I played "Cherry Pink", and remember when "Satin Doll", "Just A Gigolo" medley, and "Stardust" were among our most requested songs. This was music from my parents and grandparents generation. I was a weird kid, and didn't reject my parent's music, and in turn, my parents didn't hate mine.

In my teens and 20s I played mostly rock music though. One band I was in eventually ended up opening concerts for artists whose songs were currently in the Billboard top 10. We almost had a record deal with Motown, but our manager and their people couldn't agree on money (Motown wanted to p!mp us).

Years later, when we targeted the retirement audience, I was in my 30s. The old standards were the bulk of what we played. If the time was right, we could sneak in a Horace Silver or Freddie Hubbard in the middle of a set, but any rock 'n roll was verboten.

As much as enjoyed playing rock, this was a new and interesting adventure, getting the right feel and learning to improvise solos in the right style. I was also beginning to do my own backing tracks then, with a Teac A3440 reel-to-reel, 4 channel tape deck.

We hardly play those tunes anymore, and I miss putting that musical hat on. But we still play variety, Rock, Pop, Country, Disco, Latin American, Reggae, Soca, and various other varieties. I do like the challenge of being authentic in each genre. It's not the notes, that's easy, it's the expression, phrasing, timing, groove and ornaments that make it sound real.

Nightclubs don't hire bands much in the middle of the week anymore, although we are still doing a Wednesday between lunch and dinner gig at a restaurant/bar, and it's in our 17th year. So we fill in other week days playing for Assisted Living Facilities. One hour shows on weekday mid afternoons. We still get to pull out a Sinatra or other standards, but only one per day, and they have to be recognizable to the "younger" residents. So "Summer Wind" is good, but "Perdido" would probably fall flat.

We recently learned these requests, "Harvest Moon", "I Won't Back Down", "It's The Same Old Song", "Take Me Home, Country Roads", and just fielded a request for anything Joni Mitchell (put that on the list). For a special person in one of the Assisted Living Facilities, I just started Sinatra's "All The Way". To see this guy smile will make the labor of learning it worth the effort, even if we only play it for him.

We still play general audience gigs on the weekends, where we see people from their 20s and up, so we aren't totally rooted in the past. And since it's Florida, we get to mix in Caribbean music to a general gig.

But, as long as I'm still playing for the retirement audience and filling the gaps with ALF gigs, we'll be GhostBuskers.

Who ya gonna call? Hopefully, us.


Insights and incites by Notes ♫

PS. I know I'm at the age where many people retire, but I have no intention of doing that. Why should I? Gigging is the most fun I can have with my clothes on. Retirement seems like early death to me.

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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