Four score and seven years ago...

It's been about 7 years since I've attempted to do professional singing gigs. In the last few months I have tried to resurrect the singing personae that has been mostly dormant all this time after having had to go through a collection agency to get payment on the last solo concert I did: a private party in the affluent suburb of Schaumburg, IL.

So, call it my 7 year itch, but in May, I auditioned for a jazz trio. Got the gig, over about 50 or so singers (so I am told), and have been learning music and rehearsing. It's me, a guitar player, and a bassist. The bassist is the leader and 'manager' of the trio. The idea for the gig is his own: a Julie London tribute band. Actually, I am one of three singers- one is sort of an understudy and the other is a groupie that just likes to show up to sing the music under the guise of just practicing for fun. I'm fairly certain she has designs on being a trio singer, but she's terrible and the other musicians wouldn't be too keen on that. There is also a second guitar player learning the music. So there are five of us total that could be switched into any trio combination (maintaining our respective instrumental/vocal position) that includes the bassist. Some earlier singers didn't like the idea of not being the front lady all the time and they bailed. I don't mind the fact that there are more singers. In fact, I prefer it, because I know this will keep me guilt-free if I have a conflict with a gig and the other musicians can still get a booking. But, as far as the singers go, right now I am the one who is most requested for rehearsals with the two guitar players, rehearsing about twice a week.

7 years ago, to sing for a gig, I only had to deal with a piano player: a gay, Greek collegiate named Costa. He was a fantastic musician, but, man, he was so sensitive that I felt like I was walking on eggshells during every rehearsal - trying not to say something that could possibly be misinterpreted as an ego-buster. It was so tedious emotionally just to run music with him. Afterwards I was exhausted. His friends would secretly refer to him as the guy who has PMS 24/7. But, Costa wasn't the first moody musician I'd ever met.

Growing up, I went to 2 different middle schools and had three different band directors over the course of my junior high education. If there was one thing you could count on, it was that they'd be so f*cking tempermental they could ruin your day with a single glance. If you were late coming in on a measure, they'd pop a blood vessel screaming. If you were passing a note to a friend while they were pontificating on the distinction between legato and allegro, they'd all but publically announce they planned to murder your firstborn child. I had a few choice exchanges with one of these, Mr. Rodgers, who in hindsight, actually was the most talented of the three. Truth is: I played the clarinet, not because I liked playing the clarinet, but because it got me out of classes like home economics-why I'm not sufficiently domesticated (this is kicking my ass now), but I digress... Mr. Rodgers insisted that I was a good enough musician to be 3rd chair out of 16 (for you non-band geeks: your chair number is your talent rank- 1st chair being the highest). I actually had a gal formally challenge me for my chair and even though I tried desperately to accomodate her request by playing the challenge piece wrecklessly in attempt to forfeit my seat to her (since I couldn't care less), Mr. Rodgers insisted that I remain in 3rd chair position just to be an ass. The girl really was a much better player and sight-reader than I was.

Ah, musicians...As the Celine Dion lyrics go...it's is all coming back to me now. Coming back to me now because the trio bassist is a control freak and I am afraid he will ruin his own masterpiece of an idea with his strange and defensive behavior. I recently had to be very firm with him and tell him that I prefer he not call me unless there is something I need to know about a rehearsal or the music. I felt I had to clear this up because he has been trying to get in touch with me in between rehearsals just to chat for while because "he was thinking of me." At 52, he's not exactly my type. Divorced twice and super lonely for people to talk to - I get that. Really, I do. Still, not what I auditioned for. And it kills me that he would take something that has been coming along so nicely and that I've become so invested in and make it weird. I told him I prefer he email me and that I like to keep the correspondence professional. He didn't like this. It's not the way he likes to work: not what he had in mind for the band "relationship". But, I had to be honest with him. I told him that I prefer he simply email me if he has a question or concern and call me only if it's something urgent concerning a rehearsal. So now the vibe is strange.

I had to rehearse with him (Michael) and and a guitarist (Jake) tonight. Things started out really great but ended on a not so great note. (Couldn't resist the cliche there...) Suddenly Michael got all pissy about a suggestion that he, himself, proposed for the music minutes earlier. Jake and I liked it. Then moments later, he changed his mind about it and starting going off about how he's tired of people telling him how to do things and a bunch of other crazy ranting about how he wants to have long breaks between each song when doing a gig - which I took serious issue with as it's not professional to fill time in this way simply because the songs are super short. The voicing of my opinion on this alone put me in the category of enemies who are banding together to encroach on his artistic vision or something to that effect.

I am worried about how he will be dealing with potential clients or agents that would book us for parties/restaurants (the type of gig this is: background music). He paced around his apartment huffing and puffing and sat down, folded his arms and stopped talking to us as if he regressed 50 years into his terrible twos. He has pouted about stuff before here and there and got over it, but this time was a bit over-the-top. Jake and I just walked out as soon as we wrapped up the music.

I come home and Michael has already emailed me that he wants me to call him. I won't. I may email him tomorrow, but I'm not playing into this weird game of his. Jake and I are totally on the same page and think we sound good and the trio has real potential. He worries, too, about Michael, but says he deals with that kinda stuff with band leaders a lot because he actually earns a living playing various other gigs and teaching music. Jake's cool. Both guitarists are cool, actually, and the other 'understudy' singer I have never heard or met, but I hear that she's coming along with the music.

So, I don't know how all this will shake out. I hope it will be fine. I will try to keep my thoughts on the positive side, though it's tough. When we sound good, we really do sound good and that's what keeps me going. It's been so long since I've done any singing publically outside of the Italian Birthday song. Should be interesting...