As the bandleader my job is to develop a musical style, compose in that style and guide the interpretation of the compositions. The goal for this project was to perform music that was both written in “parts” and also meant for improvisation. “Parts” music is played by reading notes on a page; this can sometimes be complex and can require much concentration. It is found in many types of music including classical, pop, musical theater, big band and more. The challenge is to make the music sound alive and fresh every performance even though the musician has performed it the say way hundreds of times. With Somebody Else’s Nightmare, some of the “parts” change from performance to performance – for example, some compositions demand that the musicians improvise their own melody. To do this, they must listen closely to what the others are doing, and adjust. During performance, chord patterns might change. Also, I might cue in new sections while the piece is evolving, much like an audible called from the quarterback in football. In my mind, this is musical fun for both player and listener. — Joe Holiday Continue reading →