New Jersey Stage Issue 46 | Page 126

then, everyone knowing his part, there would be an actual rehears- al. Later on, we could download from Napster and hope we didn’t get arrested and fined. When chord charts were need- ed, someone in the band would write them by hand, and in the days before copy centers, every “copy” for each band member was written by hand. Photo- copy machines came along and put “copyists” who would handwrite arrangements for big bands and symphony orches- tras out of business. NJ STAGE - ISSUE 46 For me, driving to a gig was of- ten a mini-tour of NJ highways. It took persistence to call a venue and speak to someone ranking high on the staff who could give dependable directions. I think of all the times I – with no sense of direction – became lost. No cell phones yet. And no GPS. Some leaders would make a dry run to the venue to make certain the best route for the players so there was no chance of being late. My most memorable “lost” story was the night I ended up in a wooded area, far from main INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 126