I once did a union job in Collinsville IL (a very union oriented town). I was the contractor, and I had a group that pretty well did shows for colleges and private schools all over the Saint Louis area. It was a nice income supplement for us back in the 1960's.
My drummer (on a production of Bye Bye Birdie) had a car wreck, one that resulted in both him and his kit getting torn up too badly to play, this on the night before the final "dress rehearsal". So, I call the local hall, and get the president who says he has a great drummer to send out, a relation of his.
The young (under 20) lady shows up with her traps, sets up and waits for the notes from the previous rehearsal (or so I assumed). I then say that we're going to warm up by running through the 'Overture', incorporating the infamous "We love you Conrad!" bit with the girl trio.
We start off, and immediately I notice that something is wrong. In all of the multiple bar time signature changes, it's as if the drummer isn't even trying to follow. I stop the group, assuming first time shakiness on her part, and start over. Same problem.
Well, it turns out that I had been sold a bill of goods. The young lady played a lot of gigs, but unfortunately they were all with a local polka group (very big in the area). She knew two rhythms: Boom- chick, and Boom-chick-chick, and could not read a chart to save her soul. 6/4 was beyond her ken, and the rhythm shifts left her totally at sea.
We ended up paying her for the night (mostly for renting her drum kit), with the second trumpet player filling in on the drums. He was no percussion wizard, but at least he knew something beyond the all night polka party technique that the young lady showed.
The moral of the story is don't trust a union hall outside of your own...
My drummer (on a production of Bye Bye Birdie) had a car wreck, one that resulted in both him and his kit getting torn up too badly to play, this on the night before the final "dress rehearsal". So, I call the local hall, and get the president who says he has a great drummer to send out, a relation of his.
The young (under 20) lady shows up with her traps, sets up and waits for the notes from the previous rehearsal (or so I assumed). I then say that we're going to warm up by running through the 'Overture', incorporating the infamous "We love you Conrad!" bit with the girl trio.
We start off, and immediately I notice that something is wrong. In all of the multiple bar time signature changes, it's as if the drummer isn't even trying to follow. I stop the group, assuming first time shakiness on her part, and start over. Same problem.
Well, it turns out that I had been sold a bill of goods. The young lady played a lot of gigs, but unfortunately they were all with a local polka group (very big in the area). She knew two rhythms: Boom- chick, and Boom-chick-chick, and could not read a chart to save her soul. 6/4 was beyond her ken, and the rhythm shifts left her totally at sea.
We ended up paying her for the night (mostly for renting her drum kit), with the second trumpet player filling in on the drums. He was no percussion wizard, but at least he knew something beyond the all night polka party technique that the young lady showed.
The moral of the story is don't trust a union hall outside of your own...
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