bassaddik Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 I am so excited about this one! After auditioning amongst some very happening players, I have been blessed with the bass chair on the upcoming Vegas production of the Broadway musical "HAIRSPRAY'. Opens in Feb and should run AT LEAST 2 years. This is a huge deal for me! I get to play broadway pit bass ( very cool!) and hopefully enjoy an nice long run here at the Luxor in Vegas. I hope I can do some justice to my NYC counterpart, the incredible Francisco Centeno. The music is lots of fun covering everything from 60's style to some r&b and even funk styles. I am so happy to get this one. And I would like to openly give thanks to Almighty God for answering my prayers and all His daily blessings. So, when you come to Vegas, look for "HAIRSPRAY" at the Luxor, and you will hear little ol me playing from underneath the stage. Just wanted to share the good news- peace, Adrian Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pernax Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Wow, that's great news, sounds like a great gig! This must be the biggie you mentioned in another thread? Do you still have time for other gigs too, or will this fill up your schedule? How many shows per week we are we talking about with these kinds of productions? -P (up to 200 characters) You may use UBBCode in your signature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted October 6, 2005 Author Share Posted October 6, 2005 thanks, Pernax this will be ten shows a week, 4 days will be double shows. The great thing about it is, once I am settled in, I can ( well, i have to have one ready anyway ) get a sub to come in in case I have some Sheena Easton gigs or anything else I may want to do to get a break. It pretty much fills my schedule, though, which is just fine by me to walk in with my bass, sit down and play the show everynight, this is a blessing for sure. Hey! 1000 posts !!! Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassric Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Congrats, I am truly happy for you (although I am really jealous about your other gig...) I can only imagine what the competion was like to get the Vegas gig and what it says about your bass playing. I have a question though : how do you (and the the other real pros on this forum) approach the notion of playing the same music for such a long period of time, 10 times a week? Is this a challenge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danzilla Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Way to go, Adrian! Wear that beehive proudly. And I'm curioius to hear the answer to Basric's quiestion, too! "Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion) NEW band Old band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred TBP Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Tres cool, Adrian! First Sheena E, then the Playboy Mansion, now Hairspray. You must have one heckuva booking agent, besides the big G upstairs. Better keep them both happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Way to go, A, that's great! Big ups to you, and keep it up... Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted October 6, 2005 Author Share Posted October 6, 2005 yep, GREAT agent! he has a great office upstairs and i pray to Him daily ! Bassric, it can get tedious if you play the same show every time- after 3 years on the road with KC and the Sunshine Band and 2 years in a production show at Mandalay Bay, it can get old playing the same thing over and over, but the trick is just to respect the music. It's a sprint, you do one show ( or two some days) but you dont have to pace yourself as if you were playing 4-5 sets in a lounge- it's all 100%- in this particular case, the musical director from the NYC show was there, he asked me to not just "play the ink"- but to add ornamental stuff, little nuances here and there. I remember that Francisco Centeno ( bassist for the NYC show) said in a BP interview that he approached the gig as an rb thing- so i have freedom to play around within reason- in Mamma Mia, for example, one must just read the ink- not one more or less note. But this show has some freedom and it should be fun- i will respect the music and keep remembering that the steady check is great and not get bored or tired. It's part of the game. Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Congrats! Break a leg! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenfxj Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Damn! You're having a good week! Congratulations! Push the button Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57pbass Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Congrats Adrian.... Can you tell us about the audition process and how you prepared for this ?? Hope its a great gig for you.... www.danielprine.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Congratulations, Adrian! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy! (Now if there's a Sheena Easton gig you can't make, maybe you'll drop my name. ) Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATM Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Originally posted by jeremy c: (Now if there's a Sheena Easton gig you can't make, maybe you'll drop my name. ) Saaaaaayyyyy, Saturday? Congrats! Excellent things happen to excellent people. I'll have to talk with your agent about my bass playing, as He helped with my recent license. ATM http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/atmofmn/Bass/DeepThoughtsBS.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Brown Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Eugene Gwozdz, a guy I went to college with (he was the accompanist for the Chorale) was one of the local union guys when Phantom came through Ft. Worth. He became the rehearsal pianist, and finished the tour with them. Then he moved to New York and began a Broadway career. He is now a respected music director up there...you could Google him and see! Incredibly gifted pianist, but he looks a lot like Arnold Horshack. So, Adrian...maybe there's a move in your future. Good luck, and good gig. Yep. I'm the other voice in the head of davebrownbass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Who's having the best week ever!? This is all great news. Have fun. And I understand your feelings about playing the Mansion. Please believe that we all appreciate your sacrifice and willingness to "take one for the team". Get in there and make us all proud. My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Righteous, man. Many many congrats! Peace. --SW spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoffman Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Good for you, Adrian, I'm so stoked you got this gig. This is something I could only dream of doing. I hope it's a long run and you get lots of enjoyment out of it, and I'm sure you'll meet some cool new people and make some new friends too. Now, THIS is why it's important to learn to READ MUSIC!!! ...something I need to become proficient at. Congrats once again, man...you're my hero right now dude. "The world will still be turning when you've gone." - Black Sabbath Band site: www.finespunmusic.