Words of Wisdom of Big Joe Burrell

by Big Joe Burrell

Vermont's music scene is in transition. In some ways it's getting better and in other ways it is more difficult and competitive. A lot of young bands are beginning to play.

So now you've got all these young bands but we’ve still got the same number of places to play, which makes it harder to get gigs. On top of that, it's getting harder to run a nightclub in a small town in Vermont these days.

The way it used to be, if a club owner liked you, they'd keep you around for a couple of weeks with a two-week option. Sometimes we'd stay as long as two or three months and develop an audience that would keep coming back to hear us. Now, you don't get a chance to meet the audience. 

So, the elements of what makes an audience decide whether a band is good or not are very important. Personally, the elements that are important to me are a good sound... and I like to hear something that makes me tap my foot and enjoy myself; I like to be entertained.

In fact, that's where the word entertainment came from. People don't want music crammed down their throats. It needs to be good quality, but it's also about playing earnestly because what you play and how you play reflects to the audience. You-the musician-need to get into it so that you are enjoying what you're playing. For instance, when I hear someone out there saying "Yeah!" I know they're enjoying themselves because I'm drawing them in. It's like when you're on stage, you don't concentrate. You just do it! 

You can play snakes and they'll get involved. You always want the audience to get involved and enjoy themselves. When you're playing alone or practicing, that is the time to work on and concentrate on your sound. But when the audience is there, you want to draw them in.

Also, you can always win the audience over with a good attitude, on-stage and off. You just need to let the audience approach you. At the very least, let them think that they know you. The way it is for me now, people know that I'll speak to them. I can hardly walk down Burlington's Church Street or through the airport without people speaking to me. I like that. I'll always talk to people who recognize me. It's all part of having a good attitude. Musicians I know who have this kind of good attitude are people like Dave Crippo, B.B. King, Paul Asbell, Trey from Phish...

A good attitude has to do with being a professional musician but not taking yourself too seriously. You can cause yourself too many problems if you don't relax and enjoy yourself. And don't ever forget your audience. 

Back in the '60s, I was so serious I almost had a nervous breakdown. Earlier, in the ‘50s, during the bebop era back in Detroit, I would just play jazz- never blues- and it just didn't pay. If I'd kept it up, I wouldn't have been able to play at all.

Artistry is important to a point. I do not consider myself an artist in the strict sense of the word. I'm in music to make a living. I don't play for the musicians. I play for the music and for the boss. If the cash register rings, the owner will ask you back because the audience is entertained. The fingers pop and people enjoy themselves.

Seriousness has its place. That's when the music moves out of the nightclub into the concert halls. That kind of music is good, but do you feel it in your heart? Often, technique learned in college sounds like it came out of a textbook. When that happens, players all sound alike. Sometimes it even sounds like two plus two is four.

Early on, technique was learned and passed for musician to musician with heart. So, instead of throwing away the heart of the music, use it and take care of it by keeping the heart and soul in there and keep enjoying it.

The same with your audience... appreciate them by putting entertainment first when you are performing. By taking care of your audience, they'll be there for you. They'll come to the remote clubs in the small towns and be open-minded to your music.

Learn your instrument, play well, and enjoy yourself!

Big Joe Burrell is Vermont's most famous sax player. He leads the Unknown Blues Band and has two albums available: Live at Hunts and Every Time I Hear That Mellow Saxophone.