Greetings, and a warm welcome to the onset of springtime, and warmer weather to follow.  It will be nice to leave the snow and frigid temperatures behind.  Travel has been a challenge the last few weeks. 

In the 24 year history of my big band we have never done an extended tour, until now, that is. Last week the band loaded into two minivans and three cars and hit the road.  We played 8 concerts and did a new recording in 9 days. It was sensational to play every night and then do the recording.  It made me wonder how we ever made the last 15 recordings with any semblance of cohesiveness. A real testament to the musicians in the band, I guess.

The first challenge presented itself on the Friday before the Monday on which the tour began. I had called Hertz numerous times to confirm and reconfirm the reservation for the 4 vehicles I was renting for the tour. I was assured by the Hertz gold desk, as well as by the manager at the pick-up location, that the vehicles would be ready and waiting. While out in Los Angeles on Friday I received a call from the Hertz rep near my home in New York who reported that our cars would not be ready due to bad weather and a shortage of vehicles in the NYC area. Needless to say, I freaked! Three hours later, after many phone calls, and a few more gray hairs, I was assured that the cars would be delivered to the pick-up point in time. What I have learned from this experience is that reserving a rental car means very little as far as assuring that a vehicle will be available when you need it. You have no recourse either. I was just lucky that the people I spoke to took pity on our situation and helped us out.

Our first concert was in State College, PA, at a wonderful little theatre called the State Theatre. It was the perfect venue for a big band, with a nice sound and feel. The band played well, and we were off to a good start. After the concert we loaded into the vehicles and headed for Youngstown, Ohio. The next gig was in Indianapolis, so I figured I would book a hotel part of the way there to break up the trip. I booked a Super 8 motel on line, figuring that we would only be there long enough to sleep for a few hours, then move on. We pull up to the hotel, which is right next to a large strip club that features body shampoos. Bob Malach commented, “Sure glad we’re not staying here.” Aside from some guy beating his wife all night, we survived the Super 8 experience. You get what you pay for!

The Tuesday gig was at the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis. The club was full of jazz fans, and we all had a great time. Big bands sound the best in clubs where you can hear and feel the other cats in a good way. The Jazz Kitchen is one of the nicest clubs in the US to play. Great food and a serious jazz audience. Big fun!

Wednesday we headed over to Ball State University Emmons Auditorium. This is a 2,500 seat hall that has an incredible acoustic. One is able to hear and feel every note with unusual clarity in this room. The audience was small, but appreciative.

Thursday we drove to Columbus Ohio and did a workshop and concert at Capital University. The students were a gas, and the concert went quite well. The band was on fire by now, Having done 3 nights in a row, this has been a rare occurrence for the band.  After the concert we headed for Indianapolis to spend the night on the way to Dekalb, Illinois. This time we stayed in a nicer hotel to my and the band’s relief!

Friday we played at a little club in downtown Dekalb owned and run by Fareed Haque, a fine guitarist and teacher at Northern Illinois University. This is a nice room to play sonically. The audience was on fire and made us feel right at home. We left after the gig to drive the short distance to Elmhurst college, where we would play the next night at Doug Beach’s festival. This was the 40th anniversary of the Elmhurst College Jazz Fest, and we were honored to be part of it. Doug runs a fantastic festival, and we played a beautiful concert there for a packed house of students and jazz fans.

The following day we were supposed to drive to Youngstown, Ohio and play a concert at Youngstown State University. The weather turned bad Saturday night, and it became apparent we would have trouble getting to Youngstown the next day. I pulled the plug on the Youngstown gig so as to not jeopardize the safety of the cats. As it turned out, the Clayton Hamilton Big Band was unable to get to Elmsford to play on Sunday, so we were asked to fill in for  the Sunday concert. A gift from above! This helped to have the tour emerge in the black rather than losing a night of income and incurring extra hotel expenses for 16 musicians. Phew!

Monday morning we left Elmhurst at the crack of dawn and drove 8 hours to Pittsburgh to the Manchester Craftsman’s Guild. We set up, had dinner, and then recorded four tunes. The guys in the band really came through after a grueling day. The following day we recorded the remaining tunes and did a concert in the evening. The band was tearing it up! I couldn’t have been happier. I think we have a great recording on our hands, which should be released on the MCG label beginning of next year. Kurt Elling will guest on an arrangement I did of the Pat Metheny tune Minuano.

I walked away from this experience with the knowledge that I can book a tour for my big band on my own. I can also advance all the dates, book the travel arrangements, hotels, meals, and provide a comprehensive itinerary (a must!). It really was about considering how I like to travel and be informed of what’s going on while on a tour.  It was somewhat time consuming, but I was comfortable with the knowledge that all the details were covered in a professional way.

I also learned that a great band, like the one I’m fortunate to work with, can make a very good recording with a minimal amount of rehearsal.  But to get the music to the next several levels, it is essential that the band has the opportunity to play the music on a daily basis for a while.

It has taken 24 years to figure out a lot of the components that comprise the makings of a successful band.  We haven’t had the easiest time breaking into the mainstream jazz market, although there have been bright moments along the way (playing the Berlin Festival 1988, Monterey Jazz Festival 1996, playing the Village Vanguard in the 80’s), winning a Grammy in 2002). I guess the main thing is to keep working on the music and the performance and recording of the music so that when opportunities come along the band  can throw down and play great. Even if you’re not the darling of the critics and not in demand to play the jazz circuit on a regular basis, there’s lots you can do to make things happen.

Keep the faith!