What has been, would be the highlight of your Musical Career [Archive]

Keith Ridenhour

07-19-2003, 11:29 PM

I've thought about this alot lately. I guess I'm proudest of playing in front of 50,000 football fans at Cardinal football games in St. Louis back in the 80s. Did alot of gigging with the Bob Kuban band, my first regular band out of college. That was def the most exposure I got. Other than that there have been moments where everything fits musically (horn and I am playing well, band is grooving ) and those are heaven on earth. Then it doesn't matter if there are 20 or 2000 in the audiance. As far as what I'd like as a highlight, that would be a strong RnB /Pop CD with good musicians. Something to be proud of 20 years from now (assuming I'm around) Any others care to share?? K

electricninja

07-20-2003, 01:36 AM

Pete

07-20-2003, 08:54 AM

Good topic. May be better served in the non-sax discussion area, though.

To start, let me say that I "perform" one weekend just about every month at my church: I sing bass, baritone or tenor II with our choir in three services. (I used to sing and play in six or seven services every week at a different church.) Each weekend is special and I strive to bring a performance worthy of my Audience, so I guess you could say that every performance is -- or should be -- another highlight.

Some extra special highlights, in no particular order:
* Being evaluated on bari in high school for All-State Band by the baritone saxophonist from the Amherst Sax Quartet -- and being told that I had "wonderful tone" (I got a B on the audition. It was also six months after I took up the sax. I'm a reformed clarinetist).
* Singing with Larnelle Harris. Playing in the band backing up Randy Rothwell. Singing with Ron Kenoly. Playing in the band backing up Dave Boyer. Playing at St. Charles Church in Buffalo, NY (a great venue: 50' vaulted ceilings).
* Recording my first CD -- and finding out it sounds pretty darn good. Well, at least the charts I sing on :).
* Singing, with my church's choir, accompaning a first soprano from the Phoenix Opera Company on a piece that was decently hard and knowing that not only did I did a good job, but so did the rest of my choir (many of whom can't read music).
* Teaching my first lesson. My first director gig.
* Singing in my church's new sanctuary, with full choir, before the building was even half finshed, to dedicate it.
* People playing music I arrange.
* Realizing I can play "Elegies" by Peter Schickele on clarinet and sound pretty decent at it.
* My most recent highlight: finding out that SML's made my website their "official history" link (after hundreds of hours of research, I'm extra happy about this)
* I've played and sang for over 20 years. Occasionally I reach the place where it's impossible for me to hit a wrong note, I'm perfectly in tune and my tone is phenomenal. Those rare points, even if I'm the only audience, are my highlights.

Conversely, I've never really had a "worst" moment. I've never fallen off the stage, destroyed a solo so badly it was unrecognizable or anything like that. I've played in some gigs in which I wanted to run away screaming as soon as it was over, if not before (a political rally for a mayoral candidate comes to mind), and I've had some fairly substandard performances, but nothing pops to mind that was so bad I wanted to give up playing or singing forever.

I do remember someone coming up to me after the orchestra I directed gave a recital and said to me something to the effect of, "Your French horn player needs to be taken out back and shot", though. Fortunately, I realized that Mr. Music Critic didn't notice the fact that while my horn player missed a note (loudly), the bass player was about three measures ahead of everyone else :).

Subtone Sam

07-20-2003, 09:04 PM

K,nice to hear from you;its been a while.

I'm proud every time I get a praise from a good musician,especially a saxplayer (that doesn't happen every day! :wink: )

One (out of many) embarrasing moments was when I screwed up on a live tv-show,I missed a bar and played the ending one bar too early;rest of the section followed right after I had finished.Not a big deal but enough to make my face red for a while :oops:

Morry

07-20-2003, 09:55 PM

I guess my favorite experience was when our Contemporary Christian band opened up for Sweet Comfort Band (a fav of all our members), although my fiance broke up with me the same night, so it sort of curbed my enthusiasm. Another special day was when we opened for Phil Driscoll. Man, can that guy play and sing.

An Army chaplain friend of ours used to bring us in to play for about 1000 recruits when each new class started at Ft. Benning, GA. Those guys were always eager for some "Good News" and some good music.

