Oh boy! I'm back as soon as possible, and wasn't expecting this much interest. And I'm not trying to "solicit posts", if that brings a whiff of fishing or trolling. I'm currently arranging a video performance to demonstrate an "old age" performance.
When jazz musicians were big bands, you have to acknowledge the saying that redefined an end of a musical era, when it became "if it ain't got that swing, it don't mean a thing". So an old age musician would not only reference old big band, but have the swing aspect too. But what was that swing, for most of the audience. Riding that cymbal, from a blues perspective, a galloping beat. Now, for modern media listeners, if it doesn't have that swing, it's not authentic. For many north americans, Buddy Riches continuous and always soloing appearances represented the drumming comprehension of that, not a bad source.
But that's still the previous millennium. Funk came along, raggaefication is still proliferating, Bob Marley, the roots, still playing, that style alive on radio and mass entertainment. And as far as modern social intercourse goes, without trying to engender past racist attitudes, I haven't heard anyone talking about playing like a black person in this new millennium. Dat's 'bout de club... doin'... yeah doin' it, and that's just phonetics, coming offa rap, getting into hip-hop featuring rap, mostly computer sampled.
So an old age musician wouldn't be down on that, using a drum machine, maybe, better than a metronome, building your own beat as a percussion solo to start, having pre-programmed rhythms, simple enough to use for a timing thrust, or wrapped around a defined song arrangement. But the ideal old age musician wouldn't need all that, just using it if you want, what's just out all around anyway.
But the main requirement for an old age musician would be the ability to leave all that, just wanting to get it on with your instrument, to share your frustration at what the news of the world, what global reality we all are more than ever beginning to realize for all mankind, and the creatures forced to live nocturnal habits, afraid of being in the sight of humans.
What's my old age perspective here, that those from not here might be lacking? Professor Marshall McCluhan, who first said and published the concept of "global village", and "the media is the message", was a professor in Toronto, where I lived sometimes. His ideas are now more globally understood because we are doing his predictions, using computers this way before the general public had them.
And what's my blues roots, being North American, including that tribal heartbeat, equal to imported slave input? Cancer, the new black and blues. The Niagara Peninsula has the highest per capita cancer rate in Ontario. My mother, her two sisters, her brother, my friend whose daughter went in to see her doctor because she wasn't feeling good, and two months later dying from fast acting cancer. That's not as bad as the blues from Bopal, Chernobyl, and now Japan.
Corno Dolce might be able to deliver a Master Class when it comes to classical strings and everything instrumental, but instead of the past tradition of gut strings being where it's at, it's now whales and dolphins beaching themselves, audiences appreciating the enviromental messages more and more, especially if they have their pets with them, a more public exhibition than ever before, even to the wearing of dogs as accessories. How can that be reflected onstage, without making marine mammal sounds as part of the act? I'm thinking of hanging an eagle feather on my headstock, for small stages.
You might think any further advancement of music would require more musicianship, even if it's just a foreign influence because you could afford the trip. But that's never going to be new again, most listeners able to listen online any time anywhere around the world, usually programming or inputting themselves. So an old age musician who can rely on his own energies to enrapt an audience, is getting rarer and rarer. And considering the genre categories that entrap the public into specific venues with specific imagery, almost all artificially created, even a lone player who is even semi-feeling, is going to find it easy to interest his audience.
And what audiences are there out there more than ever, seniors, living longer, having more disposable income, or to be considered a captive audience, all in chairs, real or electric, waiting for someone to come in. Sure, as they say to this old age player, it's nice to see someone sing and plays songs and spread the good times around, but a player with passion, for people starving for passion, needing to relive that passion, they're waiting. This is where keyboardists have an advantage over other players, simply walking into a venue and sitting down. If you walk, any pay is all in your pocket.
