very posture. Unless the musicians are specially careful, it encourages playing that is too loud and it diverts their attention from where it should be - on how the band as a whole is sounding.

That's the way to do it!

Look at photos of the great bands from the early days of our music. Clearly, they enjoyed being well supplied with chairs.

The evolution of the standing, pretentious 'front line' seems to have occurred later.

I am pleased to note that in recent years, even though the fashion for standing up still persists in many (mostly long-established) bands, the younger generation of fine traditional jazz musicians generally adopts a comfortable and relaxed seated posture and a formation that enables them to put teamwork first.

When you are eighty-two years old, I can tell you playing a two-hour gig standing up is very tiring. That's another overwhelming reason for being seated!

Post 6: GET RID OF THE FRONT LINE!

I don't know who started the fashion way back in the mid-20th Century for having a 'front line' of clarinet, trumpet and trombone and a 'back line' rhythm section with such instruments as percussion, banjo and bass. Maybe it was the George Lewis band.

The set-up thrusts the front line into the limelight and prevents the audience from seeing and appreciating the other musicians. The players at the back often complain that they can't clearly hear those at the front. Also, this formation makes it difficult for signals to be passed between the musicians (for example - who is going to 'take the solo' in the next chorus). A front-line player who is the band-leader frequently has to turn round in the middle of a tune to signal or speak to colleagues.

I know there are some cramped venues where such a set-up is hard to avoid. But I have often thought it would be better for both the band and the audience if the musicians arranged themselves in an arc or semi-circular formation, in the same way as string quartets and quintets do in the classical music world. The players would all be able to see and hear each other and the audiences would see all the players.

The wonderful young band Tuba Skinny, based in New Orleans, is setting us an example in this respect, as in so many others. Whenever there is sufficient space, they spread themselves out in front of their audience. Shaye Cohn, who gives the directions, sits where she can be seen by all her colleagues. The clarinet and the trombone occupy positions shoulder to shoulder with her because it is with them that she has to work closely to produce the band's wonderful polyphony. The tuba and banjo or guitar are in line so the audience has an unimpeded view of them. Every individual in the band can be seen and appreciated by the audience:

Get it?

Don't you agree that's a better way to present our music?
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Footnotes

Since I originally wrote the above article (in 2013), I have noticed a few more bands playing in the 'arc' formation. I'm very pleased about this. Let's get rid of the concept of a 'front line'!

My book Playing Traditional Jazz is available from Amazon.