Excellent.
I could never win, but enjoyed every moment.
Even when we would take the entire group to play with famous singers like Luther Ingram I'd hear it from him as well. How's the White Cat's chops......our band leader would always reply not bad for a white guy.
Then playing with the same guys backing the infamous Fontella Bass, I would play an extra interval outside the basic Gospel voicings of dominant 7ths', and triads, only to have the bandleader turn and say....stay in church motha' fucker.....Hah.
I couldn't win.
The gig I will never forget was when I sat in for Gil Scott Herons keyboardist, and being in the opening act I was already set up. They had no charts, and I never heard of the tune Johannesburg. The bass player and I were the only White Cats out of about 10000 people, no worries, we're in the band right......yeah..O.K.
Then I saw and heard the words...it was in the late '70's when South Africa was in deep shit and during the song GSHeron would chant.....What's The Word......and 10000 angry blacks would yell......Johannesburg.......and then fuck those white devils, etc.
Amazingly enough we were un harmed, but even my bandleader beat feet out the back door and left me packing my gear w/ our bassist. He was pissing in his pants.
I would give my left nut to play in such a group again. Those gigs are long gone I'm afraid.
And to be honest........most " White Cats " can't jam under those circumstances.
These days, it's much different thankfully. Great links though I am looking at the others and enjoying it very much.
My gig is only good for the cash and experience of live mixing and MIDI work in Scope. I really belong in improv groups.
I often dream of playing in dives again for no money, but having every tool I need instead of hand packing a B3 and Rhodes w/ a Electric Mistress around. Jeez....I was a 16 year old punk then..
