Reading
Simon Spillett’s self-doubts on Facebook I thought, what wouldn’t I give to
have those self-doubts? Thinking about it made me realise that music, and jazz
in particular is, like chess, Lord Lucan and Shergar the ultimate
impossible quest. If it wasn’t then we’d all still be playing last year’s
greatest hit.
I
recall a conversation with the late Bill Shaw, drummer, cartoonist and observer
of life saying to me, “If, during the course of your life, you
play one gig where, in your mind, it all happened then that makes it all
worthwhile”. He went on to say that you may play night after night, get paid
and rebooked but only you know if or when you’d hit that special moment.
Bearing
in mind that we were both at the bottom end of the totem pole it may seem
irrelevant but it would be interesting to hear from other musicians. Is every gig a
day at the office or, if not, what makes for that special moment?
Free
booze, permissive company or a big fat fee (if only!) don’t count.
So
what made your special gig special?
Lance