New Jersey Stage 2017: Issue 4 | Page 11

show. When we rehearse I don’t say I need this line or that line; this part or that part. I say I need you on this track. It brings 10 individuals together and it lets them perform their magic along with helping my arrangement. How do you decide who takes each song? I kind of delegate. I know what will work with certain people. I can see people doing certain songs and it’s always worked well. We had Mary McCrink in the band and each year I found a song I think would be nice for her to work with, and it usually works out pretty good. I’m usu- ally right on the money. And I try to share and spread the love around to give everyone a piece because I get tired of hearing myself sometimes. Can you give me an off-the-ra- dar track that might wind up in the show? I found a song called “Chang- ing of the Guards” that was sug- gested to me. I had never heard it before, but I really like it. I won’t know for sure if it makes the cut list until we try it as a band, but it’s up there. I would assume something like “Masters of War” might make the list, right? Yeah, well that was kind of the impetus of the whole thing be- cause I rediscovered that song one night playing in a bar. It took everybody by surprise: First that I would even attempt to do it and secondly for what a wonderfully angry song it is. It’s probably the angriest song I know. You mentioned finding discov- How much planning goes into ering a few songs for the theme. the show? NJ STAGE 2017 - Vol. 4 No. 4 INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 11