Ok! Maybe by now you’ve been to open mics / jam sessions. But, how about your own concert? What do you need?

When you perform a set of 45 minutes or more, your preparation per song will be the same and your priorities will always be the lyrics, the structure and the form.

What’s different is that you may have the opportunity to rehearse with your band. When you rehearse, bring your 3 (or more) sheets of music, and write all the arrangements, all the details you go over during your rehearsal, in your music sheet. Let’s say you agree on singing the first AA section of your song with just the bass. Write it down, because otherwise, you (or the bass player) may forget it. Or you thought of a great rhythmical line for your band to play when you sing the first chorus. Write it down or record it (for example with a smartphone), or you may forget it.

How to select songs for your set

For 45 minutes, you need about 8 or 9 songs. If there will be lots of solos, you may need 6 or 7.
Look for songs in different moods, styles and tempo, preferably in different keys (major and minor).
Make a list of all the songs in your repertoire and arrange them by style, also note the key in which you sing them, to make sure you won’t sing all your songs in just one key. There are way more colors and sounds in music, and you wouldn’t want to wear blue every day of the year, would you? Or have pizza every day? Then again, maybe you would…
Choosing songs for your concert or show can be a delight. What songs do you really enjoy singing? Select them first.

Your list could look like this…

Sections

All sets / concerts can be divided into certain sections:

  • The opening
  • The heart of the show
  • The ending
  • The encore

Opener

The choice for your opener, your first song depends on the mood you want to convey, and what style jazz singer you are. Are you a storyteller, an entertainer or an instrumentalist? Or are you all these things? Or maybe two styles resonate with you most, like a storyteller and an instrumentalist? It’s up to you!

Decide on what impression you’d like to make on your audience. It could be nice to make them feel really welcome. They choose to be with you that night or afternoon. They could have also been at the gym, finish their book on the couch or have dinner with friends.
The opener for an entertainer could be a song that many people know, that they feel related to, and that has an upbeat tempo. As if you are saying: let’s have fun tonight!
The opener for a story teller could be a song that immediately makes clear that you are sharing your stories tonight. A medium to slow swing song or a ballad could be a wonderful choice for you.

Although storytellers usually go for slower repertoire to make the lyrics come alive, keep in mind that if you only throw ballads or slow tempi at your audience, the energy of the night will be very low. An occasional faster tempo can be refreshing. You could solve this by having your band start with an upbeat instrumental song, and intertwine your set with some upbeat instrumental songs or solos.

The opener for an instrumentalist could be a medium or uptempo song that showcases your abilities to improvise. Pick a song that you feel really comfortable with improvising, as this is the first impression you will be making.

The second song of your set is also part of your opening. In your first 2 songs, you are positioning yourself as a singer. As a storyteller, an entertainer, or an instrumentalist. (Or as a combination)

If you just started with an upbeat song, now choose a medium or slow song.
If you just started with a ballad, now choose a medium or upbeat song.
If you just started with a medium song, now choose an upbeat song, to keep the energy going.

Heart

The heart of your show The heart of your show consists of 5 or 6 songs, that differ in tempo, style and moods. Do you use a certain theme, or did you pick your songs randomly because you really enjoy singing them? It’s totally up to you.
My number 1 advice is: watch the pacing of your set. Make sure to provide a variety of moods, tempi and styles, to make it an enjoyable night for your audience (and you). Differentiate in keys, duration of the song, songs with or without solo’s as well.

How to vary in the duration of songs? You can choose from many possibilities and you can look at these when you arrange your songs.

I’ll present a few commonly used in jazz:
For a ballad
one chorus:
Sing the ballad through only once, no solos. So 1 chorus. This could mean for the audience to have a short moment of reflection.
two choruses:
Sing the ballad through, then have the pianist or bassist take a solo on AA, pick up singing at BA and end the tune
three choruses:
Sing the ballad through, then have the pianist or bassist solo on the second chorus, start singing from the top of the third chorus and end the tune. This could mean a long-winded version. I usually sing ballads just once or 2 choruses at the most. If you really want to do 3 choruses: make sure you make it interesting for your audience by varying your tune a bit.

For medium or uptempo songs (swing, latin, waltz)
two choruses:
Sing one chorus, then have the pianist or bassist solo on AA, pick up singing at BA and end the tune.
three choruses:
Sing one chorus, then have the pianist or bassist solo on the second chorus, pick up singing at the top of the third chorus.
four or more choruses:
Sing one chorus, then sing variations (or improvise) on the second chorus, have the pianist or bassist solo on the third chorus, trade fours with the drummer in the fourth chorus and sing the theme again in the fifth chorus.

For medium or uptempo blues
As a blues chorus usually is 12 measures or 16 measures, you could be singing more choruses than just 3 or 4.
The intro for a blues is usually the whole form of the song (so either 12 or 16 measures).
Then you sing your theme (be it 3 or more choruses, including possible improvisation).
After that, add a few choruses solo by the pianist or bassist, potentially trade fours with the drummer, and then you come in again with the lyrics, singing 1 or 2 choruses to end the tune.

The ending
Your last song is as important as your first song. Will you leave your audience wanting more? Will you inspire them to ask for an encore?
You can see your last song as the climax of the show: I would advise you to sing a medium or uptempo song.

The encore
The audience really enjoyed your performance and they are keen to hearing you sing one (or more, if you’re very lucky) more song.

What is the impression you want to make this moment?
Do you want to share some beautiful reflective moments and make it about you as a singer telling one more little story: sing a ballad.
Do you want to keep the energy high and extend the party: sing an uptempo song.
Do you want instant recognition and joy: sing a well known and favorite song you know your audience is going to love.

Assignment

Design your own set.

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