My Strange Jazz Dream

[Randy Twizzle]

I don't often remember my dreams and when I do I don't bore people with the details but last night's dream was so vivid and filled with jazz details that I thought I would share it: I was playing a concert on a snowy night in Germany with Dizzy Gillespie. For some reason everyone thought that I was James Moody. While we were backstage waiting to go on, Dizzy worried that the snowy conditions would mean a small crowd. He then started a raunchy monologue about the differenc between men and women. Just before showtime,I was handed a gold soprano sax. I could only manage to produce a few scratchy notes. I knew that I wasn't James Moody but everyone else thought I was, so I decided to run away before the concert began. Before I could take off, the curtain opened. All the seats in the hall had been arranged in a giant circle. A woman came out and started a speech about how people who had pledged money to PBS and were not satisfied with the results could begin an investigation of how their money was spent. Bill Evans, who evidently was in the group, began questioning the woman about how to conduct an investigation. Then I woke up.

[Rosco]

You been eating cheese before going to bed?

[DTMX]

One night in Japan - after too much work, too little sleep, and a month without a guitar - I had a really vivid dream that I was onstage with a guitar, waiting for my turn to solo (I've never played out before, so this was new to me). I look over to see whose solo I'm going to be following - and it's Herb Ellis. All I can think of is how can I get out of this before I embarass myself in front of everyone. I think this was my subconscious dealing with my lack of confidence in my abilities to finish the project I was currently working on.

Or maybe I really missed playing the guitar.

Right after I finished the project and came home I bought a Herb Ellis CD. Seemed like the right thing to do.

[Noj]

Duke Ellington was in my dream last night. I was hanging out with a few friends in a garage, and suddenly there he was, seated on a stool. I said something and he smiled. Short dream, but cool!

[Joe G]

While I've had dreams where I'm watching a concert and hearing magnificent music, usually when it's my turn to play, there's something all messed up about it. Either the guitar is all jacked up, or they want me to play the trombone, or I'm trying to make melodies by scratching two rocks together, or I'm in my underwear...

In other words, I can identify with Randy's dream!

[Robert J]

usually when it's my turn to play, there's something all messed up about it.

Mine are always like that - the piano has a strange number of keys, black/white configuation is wrong, or it turns into a toy piano. My blues piano dream debut in Chicago the other night went like that - but I was on the organ instead.

[Guy Berger]

That's funny -- my jazz dreams are totally different. I don't play an instrument in real life aside from noodling on guitar, but I've had dreams where for some reason reason I get up on stage and have to play an instrument I don't know how to play. (One time it was piano, another time it was soprano sax.) The crazy part is that once I start playing, it sounds great*. Anyway, those were good dreams.

*I've never been unfortunate enough to dream that I was in the audience listening to myself playing an instrument.

Guy

[Free For All]

they want me to play the trombone

←

Interesting....in my dreams no one wants me to play the trombone.

[Alexander]

You been eating cheese before going to bed? 

←

A hot welsh rarebit perhaps?

[Rosco]

I don't think I've had a jazz dream since I was 14...

Oh, wait... wrong thread...

[ejp626]

It actually happened to me in real life -- getting humiliated at a jazz jam session in Ann Arbor. I brought a flute, but the only fake books they had on the stand were for Bb and Eb instruments, so I had to try to look over the pianist's shoulders at the score, which meant being turned away from the audience. In addition, I followed a saxophonist from the Count Basie orchestra -- why he was slumming there I don't know. Needless to say, I packed up and slunk away quickly. So in short, I don't need to dream about it, since I lived it. I also haven't played in front of an audience since then (clarinet and saxophone were my "real" instruments but I really wasn't that good even though I did play in a small jazz band in high school).

I did have a crazy dream once where I got roped into playing a key part in The Pirates of Penzance, even though I didn't know the lines.

[Guy Berger]

I had a dream last night that I was hanging out w/Chuck Nessa and Randy Weston. I asked Randy why Thelonious Monk never played w/Elvin Jones.

Guy

[Free For All]

I asked Randy why Thelonious Monk never played w/Elvin Jones.

What did he say?

[Guy Berger]

I asked Randy why Thelonious Monk never played w/Elvin Jones.

What did he say?

I don't remember.

However, that would have been one hell of an interesting combo. Even more interesting would have been a trio w/Randy, Thelonious and Elvin. Chuck producing the record, of course.

Guy

[Hot Ptah]

I asked Randy why Thelonious Monk never played w/Elvin Jones.

What did he say?

I don't remember.

However, that would have been one hell of an interesting combo. Even more interesting would have been a trio w/Randy, Thelonious and Elvin. Chuck producing the record, of course.

Guy

I did see a trio live, at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, of Randy Weston, Richard Davis and Don Moye. This was in May, 1978. Don Moye has never played so intensely, in my experience.

[clifford_thornton]

I had a dream last night that I was hanging out w/Chuck Nessa and Randy Weston. I asked Randy why Thelonious Monk never played w/Elvin Jones.

Guy

I had a Chuck Nessa dream recently.

I preferred my Halle Berry dream of last night, though.

[Chuck Nessa]

I asked Randy why Thelonious Monk never played w/Elvin Jones.

What did he say?

I don't remember.

However, that would have been one hell of an interesting combo. Even more interesting would have been a trio w/Randy, Thelonious and Elvin. Chuck producing the record, of course.

Guy

I did see a trio live, at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, of Randy Weston, Richard Davis and Don Moye. This was in May, 1978. Don Moye has never played so intensely, in my experience.

I was there all 3 nights. On the first night Joseph Jarman was there and he jabbed me in the ribs about Don's playing. I did try to make a recording but Randy had to leave town. I then called Cuscuna and he tried to get the tapes NPR made for broadcast one night. Randy objected to the piano and the deal went nowhere.

This was an amazing gig.

[blajay]

A couple nights ago I dreamt that I was with my ex-girlfriend (still in a relationship in the dream). We were in the woods somewhere in a feudal society. Walking out of our cabin, she mentioned she met a guy recently named John Cage (the composer). He invited her to garden with him at his plot of land. I said, "Oh, that sounds cool. Does he have a family or is he married or anything?" She said "No." I responded "You're going to fuck him, then huh." We got in a verbal argument, then John Cage entered the scene, and I bludgeoned him in the head with my water bottle, crushing his skull in one blow.

[blajay]

Think I'm reading too much into Cage's adverse treatment of the AACM in George Lewis' book?