Monk Rowe, the Joe Williams Director of the Jazz Archive and a saxophonist, played in Aretha Franklin's back-up band when she performed at Hamilton on April 5. Following are his impressions of an evening with the Queen of Soul.
I guess you could say I was part of the Queen's entourage as she held musical court in front of 5,000 enthusiastic followers. My role in gathering the local musicians was only one small part in this massive logistical operation. None the less, I admit to my share of angst in anticipation of the inevitable bump in the road. Happily, it never came and I did hire one sax player who I knew would arrive in plenty of time. That would be me.
The afternoon "rehearsal" was a blur of running through the music, supposedly in the order to be played that night. No time for playing things twice or asking if that part is really in my folder or what notes might lay underneath the indecipherable collection of pencil markings on the staves. One huge plus, her rhythm section and singers were so tight that they would carry any band through the roughest musical terrain.
Finally we were poised on stage, oddly enough trying NOT to look at the Queen of Soul as she waited to make her dramatic entrance. In fact, the hardest part for most of us was avoiding the temptation to take that moment to listen and watch. I succumbed once and promptly missed a cue from the conductor. There were moments when I forgot I had the best seat in the house and wondered what it would be like to be in the audience.
And what musical heaven. To play behind the legend that is Aretha Franklin is a memory that will stay with me forever. She turned the Field House into a huge soaring church. My thanks to Hamilton College for the opportunity and to Student Activities and all the people behind the scenes.
It was well worth the effort.
-- by Monk Rowe, the Joe Williams Director of the Jazz Archive
I guess you could say I was part of the Queen's entourage as she held musical court in front of 5,000 enthusiastic followers. My role in gathering the local musicians was only one small part in this massive logistical operation. None the less, I admit to my share of angst in anticipation of the inevitable bump in the road. Happily, it never came and I did hire one sax player who I knew would arrive in plenty of time. That would be me.
The afternoon "rehearsal" was a blur of running through the music, supposedly in the order to be played that night. No time for playing things twice or asking if that part is really in my folder or what notes might lay underneath the indecipherable collection of pencil markings on the staves. One huge plus, her rhythm section and singers were so tight that they would carry any band through the roughest musical terrain.
Finally we were poised on stage, oddly enough trying NOT to look at the Queen of Soul as she waited to make her dramatic entrance. In fact, the hardest part for most of us was avoiding the temptation to take that moment to listen and watch. I succumbed once and promptly missed a cue from the conductor. There were moments when I forgot I had the best seat in the house and wondered what it would be like to be in the audience.
And what musical heaven. To play behind the legend that is Aretha Franklin is a memory that will stay with me forever. She turned the Field House into a huge soaring church. My thanks to Hamilton College for the opportunity and to Student Activities and all the people behind the scenes.
It was well worth the effort.
-- by Monk Rowe, the Joe Williams Director of the Jazz Archive
