Tzigas Set List

Updated Saturday, August 04, 2007 2:15 PM

Klezmer:

Most of these tunes are in the compleat klezmer.
Tune English Comment
Nigun Atik ? No Brass
Ot Azoi That's the way Solid
Sherele Tanz "Sheerrele! Come here now!" Pull back in middle section
Hossin Khala ? Solid
Nokh a glezyl veyn Another glass of wine Tuba, Clarinet, Viola
Firn de m. a. March of the parents of the bride and bridegroom Dusan Clarinet Solo
Tanz Tanz YidelehDance, Dance Jews. Maya Feature. Needs re-arranging to prevent dragging
Araber Tanz? Never quite seems to work.
Kandel's Hora? Tuba Feature.
Moldavian Hora? Would be quick to learn-Maya already knows it.
Doina? Dusan feature-seque into Tzigas Freylach
Tzigas Freylach? Needs Polishing

Misc

Many of these are arguably Balkan tunes.
Tune Comment
Major Smurf Solid
Minor Smurf No brass in intro
Mikey no. 1 Mikey and Adam only
Mikey no. 2 Everyone, gently. Need to learn.
Adam # 1 Trombone, no tuba
Irene No Tuba
Miserlou Maybe not learn this one on grounds of taste. Discuss.
Gloomy Sunday Never quite seems to work.
Papirosen Learn.
Armenian Tune Maya Feature
Dark eyes Maya takes second solo
Romanian Polka Reggae/ska
Worker's Dance Solid.
Waltz for Mongolia No Brass

Balkan Tunes

"No strings" is something that needs discussing.
Tune Comments
Wedding Cocek No strings.Solid.Drums.
Underground Cocek No strings. Intro needs work.Drums.
Bobans Cocek Needs arranging
9/8 Cocek Needs learning.
Ramo Ramo No strings?Tends to drag.
Dellum Dellum Lovely. Watch tuning, esp. Tuba.

Jazz

Tune Comments
Dusan #1/TISOBNeeds Katie for success. No Tuba.
Adam #2/Take 4Need to work out trading fours before we begin. No Tuba.
Minor SwingWatch form. No Tuba. Valve trombone only at 303
ImpromptuNo Tuba. Harmon mute on valve trombone.
Harlem NoctourneNo Tuba.
Blue DragOy Vey- what can we say about this tune?
SummertimeIn G. Good for Tanya.

General Comments:

I have listed what I remember as being the difficult issues, and proposed solutions. There will be errors an omissions- the point is not to offend anyone, but to try and work out what we agree and disagree on. We can use the Benkshaft blog as a discussion board. These are currently my thoughts, which is of limited use- let me know what you think. Tzigistan is not an oligarchy, it's a kritarchy. --David

Tuning and intonation

Much less of a problem than it used to be, but needs constant vigilance. On recordings like Taraf de Haidouks and Boban Markovich, tuning is (deliberately?) imprecise, lending a nice fat sound and exciting dissonance. If it is intentional, fine. Remember that wind instruments change pitch as they warm up- in particular, brass instruments are flat when they are cold wheras strings can drift flat as they warm up under lights.

Stagecraft

This is such a delicate topic.....a huge part of the Tzigas magic is our personal appeal on stage, which can be chaotic, belligerent, vague and downright mental. It may be worth considering a few things, though. If someone is taking a solo, do we talk through it? If we look at the soloist, the audience will follow suit. Can the crowd see the soloist? (David is especially bad at blocking out Katie at 303, for example). If we are not playing in a tune, in what style do we leave the stage, and do we listen after we leave?

Sound, mixing, PAs and Pre-amps

Insert stuff here. Ask Mikey T.

Punctuality and communication

Insert potentially boring stuff here.

Band size and new members

Do we invite Roz? Are we happy with David and Madeleine? Who wants to play which sorts of gigs?

Filthy Lucre

Equal splits is the best, I think we all agree, but some people depend on Tzigas income to meet their bills.

Accepting gigs

Not everyone can play every gig, for money/time/travel/personal reasons. This is not a problem.


Table headers:

Name Telephone Telephone
Bill Gates 555 77 854 555 77 855

Vertical headers:

First Name: Bill Gates
Telephone: 555 77 854
Telephone: 555 77 855