I recently tripped across Adele, a very new artist from England. She only has a single out right now, but her voice blows me away!

Update: She has an album that is, for the time being, a UK release only, entitled 19 (incidentally, the age of the artist).

Sometimes you just need to get gigs. Although I don't fully classify this group as an full-on jazz/pop/funk or whatever crossover group, here is the Brass Act Brass Quintet. If you're getting married in the Bay Area, give these guys a call. Check out their list of Jazz/Popular Music - including such roof-raising tunes as "Beer Barrel Polka". Bring in on, Brass Act!

As promised:

It has been ten days since the surgery. I am not out of the sling full-time. I am still taking the pain medication I was prescribed, but less frequently now. I still try to RICE (rest, ice, compressions, elevate) when possible, or when I am not at the school. I was very fortunate with the way things turned out. It worked out that last week was a very low workload at school, so I didn't miss much. I had to make up only one small assignment, so it was easy to get back on track. I have some film somewhere from the scope that the surgeon took before and after. I will find those, scan them, and put them up. I don't know what they mean at all, but I will put them up for the sake of science, or something.

I have some pretty good motion in my arm with up and down, but I can't move laterally more than an inch or two. Still nowhere near having the strength to hold up a trombone, let alone lift it into the correct position. It is looking more and more possible that I will be back at it in about five to six weeks from now. I have had to take time off the trombone a few times in the past, so getting back doesn't scare me. Each time I have taken time off, I come back stronger and better for some reason. Maybe the time off allows my chops to heal and my subconscious works things out. That being said, I haven't done anything related to playing or pedagogy or anything lately....

Tips for Returning to Playing After an Extended Break:

• 
  
• Limit yourself to five minute increments of playing.
• 
  
• At first, stick to slow slurs and long tones in the mid-register. Start on Bb3 and work down to Bb2.
• 
  
• Avoid playing excessively in the pedal register before consistency is achieved in the mid-register.
• 
  
• Work to progress in the high register via scales, slow slurs, and glissandi. One of my favorite high register exercises was taught to me by Buddy Baker. He called them "Elephant Calls". You rip through all partials in seventh position from E2 to E4 and then try to gliss from seventh position to first without breaking across the partials. Then rip from E2 to the F#4 one partial higher than the E and gliss up. It is a fun exercise that expands the range quickly and feels good on the chops. It also helps to train our muscle memory as to what we need to do muscularly in our embouchure as we gliss and move through the different slide positions.
• 
  
• Don't overdo it! Don't start with five minute practice sessions and then jump to forty minute sessions. Try five, then ten, then fifteen.
• 
  
• Rest as much as you play. This allows blood to flow back into the embouchure allowing it to heal and strengthen.
• 
  

I am sure that many of us have picked up a soundtrack for a favorite movie, heard some rocking brass and opened up the liner notes only to discover that the musicians are not listed. Today I stumbled across MovieBrass.com which allows you to search by film name or by a musician's name. I went through and checked a few movies I was familiar with and I was happy to learn that I was pretty close on my guessing from listening alone. Check it out!

Cheers.

The World Brass is not a cross-over group, but I have never heard of them until today, so I am posting about them. The World Brass is a ten piece plus percussion group. Why the name "World Brass"? "The members and musicians who perform with World Brass originate from many countries including Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, the Ukraine, the United States of America and Wales." It is an amazing thing that this kind of group can exist, let alone be productive. Their website states that the group is able to assemble a few times a year to rehearse and put on a few concerts. With the members living all over the world, it would be impossible to gather more frequently, I am sure. Founded in 1995, the group has recorded three albums to date.

Cheers.

