Bandstand Stories

Voice of Experience
by Henry Mason

We are blessed with two really good singers, Amy and Steve, who share our love of big band music. One of our favorite vocalist stories has to do with the first time Amy came to one of our rehearsals to audition as our "girl singer."

Our previous female vocalist had moved to New York and we were hoping Amy would be a suitable replacement. Our rehearsal conductor knows what lady singers are supposed to sound like, being married to one of the best. He immediately liked Amy's ballad style and wanted to hear an up tempo tune to see how she did with an arrangement that was fairly fast.

Amy had already demonstrated that she could read music and sing from a lead sheet. We kicked off the fast tune . . . and it sounded just terrible! Her "time" was fine and she was just singing away with a puzzled expression on her face. The conductor stopped the band and asked to see her lead sheet. It turned out to be a trumpet part with the words scribbled under what had been the trumpet melody line.

She had been singing exactly what was on the page, totally unaware that she had been handed a trumpet part. What she sang had been correct (trumpet) notes against the band in a different key! Our conductor, shaking his head, looked up from the offending trumpet part and after explaining what had occurred, pronounced in total wonderment, "If she has the control to do that she can do anything. You'd better sign her up right now!"

Needless to say, the pretty lady with perfect pitch had the red carpet rolled out for her and was welcomed as a featured singer with the Sentimental Journey Orchestra. We are proud to say she is still with us!

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