The Ups and Downs Of Playing On A Cruise Ship- Part 2

written by on

I just got home from a cruise and spent some time visiting with the musicians on the ship. I asked them some questions that some of you may be interested in hearing. The ship was one of the largest and the band was from all over the globe. The instrumentation was two trumpets, one trombone, two saxes, a bass, keyboard, and drums. Every musician was a good reader and the trumpets were very fine solo players. The tenor, who you would expect to be the jazzer, was a little light. The best musician in the band, in my opinion, was…

Playing On A Cruise Ship

written by on

I have been asked to share some information on playing on a cruise ship. I have not played on one myself but most of my friends in Branson do it regularly so from what they have told me, I will try to share this information with you. The good side of cruise ship playing. 1. For a single person, it is a lot of fun. 2. The pay isn’t bad and the scenery is fantastic. 3. Living conditions on the boat are cramped. 4. The food is wonderful. 5. The shows are OK and lean towards the commercial side of…

Update on “Clocking Trumpet Mouthpieces”

written by on

I contacted my AI source (openai.com) to establish the top twenty most popular mouthpiece manufactures at that time. From the list of twenty manufacturers, I was able to locate nineteen who are listed below- Bach Yamaha Schilke Warburton Monette Denis Wick Curry GR Mouthpieces Marcinkiewicz Pickett Brass Stork Custom Mouthpieces Kanstul Jet Tone Giardinelli Reeves JK Mouthpieces ACB (Austin Custom Brass) CarolBrass Doug Elliott Mouthpieces   From the list of twenty, I received five responses- Home – Stork Custom Mouthpieces grmouthpieces.com Bob Reeves Brass Mouthpieces Mouthpieces – Brass & Woodwinds – Musical Instruments – Products – Yamaha USA Mouthpieces |…

The Three Levels of Accomplishment

written by on

Whether taking a test in English or performing on a recital, we can demonstrate one of three levels of ability. C level performers- C level performers expect to perform adequately and nothing more. If the passing grade is a C and you are content with that level of accomplishment, chances are very good that the C will be your final grade. Usually C students are content to spend the semester doing just enough to get by. Musicians are the same in that they will perform as well as they are expected, as long as the bar is not so high…

Keith Benjamin- A Good Friend and a Talented Trumpet Player

written by on

Mr. Benjamin started playing trumpet when he was five years old. Both his brother and father played trumpet, and he wanted to be like them. It was a very musical family where his father played all the brass instruments, his older brother was a talented trumpet player, his sister played clarinet, and his mother taught herself to play the alto saxophone. Keith’s father belonged to a record club and one of the recordings he listened to featured Maurice Andre which was inspiring to his young son. Keith eventually attended Morningside College and studied trumpet with Gary Slechta, who worked with…

Domenick Calicchio, Trumpet Craftsman

written by on

Watch Domenick Calicchio make hand crafted trumpets, an art now lost. The film was very faded and worn, but this may be the only documentary for the gentleman.

Famous Trumpet Solo, Little Known Trumpet Player

written by on

When trumpet players think of the most famous trumpet solos, we most often mention Maynard Ferguson’s early recording of “MacArthur Park” (February, 1970). Others mention Bix Beiderbecke’s recording of Sweet Sue (1928) and still others will mention the wealth of great solos performed by the master of trumpet Raphael Mendez (b. March 26, 1906 – d. September 15, 1981). But everyone in the world will remember the solo recorded by David Mason, even though most have never heard of this gifted trumpet player. The trumpet solo on the Beetles recording, “Penny Lane” will arguably go down in history as the…

Advancements in Trumpet Water Keys

written by on

From time to time we run across new innovations for trumpet that actually work. Let me know what you think of this newer approach to trumpet water keys. One of life’s little problems, the sticky Amado Water Key, is now a thing of the past! The Pollard Water Key is the solution. Not only does it work great every time, it looks great mounted on your horn! The Pollard Water Key  For more information on trumpet water keys, check this out….. Water Key Developments For Trumpet

Tine Thing Helseth Revisited

written by on

Since the beginning of her career, Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth has championed the trumpet repertoire amongst audiences on six continents, meriting the highest critical praise for her soulful, lyrical sound and collaborative approach to music-making. An artist who challenges genre boundaries with an intensely creative, open-minded philosophy, Tine’s ever-expanding repertoire ranges from the classical period to contemporary works and new commissions. She has been the recipient of numerous awards for her work in classical music, including “Newcomer of the Year” at the 2013 Echo Klassik Awards, the 2009 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, and second prize in the 2006 Eurovision Young…

Concerts Past and Present

written by on

One blessing which I recognize for its importance in my life is the ability to remember many of the concerts I have been involved with. Some are remembered for their success and some for the disaster that incurred. Some are recalled for their importance and some for just the sheer pleasure of their moments in time. In this post I will speak of three ensembles I have had the great pleasure of performing with. The first was from the distant past, the second midway through my life and the third which was performed only a week ago. Earliest Concerts- The…