*Again, off topic*

I have maintained by own website for about three years in some form or another (check my website in a month, I am sure I will have rebuilt it). One of the things I have always had on the site is that I teach lessons and there is a contact button. I have never had an offer, buy you never know, right? While still in Salt Lake, I received an email from a gentleman from Belgium stating that he was divorced that his son was going to live with his mother who now resides in Salt Lake. His son apparently studied trombone and he wanted a teacher in Salt Lake to continue lessons. Somehow he had found my website. I told him I was happy to offer lessons, gave him my rate, etc. The next email stated that his son would live there for nine months, so he wanted to pay for nine months of lessons, two lessons a week, upfront. It blew my mind! It all started to sound a little fishy when someone wants to pay you thousands of dollars upfront. He sent a cashiers cheque, for the wrong amount, of course. I emailed him to ask what his deal was for sending a check that was so large. His reply: it was a mistake! Could I deposit the cheque and forward the remainder of the money to xxxxx blah, blah, blah. I then told him that I knew all along that this was a scam and that the FBI in the U.S. and Interpol in Europe have been contact and were monitoring our conversations. This, of course, was a lie, but it worked like a charm! Never heard from this guy again! (I did have the bank run a check on the cheque and it was fraudulent) His email address was almost immediately no longer working, as emails would bounce back. Lesson? Don't trust Belgiumites who want to pay for nine months of lessons up front. Here is the cheque for your viewing pleasure:



Cheers.

One of the most popular rock bands in the past twenty years with a horn section is Chicago. While not a "brass ensemble" per se, the horn section as an interesting dynamic. James Pankow, trombone, is one of the original band members. That, in and of itself is not particularly noteworthy, but here is what it: James Pankow has written many of the Chicago tunes over the years and has done nearly all of the brass arranging, so he is responsible for the "Chicago Sound" we are all familiar with. In addition to coining such an iconic sound, Pankow is made a brilliant business move that I hope we can all learn from: he somehow was able to maintain rights to all of the songs and arrangements. Early on, Pankow became the main producer for the band. He has had quite the career and quite the income! Chicago has sold millions of albums worldwide and James Pankow has had his producers cut of each one! ACE!

Also, he has amazing hair!





Little known fact (it was new to me too!) James Pankow's brother, John Pankow is an actor, best known for his role on "Mad About You"!

Today is the big day. I have taken my shower with no regular soap, only washing with the very funky-smelling antibacterial stuff they gave me. This stuff really smells like a truck stop on I-80 somewhere in Wyoming. No good. We will leave to go to the hospital in about thirty minutes. Here goes!

It was brought to my attention by my good friend, BT, that I have offered a suggestion for success in the mullet, but I have not countered with the antithesis of said haircut. It is an eternal law that all things have their opposites: black and white, good and evil, woodwinds and brass, etc. In the comic book genre, a common theme is that the superhero always has an arch enemy - usually with access to, or he has the power himself, to weaken or kill said hero.
For example:
Superman - Lex Luthor quickly discovers that Kryptonite weakens and has the potential to kill Superman.
Spiderman - Of Spiderman's myriad enemies, most have the ability to fly - something a spider does not have. Spiders are often consumed by birds or larger, flying insects.
For some insight into this theory, refer to M. Night Shyamalan's 2000 film, Unbreakable featuring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. In any case, all things have their opposites. I present the opposite of the Mullet: the Fade:

Exhibit A:


These "House Party" stars went on to big things - well, their hair was big at least.


Exhibit B:



The Vanilla Fade - Vanilla Ice hit the scene big time in the late 80's with such hits as "Ice, Ice, Baby" and well.... "Ice, Ice, Baby". Vanilla can be seen on "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II" and almost every celebrity reality show. I do have a confession though: I thought Vanilla was awesome!

So, the combination BT/JA theory of hair arch-nemeses has thusly been presented. Enjoy.

I'm getting a little off topic here, but I couldn't resist posting this! From Vibrass comes the most needed brass player accessory of all time! Vibrass is a vibrator for the lips (keep it clean!). There is a special note on their website thanking the first 3,000 customers. There are seriously 3,000 of these things wandering around? Wow.

I have had a lot of time to think lately. I have been thinking about a career in music and what one can do to be successful. Finally, it hit me! Mullets and Man-Perms!

