While Dana had mentioned a musician friend Ed L. it got me to wondering about the network back when.

While I may have mentioned it before... there was once a huge network of musicians on this end of matters (Calif).

Naturally, the combination of this person, that person and another, comprised many band segments. Such, that there was what I call a fairly large pool of players covering all instruments, sorta on standby ready to play (if not booked already).

The one instrument that (so it seemed to me) was in big demand was Drummers. I am talking good drummers that are plugged into Zydeco, Cajun and Creole traditional. It is such a big swing of differance between the driving force of Zydeco and that of Traditional. There is so much memory work for drummers to understand the music, so as to get it right and lock it in.

Does anyone else feel the same ? or perhaps have a sence of why this is... if it is?

Some of you Front musicians / band Leaders:
Staging a band (band leader perspective) and logistics can be time consuming and absorbing ... anyone here have any tales of such matters that may enlighten the up and coming on what ya do, and, what it takes?

Nonc D

I'll take a stab at this one, Nonc. A good drummer will make your tunes sparkle, bro. I'm talkin' solid playing, someone who can HIT the skins like they mean it, keep an honest meter, and can take visual queues like the subtle lifting of eyebrows and reading lips. And it's the little things, too -- not the big showy stuff that shows and glows. With a top-drawer drummer, you can take a mediocre tune like... oh... let's say, Mary Had A Little Lamb... put a kickin' intro on it and a tight ending... pshaw! Sounds like you know your onions then. People will wanna dance to that tired old diddy. And with a drummer that can make that happen, the rest of the pieces fall into place.

An awesome fiddle player and a decent singer.