Putting the Band Back Together: Quarantine Edition

One of the most memorable aspects of my corporate career was not about my job of writing or producing video or events.

My employer, a large technology services company, had about 90,000 employees around the world.

About a dozen years ago, a handful of colleagues on the east coast of the U.S. — acquainted with one another — were also musicians. They proposed finding other musicians amongst the company’s work force. Most employees were technologists or engineers of some stripe. Were there any musicians among them?

The goal would be to have a well-rounded representation of voices and instruments, bring everyone together at the firm’s annual technology conference and perform together.

The call went out.

After a great deal of planning, painstaking development of arrangements, and solo, remote practicing by each member over many months, a couple dozen former strangers arrived for the conference, rehearsed during free time away from the meeting (sometimes quite late, sometimes very early), and went onstage at the final farewell gathering for the conference.

The Global Jam was born.

The Global Jam

The Global Jam was a feature at company events for a number of years. The level of musicianship was high. With a focus on danceable music (the scene was, essentially the conference’s farewell party), the band performed 30 or more numbers each year.

Vivek (Australia) leads the Global Jam in a number

Numbers ranged from well known rock n’ roll to ambitious arrangements of BIG performance numbers that capitalized on the depth of the group. Talented singers in every range, a horn section with saxophone, trumpet, trombone, backed by guitar, bass, percussion.

Global Jam

All things pass. Eventually, the company shifted away from holding the event. Global Jam became a halcyon memory for the several dozen colleagues from perhaps 20 countries who participated during the run.

I last wrote about the band at this link.

The Global Jam

Now … The Quarantine Edition!

Early in 2020, as all of us around the world turned to remote conferencing and virtual communication in the face of anti-virus lockdowns, our music director saw an opportunity: Get the band back together … virtually.

And So It Was.

During a series of video conferences, former band members in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, U.S. and Vietnam (I hope I didn’t miss one) discussed how to accomplish this, chose a number to perform, and started working out individual parts.

Here’s one example of a call I’ve labeled to show locations.

If it hasn’t occurred to you, time zones were an issue: The local time for those gatherings ranged from nearly midnight in Australia to 6 am in western North America.

Then the Real Work Began

It was up to each member to learn, practice and synchronize their part with the master recording, a well-known popular song.

Each player recorded their section and sent it to our producer/editor in the north of Spain, who’d volunteered to take on the task of synchronizing and arranging onscreen something in the neighborhood of 70 discrete tracks of audio and video.

And Now, Ladies and Gentlemen …

… From living rooms, basements, back yards and home offices around the globe, recorded individually, but playing ensemble …

… The Global Jam performing “Band on the Run,” by Paul McCartney and Wings.

I hope you’ll play the clip. Credits identifying the players and their respective countries appear at the end.

It’s good to have the band back together again!

How are you dealing with this virtual world? Please leave a comment.

© Brad Nixon 2020. This recording is strictly for the personal enjoyment of the Global Jam, its members and friends. No commercial application is permitted. “Band on the Run” words and music © Paul McCartney. Any commercial use of the words or music without express permission are prohibited by international copyright covenants.