[okchorale] Re: Jewish calendar strikes again: rehearsal postponement

[Joe Kesselman <keshlam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paula Lieberman wrote:
> What about Monday?

Possible...

> On a different topic, if we're shooting for Milly Philly

I almost certainly won't be going. But I'm not the only bass, and most
of our arrangements can tolerate losing a harmony line or two if they
must. So if that's a target gig folks want to aim for, great!

(I tend not to do cons outside my own area unless there's something
specific on the program which catches my attention. I'm not a fan, I
just read the stuff. If I keep saying it often enough, maybe I'll
believe it...)



Re panel discussion -- I don't think we're authorities yet, but these
would definitely be interesting topics to provoke a discussion of.


> something everyone in the group can stand singing?

It's harder in a small group, but sometimes the right thing to do is to
say "I'm not comfortable singing that one but if the rest of you want
to, go ahead." For example, Walkabout had a few songs which shaded over
into being a bit anti-technology, but which they performed well and
which fit their overall message. I simply dropped out on the verse that
bothered me, or dropped back into a corner of the stage and listened, or
supported them instrumentally. 

Sometimes a song really doesn't fit the a group. But we sorta owe it to
each other to give each proposal fair consideration. Not least because
proposing a song actually takes a fair amount of courage, and we don't
want to slap folks down so hard they stop doing so. If you must, think
of it as an investment against the time when you may want to introduce a
song that others aren't immediately wild about.

Again based on my experience with Walkabout: sometimes the "that's not
going to go anywhere" numbers turn out to be among the best songs in
your repertoire. And sometimes you were right the first time. But the
only way to find out is to give them an honest try.

-- 
------------------------------------------------------
Joe Kesselman, http://www.lovesong.com/people/keshlam/
Appearing March 10 at Walkabout, a double bill:
Vance Gilbert shares our stage with Stone Soup
http://www.WalkaboutClearwater.org/coffeehouse.html