by 120decibels » Tue Jan 14, 2003 4:59 pm
King,
There is a lot to consider. However, there's no better way to get into band playing than to do it.
If you can, take a listen to what they are doing. That way, you know that kind of rhythms that you'll need. The truly experienced and talented can sit down in a situation and just make it happen, but I try to prepare a little bit up front. It could be as simple as finding out that they have a bunch of mambo tunes, a guauanco, etc. Or if they have anything recorded, get a copy and work on it. This could also help you decide if you want to play the music that they're playing.
Personalities can be an issue too. Make sure that you want to (or at least can put up with) spending lots of time with these folks.
From the personal side, playing for people in clubs can be very rewarding, and it can also suck. If the audience is there and they're interested, it's great. However, every musician has played to an empty or disinterested audience. It's a drag sometimes. Once you've rehearsed with a band enough, playing in a club is just a rehearsal with distractions. The audience, other noise, women (or men, depending on your gender/preference), etc.
There are a lot of other pros and cons to club playing. For instance, you get your name out there and people see you play. If you're confident enough, this can lead to teaching and other gigs. On the other side, bar owners and patrons can be a pain. I sometimes play with a pair of Aspires instead of my nice drums if I know that there's a good chance that beer could be spilled near me!
Bottom line, it you think that you can pull it off, go for it. If you play in or around D.C., drop me an email and I'll try to make it out. I'm always up for some Latin Jazz......
Good Luck,
Zach