This past weekend I played yet another last-minute pickup gig with a band I never played with before. It was a great example of why you need to use every avenue of communication available to you. It started with a Facebook message from someone I had never met but who is related to one of… Continue reading Another Pickup Wedding Gig
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Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club 4-26-13
I played Friday night at the new Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club in Bethesda, MD with Jr. Cline and the Recliners. I was playing the third horn chair (they usually only use two but add a third for the bigger gigs) so I was on alto and bari for this gig. It was… Continue reading Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club 4-26-13
The Second Most Important Part of Your Setup
Way back in July of 2012 when I started this blog I spent my third post discussing what I thought was the most important part of any player’s setup. It wasn’t the mouthpiece or the reed or the horn in case you never read it. You can read it here in its entirety or I can… Continue reading The Second Most Important Part of Your Setup
Crack the Sky and Getting Ready For New Stuff
Last night the Crack Pack horns (same as the Retox Horns – Dave Makowiecki, Jim McFalls, and me) played with Crack the Sky at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore. The place was absolutely packed and we had a great time. We played two of the songs we recorded for the most recent CD, Ostrich, as… Continue reading Crack the Sky and Getting Ready For New Stuff
Whew!
It’s been a while since I posted and there are quite a few reasons for that. I was in South Korea on a business trip and the jet lag coming home really hit me hard. I was home for a week but I really didn’t feel very well the entire time. I followed that up… Continue reading Whew!
When It’s Okay To Suck
Well I just flew in from Korea and boy are my arms tired (ba dum bum). I was there for the last week doing stuff for my day job and now I’m home and all jet-lagged but I wanted to get something posted before I get too far behind. As with my last post, my… Continue reading When It’s Okay To Suck
Overtones and Your Tone
I spend a lot of time on a forum called Sax on the Web but I generally don’t post a ton. Part of the reason is because there’s a lot of other guys that often jump in with great, helpful stuff. Of course, it’s also the internet so there’s also a lot of hate and… Continue reading Overtones and Your Tone
Here’s What to Say
If you’ve been playing for a while it’s kind of inevitable that someone will either see you somewhere or hear you on a recording and will take the time to tell you they thought you sounded good. They might say, “Hey, you sounded great!”, or “I really enjoyed your playing” or some other variation of… Continue reading Here’s What to Say
Busy Weekend
Friday night I got to do one of my favorite things. I played with Technicolor Motor Home at Ram’s Head On Stage in Annapolis. It’s the second time we’ve been there and the second time we’ve sold the place out. It’s not a huge venue but it has a great vibe and thee have been… Continue reading Busy Weekend
A Couple of Quick Things
Great Gig I played a great gig Saturday night in Falls Church, VA with Jr. Cline and the Recliners. I had played with them on tenor before Christmas but this time I was playing bari as Daryl (Jr.) was trying a few things with the horn section. It was a much easier gig on tenor… Continue reading A Couple of Quick Things