Paul Says:
Playing for dances is fun, challenging, physically demanding, and sometimes frustrating, but it's a great way to build your chops and stamina, and the tunes are great.
Yes i agree wholeheartedly with all of those adjectives. One thing that has always struck me while playing the contra dance scene, is how little respect this music gets from the so-called serious musicians in my neck of the woods. Certainly these are not the most harmonically challenging tunes on the block. But there's no other music I have ever played that drives at such a speed, and for such a length of time. Getting to that speed takes practice, and I find i quickly lose it if i don't perform for even a few months.,
The open sessions are often frustrating to me. I stopped attending a popular session where i live, because as the population of players grew and grew, I found myself less and less able to hear what i was doing. As the band hit a critical mass, the sound system disappeared. I opted out with the excuse that: "I'm mainly in it for the music. When I can't hear myself play the music, what's the point".
Despite my excuse, I am well aware of the point for all those folks who are so much deeper into the aesthetic than me. The expression of community is what it is all about.
I had no interest in raining on this local event that continues to make both players and dancers so happy. I show up at this weekly dance about once every six weeks. And always relish the incredible rush playing great tunes like Reel St Antoine and Green Willis at 115 bpm.
Bookmarks