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THE MODULAR BAND THEORY
"Don't consider yourself 'a band,'
until you've played together at least ten years."
PETE TOWNSEND
It probably
began in the Big Band era of the 1930s and 40s. The bandleader's name always appeared prominently, but the word that most often followed it was significant in its description of how the music was arranged and
presented. The word was "orchestra," (as in Glen Miller Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra).
It probably began in earnest, during the late 1950s/early 1960s evolution of jazz. Coltrane, Byrd, Miles &
Monk were 'bandleaders' to be sure, but they also 'played' in bands. There were solos ... glorious solos, but the format was largely ensemble, even orchestral in a sense. They sought ... constantly ... and
were also sought after, by - the innovative young players of the day. The former, intent on stretching the boundaries of the idiom & of their own creative genius ... the latter, for master tutelage, perhaps
some fame & glory beyond the horizon ... and basic employment.
(A scene, well-chronicled in the recent, award-winning Broadway drama, "Sideman").
As regards rock music, it started with the first solo
release of Jefferson Airplane co-founder Paul Kantner, titled "Blows Against The Empire," in 1971. In actuality, it was labeled 'Paul Kantner/ Jefferson Starship,' which continues in the present day - a very
active touring/recording rock band institution, led by Kantner. In a Rolling Stone interview from those days, he referred to Jefferson Starship as "a loose coalition of musicians, whose personnel would change
subject to interest and availability." Among others, the album featured Airplane members Grace Slick and Jack Casady, Grateful Dead members Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, David Crosby and Graham
Nash, and David Freiberg of Quicksilver.
In those days, The Dead, Airplane, CSNY et al, often recorded within walking distance of one another ... frequenting the other's sessions. Their albums of that
period feature guest appearances aplenty, by many of the same musicians ... the San Francisco Bay area proving a fertile crescent of contemporary musical friendship and collaboration.
Another example of similar,
studio collaboration featuring extended/changeable ensembles was The Golden Palominos, whose 1980s albums featured musicians as diverse as Richard Thompson, Jack Bruce, Michael Stipe, Anton Fier, Syd Straw.
Steely Dan and Frank Zappa are both disqualified - despite employing expanded retinues of top name and session players, both Artists arranged specific, original compositions of their own design. Their efforts were
not truly collaborative in the sense herein referred.
Applying this paradigm to live performance is similarly rare. The only possible examples are The Byrds (whose recording/ touring personnel frequently
changed, but by attrition - not design); and, British psychedelic mainstays, Gong and Hawkwind - with whom I have no detailed expertise to offer.
The present day offers us additional and better examples of
"Modular Band Theory." Jazz Is Dead, embarked in early 1998 with Billy Cobham, Alphonso Johnson, T Lavitz and Jimmy Herring. Due to teaching commitments in Europe, Cobham was forced to curtail his concert
schedule, opening the door for drummers Rod Morgenstein and Jeff Sipe. The band is certain to resume, most likely with different personnel on guitar and bass ... as Herring is occupied with with The Allman Bros.
Band & Phil Lesh & Friends, Johnson as bassist with The Other Ones and in the orchestra for the Los Angeles run of "The Lion King" this fall.
Similarly, Blue Floyd expanded their summer roster to include
guitarist Duane Betts and drummer Alex Orbison, subbing for Allen Woody and Matt Abts respectively, whose Gov't Mule obligations created scheduling conflicts. Jimmy Herring & Warren Haynes have also played
entire sets with Blue Floyd. The band's fall line-up welcomed the return of Abts.
Gov't Mule has also been known to expand its threesome format to include extensive, stellar collaboration with such
luminaries as jazz guitarist John Scofield, guitarists Marc Ford & Jimmy Herring, and keyboardist Johnny Neel.
(Grateful Dead bassist) Phil Lesh (& Friends) provides the best and most successful example
of "Modular Band Theory" to date ... rotating a line-up of stellar players, including Jimmy Herring, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, (Little Feat's) Paul Barerre & Bill Payne, (Phish's) Trey Anastasio, Jorma Kaukonen
& Steve Kimock to name a few.
The over riding principle can be summed up in a quote by Jimmy Herring, found in his current philzone.com interview:
(Speaking of Grateful Dead)
" ... they recreated themselves on a nightly basis ...(and) weren't afraid to fail. |
