What Do You Play?

Once again, a detailed answer to a simple question.

As a "mercenary" keyboard player, I get this question asked of me sometimes. Some people assume that I only play certain styles. I must admit, that while some styles are my preference (blues and jazz), there are two factors that come in to play outside of that. The first factor is do I have any interest in the music or the style. The second factor is, as my keyboard-playing friend Kevin says, "how much does the gig pay?"

Another way of looking at the question is to discuss what I've done already. Blue Funk was a blues/blues rock band. We covered blues and rock songs, and we wrote originals in those veins as well. The other band I've played a bit with, Collective Hallucination, is a R&B/Soul band, though most would probably say it defies categorization. The band plays a lot of original songs, and has covered songs by Donny Hathaway, Charles Brown, Rihanna, Prince, Bill Withers, and others. It is nothing like the blues and rock stuff that Blue Funk played, nor like the blues and jazz I'd seek out. I've also played a couple of times with "acoustic soul rocker" Kenneth Scott. I'd say the kind of soul he plays is very different than the soul of CH.

If I got a call today from a country act, I would never rule it out per se. I'd consider if I liked the music and what I'd be playing. If it were an act like Jesse Dayton, Hayes Carll, or Johnny Bush (yeah, right, but bear with me), I'd definitely do it if I could.

So what do you play?

Sometimes I think it can be better described by what instruments I play. I play piano, organ, electric pianos, and clav. In other words, real keyboard instruments. I don't play synths because I feel that's a skill that's a bit outside of what I'm trying to nail down right now. I don't do strings, horns, or anything like that where keys are used to "fake" a part. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it's just not my thing (personally, I think if you want horns you should get real horns. It's my blog and I can say that if I want to. But I'm not going to dismiss a band if they chose or need to do that). You won't see me at a gig with stacks of modern keyboards and/or racks of synths.

(I threw the word "modern" in there because if I could play a rig like that of Benmont Tench with a grand piano, a Hammond, a Clavinet, a Wurlie, and whatever else he has in his stacks, I would!)

So what do you play?

At a recent Band Campus, we discussed our "elevator pitch." Here is mine, and hopefully it answers the question. You'd tell me if it doesn't, wouldn't you? That's awfully nice of you.

I'm a piano and organ player and songwriter. I've been playing mostly blues and blues/rock, but I'm getting deeper into jazz and R&B. I play with all sorts of bands and I'm always looking for a gig with someone that moves me.

Posted 2010 03 26 at 12:48 PM

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