In one of my pontificating moods the other day I came across this article (via A Blog Supreme) by an American saxophonist called Greg Osby, talking about suitable attire for jazz musicians on a gig. It got me thinking a little bit about what we wear for Beats & Pieces gigs – I normally just tell the band to wear something comfortable and similar to what they normally wear, which is exactly what Osby doesn’t like… Obviously I can only comment on myself, but some of the things he particularly doesn’t like to see are:
- prominent holes in jeans
- wrinkled t-shirts
- dirty trainers
- visible underwear
…all of which I have been known to exhibit. I take issue with the unwashed hair though – messy and unkempt it may be but its always washed!
All joking aside, I’d be genuinely interested in your comments regarding this issue and Beats & Pieces specifically. Does our less formal dress detract from our performance? Is the sight of my arse appearing over the top of my jeans personally offensive? Personally I’m of the impression that the music we play isn’t ‘just’ jazz influenced, and contains strong influences from rock and pop music where casual dress for gigs seems to be the norm. Osby says that people see you before they hear you and gain an impression from that, but I feel that if we were to arrive for a gig dressed in 1950s suits then the impression that would be given off wouldn’t be representative of the music we play and are influenced by. But like I say I do really want to know what you think, and maybe the next time you see us we’ll all put our glad rags on…
Below are some pictures for comparison of Greg Osby looking razor sharp (and quite pleased about it actually) and me looking arguably less so…
Posted by on 24/10/2009 at 12:47 in misc and tagged bums, clothes, dress, gigs, greg, jazz, osby.
HA!!!
Classic article Ben, haven’t read Gregs but don’t think I need to, because, to use his words, I saw him before I heard him…..
I think how you dress is incredibly important on gigs, it says a lot about you and how you perceive the music you make. That’s why it’s important to let it be a natural and unforced decision. I say dress as you feel comfortable in the situation, if we end up playing stadiums/concert halls it may be appropriate to change our attire to something we feel is suitable. On occasions where it feels right to make an effort (for example, an album launch…..) giving everyone the freedom to come as an exaggerated, hyper-real version of themselves would seem like a good idea. Staying honest but also having respect for the occasion (although it relies heavily on people having an imagination…..).
Love the blog, see you soon, good luck at the album launch!
(maybe you could set up a baking track with one of my solos on it so it’s kind of like i’m there???)
S
xxxxxx