Repertoire: Know when to hold 'em . . . #leadership #jazz #bigband

Like Kenny Rodgers said, "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em," and this applies to working big band repertoire. You can spend significant time choosing repertoire to fit your ensemble, and I often choose challenging music, but at some point you have to decide if you double down or if you fold 'em and acknowledge that the chart does not fit the band. There could be various reasons why a chart will succeed with more work, either communally or individually. Or, it may never "swing," but at some point you must make that call and be confident in your decision.