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArwinH Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Awesome news Adrian, I'm glad to hear you've reached such a great achievement. I'll make sure to check out the show when I'm in Vegas this summer. Maybe we'll finally get a chance to meet too! Good Luck with your first shows Adrian! www.myspace.com/movementwithoutmotion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 For once in my life, I actually have a reason to go to Vegas. Super huge congrats, Adrian! No surprise that you stood out, even in a crowd of top players. And it keeps putting food on the table, nice & steady. Way to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 My most heart-felt congratulations and best wishes to you Adrian. I remember back when you were going through a rough time and were so unsure about your direction. Your faith is being rewarded my friend and you are a great example to us all. The very best of luck and happiness to you on this new gig. Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted October 7, 2005 Author Share Posted October 7, 2005 Originally posted by 57pbass: Congrats Adrian.... Can you tell us about the audition process and how you prepared for this ?? Hope its a great gig for you.... this is what i worte when asked this question on TB .---- ok, i'll try to give a brief idea... my contact with the contractors come from his partnership with a producer who produced STORM, a production show i played in at Mandalay Bay ( that is why i moved to Vegas ) having played in that show, they knew me from that.. so i get called for auditions for shows contracted and produced by them. I am fortunate to know them, they are really cool people. I was called in to audition for "Mamma Mia " - i came in second, which meant i stayed home while Chris Davis, a wonderful bassist , went to work everynight :crying: I also auditioned for " We Will Rock You " , the final choice was up to Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen- i did not get that call, later , when the bassist they hired did not work out, i was called back in, played with Brian, thought i had the gig, but...- Danny Miranda, who later did the Queen reunion tour does a killer job there... so when i got a call to audition for "Hairspray" i was very happy, but remembered that i struck out twice before i picked up the charts a couple of weeks ago, and a friend made me a copy of the soundtrack cd... i went over it a few times, but did not agonize about it this time. I went in with the attitude that, i came in without the gig, if i didn't get it, i did not lose anything, i came in without the gig, i left without the gig, right? they had auditions for 2-3 days. i was called in for the last day, i was the last bassist to audition, it just worked out that way. before we played down the first tune, the musical director from the Broadway show in NYC came up to me and told me " don't play the ink necessarily, go ahead and elaborate and put your stuff in, for example. this bass with 4 d quarter notes? i don't want to hear that, i want to hear what you do with that"- we talked about the great Francisco Centeno, who plays the NYC show, i had dug out his BP interview where he said he played the show like a r&b gig ... i figured "do or die" so i threw my bucket of bs licks here and there... after the first tune he said " that's cool, that's what i am asking for, do it again for this tune "- the tune was more uptempo, shuffle "Charleston" kinda feel, so i played it kinda how i felt it, keeping with the written kicks and key rhythms, but using the chord symbols above the staff to help me with my "improvisations"- a riff here, a lick there- at one point , the md said " don't be afraid to play the upper register"- i replied "usually, if i do that, i get yelled at for overplaying!"- he cracked a hint of a smile... and said, don't worry, go for it- i did - i risked it- apparently it worked out fine! i just figured it wasn't the time to be shy. I would not usually play a lot like that, Mamma Mia, for instance , is all about reading the music PERFECTLY. Not one note more or less.. this show allows much more freedom.. cool. I got the call as i pulled up in my driveway... " third time's the charm, congratulations" the voice said.. i could not believe it. I still can't, it's a GREAT gig, very good pay, and comfortable- i wear what i want, sitting in a pit under the stage. Very nice... but the most important factor in this audition is not the playing. I TRULY believe the key thing was that I prayed and prayed about it, not for God to give me the gig, but for Him to bring me peace and understanding regardless of the outcome. So honestly, I don't give myself credit here, it was God's grace, absolutely. The gig could have gone to anyone, there were a few very good bassists going for this gig, any of them could do it well. I was just fortunate, and blessed this time. Anyone can do this, this does not put me above anyone... yes, i have to read music and it helps that i live , eat and sleep bass ( can't help it!) but any competent bassist can do this... it's about being pleasant to be around, being on time and taking your craft seriously. Hope that gives a little insight- peace!- Adrian Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLroomtempJ Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 great stuff aje jason 2cor5:21 Soli Deo Gloria "it's the beauty of a community. it takes a village to raise a[n] [LLroomtempJ]." -robb My YouTube Channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 Amazing. You are truely an inspiration. Thank you, Adrian. Congrats on a job well done. Break a string! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57pbass Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 Thanks for the reply Adrian... hope its a great gig for you for a long time... www.danielprine.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owens hound Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 Congrats!!! Sounds like you are the right bass forthe job. Having a 2 year run is also nice for some piece of mind and steady money. What a great thing to get up and go to everyday, and even get paid! www.myspace.com/nobandatpresent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 Congratulations bro' !!! Ehm, take pictures of this gig as well "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Malone Posted October 7, 2005 Share Posted October 7, 2005 Adrian, congrats on landing the gig and reaching your 1,000 post on the Lowdown. I'll be in Vegas next week on Wednesday and leave Saturday morning, I have a gig Saturday afternoon in Santa Cruz I have to get back for. I've been invited to see Mama Mia on Friday night. I'm actually there for an AFM staff meeting. When does the show start? Will you be playing anywhere next week? Wally I have basses to play, places to be and good music to make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted October 7, 2005 Author Share Posted October 7, 2005 Wally- i guess i'll be in the Union now, eh? I have something next weekend, but don't remember what-- corporates, i think. There is a possibility I may be playing with Ronnie Foster, but not sure , at a club as well- call me ( pm me if you dont have the # )- id love to see ya- i have a bunch of Storm buddies playing in the Mamma Mia band Hairspray starts in Feb.. i MAY have a trip to Hong Kong in the meanwhile, not sure there either.. waititng to hear. Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 Congrats Adrian !! Having seen you with Sheena, I've seen how versatile and complete a player you are. Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassaddik Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 thanks to everyone for the good vibes... can't wait to sink mt teeth into this one and get comfy under the stage ! just gotta go thru the Holidays first ! Praise ye the LORD. ....praise him with stringed instruments and organs... Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. excerpt from- Psalm 150 visit me at: www.adriangarcia.net for His glory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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