Back to upgrading musicianship to be part of this new movement, old age music. What? Is that what all this tech is about, real musicianship? Especially after going through the "sex and drugs and rock and roll" of the previous generations? Imagine, instead of using a left hand reminiscent of, say Corno Dolce on a good night, you simply beat out an octave that represents a chord, like a driving rock, blues, mild new wave or new age beat, but riff out with your right hand like a jazz sax, trumpet, even a Jimi Hendrix multiple note moving thing, concentrating on just riffing out, working off what tune you know, easier than a fully developed classical player. Not that I'm encouraging lesser musicianship, but an old age player can get into it sooner than having to develop as a fully blown classical virtuoso. And that driving beat is easy to get off on, jamming with your polar hand.
And if it's an electric keyboard, you don't have to only sound like a piano all the time, catching that trumpet and violin sound, whatever, actually using technology to expand your sound and performance. So even if you're not a wild and continuous right hand jammer, just changing setting will make you sound new all over again. Yes, leaning on technology, but as an old age player you are simply relying onl yourself, if solo, not other musicians, especially if it has to be such a presentation that the venue and audience determine your timing more than you. And that's the nice part about being an old age musician, it is the information age, people want to meet who they're listening to, and as a self-contained entity you are able to talk and mingle with your in the same room audience, not separated by the stage and security.
If this looks like I'm liking downsizing, hey, that's just what's going on all around me. Why let the music suffer for it? Play what you want to play. If they don't ask you back, who cares? You're going to be playing what you want to play anyway, as an old age musician, not having to think retired or semi-retired, but hopefully, comfortable enough to play without having to pander to venues or audiences.
And what's another aspect of modern life, considering how much is not just graphics because everyone's used to animated? The font. You should look good, being the artist. You should have an easel with your introduction at the door. Something for people to take, so they can phone or email for more. Going from foyer or parlour performances to personal settings would be a lifestyle choice for some, but for the old age musician it would represent a chance to be more personal, and catch some extra pay through lessons, even one lesson, another player wanting to learn some specific technique, or for rock musicians, a part they can't figure out, or an effect that won't give them that sound.
A phase rock bands went through, widely attributed to the first "Chicago" album, was using one song to get into a percussion thing. That lasted a long time, most good rock bands still doing that, if not sounding tribal. An old age player will encourage the audience to play along, maybe providing Dollar Store drums for everyone, or using a small tambourine, other things, for interested audience members. Even those in wheelchairs can tap along. That's if you like audience participation. I don't see crowd surfing as an old age stage activity, unless I was jumping off and landing on a pile of Grace Kelly posters.
And as far as looking for work in old age homes, I'm not going to get into the medication aspect of the environment, or the long histories of drug abuse most of the public associate, maybe now used to associate, with musicians, especially rock and jazz, classical seen as genteel spirits imbibing. That makes me a more strident old age player. My lobby sign, inspired by the first album liner notes written by Jimi Hendrix, will show: WARNING! Please be forewarned: Pace-makers must be signed it at the desk. Yeah, if I'm getting into it, if the spirit of music is ever going to keep flowing through me, I don't want no electrical interference.
"Seen Your Citizens", a travelling old age band, maybe the first to gather as a group and tour, former road musicians who have already been there, probably forgetting most of it themselves, are now returning to favorite cities to play in daylight venues, for those who remember them and missed them the most.
And I type this in all sincerity, not to disaparage the wonderful music we all know from the past, but leaving the printed notes behind, and just trying to give it a blast.
Yes, I do have more to say, inspiring myself. And I'm getting paid, ooh, what else? First time on piano, and I was asked.
I am an old age musician. Please wait for "Sent A Mental Signs" for your next "Fount of Font" fun fest, featuring the "Earl of Url".
Riff me off, you more grandiose and elegant potential old age musicians. Tickle some real ivory for me. And I'm like Nicolo Paganini. If I have to drag an old home entertainment organ sitting curbside for pre-arranged disposal, back up the driveway to plug it in and start terrorizing a neighbourhood, I will.