Preparing for a Live Gig as a Jazz Pianist

Gigs are the source of the most thrill in what we do as musicians. Playing an intimate gig to a small room of people, or a pounding set on a festival stage, can provide lasting memories for us.

For jazz pianists, the former is usually the case, but this can come with its own challenges.

In this article I’m going to outline some of the things you should be ready for on a live gig, and how to prepare for them.

Live gigs can have you playing in numerous line-ups, all of which require different preparation.

You may be playing a solo gig, in which you need to have a strong repertoire which you are capable of handling alone.

You may be on a gig with a singer, where you need to tie down the harmony and lead the form, or you may be part of a larger band where your role changes frequently and your knowledge of arrangements needs to be strong.

Let’s get into the detail of these different situations.

Solo Gigs

Solo jazz piano gigs are a brilliant opportunity for any pianist. Every jazz pianist should be capable of playing a live solo gig, as it demonstrates a clear understanding of form, harmony, melody and arrangement, as well as confidence in their own abilities.

The first thing you need before doing a solo gig is a setlist. I make this on iReal Pro, which is a very good chord chart app.

Even if I don’t end up reading the charts, having a good list of tunes avoids awkward silences where you dream up something else to play.

When preparing for solo gigs, be prepared to not take 100 choruses of solo on every tune.

Solo piano can easily get tedious to listen to if you hang around on the same thing for too long, and unless you are a very accomplished player then your improvising capability will be limited when playing solo, so even just 1 or 2-chorus solos are ideal.

Solo gigs are also ideal for testing your reharmonisations and arrangements of tunes, so it’s always good to have something new on the go that you have worked on recently.

Any performance of a jazz standard that is unique to you will be worth a lot, and will stand out from the more generic performances of tunes around it.

Singer Gigs

Singers are easy to play for in principle, however they require you to have good command of the instrument and the band if there is one.

What makes singer gigs easy is they like to perform songs a lot of jazz musicians already know, and they always handle the melody, which takes a lot of strain off of you.

However, singers also often have to perform in a different key to what you may be used to.

Because of this, it is useful to get an understanding of chord progressions by number e.g. C-Am-Dm-G7 you should think of as I-VI-II-V. This then allows you to transpose things much easier.

Even if you use an app like iReal that can transpose for you, it is very helpful to have this understanding of the music, as it allows you to pre-empt the harmony and solo much more fluently.

When practising standards, it is good practise to play in different keys to build your understanding of the structure of a tune.

Singers also often look to the pianist to lead the arrangement of a tune, such as leading the intro and outro and dictating solos.

Because of this, you need to be prepared to lead the performance, and thus be on top of your game with regards to form.

Ensemble Gigs

Ensemble gigs take numerous forms, from piano trio to big band.

In all cases, getting a setlist beforehand is ideal, as it allows you time to prepare, write any charts you need and learn melodies.

Some gigs (especially quartet gigs with a horn player) will have you playing tunes you might not know, and can be tricky to navigate.

Firstly, do not be afraid to say if you don’t know a tune. Any decent musician will either guide you through the layout, or choose a different tune.

Secondly, if you are required to play a fast tune that you do not know well, do not panic! Either give a solo to someone else, or just take your time to structure a solo properly.

The default reaction is often to flap your fingers and force the issue when faced with a difficult solo, but it is much better to start slow, play your way into the chord changes and then develop it from there.

If you are given charts before a gig (especially original compositions), make sure you read and practise them.

It is easy to show up having not practised and assume you can wing it, but you never know what modern arrangers can throw at you!

Another important thing to remember of ensemble gigs is that it isn’t a competition.

The best way to prove your worth on the bandstand is by being reliable, not impressive.

Maintaining communication with the rest of the band and playing your part in contributing to the overall sound will get you far.

Conclusion

A well-prepared gig will always have you playing better music, even if you don’t perform as well as you practise.

Every gig you play is a learning experience, so even on difficult gigs you can learn a huge amount, and make your next performance a lot better.

The most important thing you can do to help yourself prepare for a live gig if you are not confident is remember that performing has brought joy to every accomplished musician in the world, and hard work and dedication means you have every right to enjoy it too.