Exhibit A:



Kenny G is probably the most financially successful instrumentalist of all time. You may hate his music as much as I do, but there is no arguing that he made some serious change.

Exhibit B:



Yanni - Again, with the not liking his music; but with all those PBS specials, he certainly makes more than I do as a graduate student.

Exhibit C:




Michael Bolton. MB sans the permed mullet probably would be a fairly handsome man, but who cares? Success! I know what I must do -- grow out my hair, chop of the top, and get a mullet. Millions and millions will flow my way and I won't even have to practice the trombone anymore! More time for admiring my beautiful mullet! It's a win-win!

My hero worship of the New Trombone Collective continues! I found this video on YouTube today featuring the New Trombone Collective and fifteen member os the Rotterdam Conservatory. This is Terschelling Act 2 from Andrew Peggie's work for 25 trombones and sirens. If I find the other movements, I will certainly put them up!

If you can't read it, the banner on the bottom left reads: "With as Much Caffeine as a Cup of Coffee"

That's one way to get it done!

King's Daily Exercises



The Etude Music Magazine



I don't know how politically correct this ad is, but it's for "The Trombone Family, a Collection of 15 Original and Humorous Trombone Novelties for Band."

Sometimes you can find the craziest stuff while just Googling things. This is an old King trombone print ad with information on Gardell Simons - awesome!



See full size here

I usually don't do these kinds of things, but this one seemed a little more fun. This was passed on by my sister-in-law, Cory Hopkins. The game is to take the following questions, type the answer into Google image search, and pick one of the images from the front page. Let the games begin!

Q: How old will you be at your next birthday?

A: 28



Q: Where would you like to visit someday?

A: Vienna, Austria



Q: One of your favorite places.

A: Eureka, California



Q: Your favorite object:

A: Posaune!



Q: Your favorite food:

A: Green Chili



Q: Your favorite color:

A: Blueish



Q: Your favorite animal:

A: Liger



Q: Name of a past pet:

A: Curly



Q: Where you currently live:

A: Coralville, Iowa



Q: Your middle name:

A: Sayre



Q: Your major in college:

A: Trombone Performance


(That's right!! My first teacher, Buddy Baker showed up in the first page of results!!)

Q: A bad habit you have:

A: Being awesome



Q: Your favorite holiday:

A: Boxing Day



I hereby tag those that have read this, as I was thusly tagged.

Cheers!

We have been getting so much snow! It has been snowing, a least a little bit, nearly every day for the past several weeks. The other day we got eight inches which mostly all melted when it warmed up a bit and rained. Last night we got ten inches and school was cancelled. (not until I got up early so that I could leave extra early to get to school in time. I got stuck once I was there and it took me twenty minutes and the help of a kindly snow plowman) After getting to school and getting unstuck, I got the automated call that classes were cancelled. Oh well. We are enjoying the day inside!

Here's another look back at a look forward.

Usborne Book of the Future"

Trying to find information on shout bands is like pulling Google's teeth; these bands simply haven't jumped on the interwebs bandwagon. The most famous of the trombone shout bands is Kenny Carr and the Tigers. They have performed throughout the United States and Europe and have albums readily available for purchase, yet one can not find much in the way of information on the group. I was, however, able to find this brief bio on the International Trombone Festival website as they performed at the 2005 convention in New Orleans. Also check out this brief article over at the Berlioz Historical Brass site for more information on these bands. One more gem I came across was a special by NPR on trombone bands. Check it out here

Since I couldn't find a lot about these bands, enjoy these goofy pics I came across in the process:

If you are not aware of Mnozil Brass, you need to get out from under that rock! Mnozil Brass takes a less serious approach to the brass ensemble. Take a quick look at their website and you will know what I mean. These guys have been together since 1993; they have recorded five albums and two dvd's in that time. On their online shop they also have sheet music and shirts for sale - a nice touch that is missing for a lot of classical musician's web sites. For a good time check out this video of Mnozil Brass singing/playing Bohemian Rhapsody.