Introduction - I'm new

[navyvet]

Hi! I recently discovered this wonderful forum and joined and thought I should tell y'all a little bit about myself.
I just recently started playing again after 13 years off (long story, bore y'all with that some other time). Thanks to all the informative postings, I bought a bari yesterday. Pickings are slim in my area, and I was pressed for time as I have a concert Thursday and have been using a middle school loaner that leaks like a sieve. So I drove 2 hours to look at 2 baris, first a Jean Baptiste (new) and then a Yamaha YBS-61 (used). Armed with all the reviews I had read here about the 2 only confirmed what I felt after playing them. There was no comparison! I came home with the Yamaha even though it cost more than the JB. The store was asking $2495 and I got it down to $2250. Do y'all think that was a good price? It's not a pretty horn, but played smooth, felt good, dark sound (reminded me of my old Vito, another story) so I think I did okay and will be happy with it. I even got to talk to the repair guy (a bari player) who went over it thoroughly. Pretty exciting for me even though my dh is throwing a fit at all the money I spent yesterday. Of course, I also needed a mouthpiece, ligature, boxes of reeds, a music stand, etc. and
still looking for a harness and bari stand. Anyhoo, it's been a long time, I was really missing playing for fun sometimes, and now I'm in 2 bands. I'm older and I'm rusty, but it's all coming back to me. It takes a special breed of people to love and play the bari beast!

[Joe Jazz]

Navyvet-

Welcome aboard! I'd take the Yamaha over the JB anyday and twice on Sundays! Does dh stand for darling husband, designated hitter, deaf husband, dead husband, dumb husband, dad's husband, or what? Just wondering.......

[navyvet]

LOL Joe!
DH can stand for dear husband or damn husband, depending on the context in which it is used...if ya know what I mean. :lol:

[Andres]

Welcome. :D

Where in Florida are you? Judging by your handle, I'd guess Pensacola or Jax?

[srcsax]

Welcome to the board, Navyvet! I'm on my 12th year as a Navy Musician. Were you in a navy band?

[navyvet]

When I looked at my first post, I realized I didn't exactly go into much background. I try not to ramble on too long as I tend to get knocked off-line and lose the message I'm typing.
I was in the Navy Bands for 12 years - got out in 1990. I got to play a lot of bari in the stage bands, did a lot of traveling, etc. Of course they made me play alto and clarinet in ceremonial and parade bands - god did I hate clarinet. I was a bari major at the Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam) from 1973-77.
After I left the service, I had major dental work done which ruined my ability to play w/o pain. Therefore the 13 year hiatus. The problem with my teeth was finally resolved (more dental work, different dentist) just a few months ago and we recently moved to central Florida. It's really a miracle that I can play again. I had sold all my axes though, including my beloved 1973 Vito bari and I'm still kicking myself for that. (Actually it was my dh who made me sell it).
Anyway, now here I am, a disabled vet, living in a retirement community and playing in their concert band, trying to get my chops back and having fun. Life is good! 8)

[navyvet]

Wow, I see you are currently in San Diego. What other bands have you been stationed at? I did 2 tours at NAS Memphis with 4 years at Newport RI inbetween. You must have gone in shortly after I got out. I wonder if we know any of the same people, although the people I knew would be close to retirement or over 20 by now. Are you planning to stick it out for 20? Do you get to play mostly bari? Is it still really hard to make First Class? There is nothing I miss about the Navy music program. It feels like a lifetime ago. :)

[rcwjd]

Hello Navyvet,
There are lots of us who took sabbaticals from playing for lots of reasons. Welcome back. If you're interested, a bunch of us are experimenting with putting a clip up of a tune we select (right now it is "summertime," and then comparing each of our respective strengths and weaknesses, styles, etc. Kind of a fun way to get back into it. Check it out on this SOTW in the section on player recordings if you would like to get involved. Post a clip or just comment - we don't care. Bari is my main axe, a Mark VI, but I also have the others and play them too. Many of us have websites where we put bios, etc. Welcome. :)

[Joe Jazz]

OK, so you're going to make us guess where you and your dh(dentist husband-he fixed your teeth so you married him?) are.........
Were you saying you should've sold your dh instead of the Vito? I've been thinking about getting a Vito actually.....Let's see, most of the prune-faced-sax players I know are in Sun City Center. I'm in Seffner, myself.... We should start a pool, whomever finds you first you buy them a new Vito bari. I like it!

[srcsax]

NavyVet,

I joined in 1986. I got out for several years and went to Duuesne University and got my undergrad degree with James Houlik. Out in 1996, back in in 2001.

86 - SOM
87-90 CinSouth, Naples italy
90-92 San Francisco
92-95 7th Fleet, Yokosuka Japan
96 - San Diego then out asap!
2001 - Came back in.