Bnatural

07-20-2003, 11:41 PM

i would have to say that my high point up until now (age 15) was one of these things
*(kind of weird buttt) playing my nana's funeral ..... it was weird but amazing grace and tears in heaven never quite meant so much as then and it just all clicked
*or my first marching show... that comradery what a high

And of course Go "reformed" clarinetist WHEW!!!

saxgirl9

12-14-2006, 08:56 PM

Okay, I'm only 19, but I would have to say up to this point in my career, the highlight has been: My biggest saxophone influence growing up telling me that they supported me and were really proud of me and what I was doing. Hearing that from that person really made an impact on me.

asaxman

12-14-2006, 09:32 PM

I was playing an awards show in Beverly Hills, and at one point Salma Hayek was standing about 10 feet away from us! POW!!!

Tharruff

12-14-2006, 09:56 PM

Probably the highlight of my non-professional carrer gig-wise was being flown to Dallas Texas and being put up in a hotel and playing for the 1st annual Jimmie Johnson Children's Charity Foundation dinner-dance when he was riding high on the Cowboy's Super Bowl victory a number of years ago. The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders were there as were a number of celebrities from the Dallas area and a whole host of past and current Cowboys football players. It was quite an evening.

Another memorable one was playing for a dance for some kind of a sales gathering of workers for 'The Limited' clothing stores in Columbus, Ohio.

There was the band memebers (all men) and about FOUR HUNDRED of 'The Limited employees of which about 15 were men and all the rest were women.

By the end of the night we had girls on the bandstand dancing on amps and speakers, sitting in our laps while we played...etc...

And...for an added perk...the bar was right next to the bandstand !!!

What a night...

HUTMO

12-14-2006, 09:56 PM

I played quite often during the 90's for the Marcells and I once got to sing the bass part of Blue Moon for Mr Bassman, Freddie Johnson who was not there.

BLUUUUUUUEEEEEE MOOOON. Nothing major but man was that fun. Being an oldies/doo wop lover I knew the part note for note. Afterwards the guys in the band were impressed and razzed Freddie when he showed up.

HUTMO

rleitch

12-14-2006, 11:45 PM

I guess my favourite moment was getting to jam with blues legend Mel Brown. After playing a couple (which ones I can't remember), he asked me what I wanted to play, and I asked him if he knew the Eddie Vinson song "Kidney Stew." He said yes and so I counted it in, played the head, and then waited for him to sing, but he didn't know the words. Anyway, fools rush in and so I just went ahead and sang it myself.

I couldn't vouch for the quality of the performance, but it was a golden moment for me nonetheless.

Rory

Al Stevens

12-15-2006, 12:16 AM

It hasn't happened yet.

martysax

12-15-2006, 12:16 AM

What would be?

1) Scores of beautiful women telling me how my band's songs changed their lives.

2) Dimly-lit bars packed full of average people who are hypnotized by our music.

3) Crowds of people that, solely on instinct, get up and dance when we start playing.

That's everyday.

One of my highlights was this:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/LaconiaCyclones.jpg

Then they arrested her a few moments later.

jacobeid

12-15-2006, 12:50 AM

Martin Williams

12-15-2006, 08:59 AM

most memorable moments...

1. The first gig.

2. The first gig front of 20,000 people

3. everytime my music has affected the way someone lives their life or they way they think about something

Al Stevens

12-15-2006, 02:53 PM

3. everytime my music has affected the way someone lives their life or they way they think about something
Happens to me all the time. "I'm never coming in this joint again. I think that sax player ought to get a day job."

Martin Williams

12-15-2006, 04:15 PM

Happens to me all the time. "I'm never coming in this joint again. I think that sax player ought to get a day job."

:twisted: I know exactly what you mean

whaler

12-15-2006, 04:25 PM

A New Year's Eve with a Samba group where the "Cariocas" were topless (later bottomless). We should have gotten arrested, but I think the band met all their future ex-wives that night. I've always heard that champagne has a secret ingredient that causes people's clothes to fall off.

saxgirl9

12-16-2006, 08:03 PM

Mark

12-17-2006, 12:56 AM

I find it interesting that most of you guys say that your most memorable gig was with naked/barely clothed/attractive girls. I would think that a career highlight would be something musically amazing, not nice to look at.

Agreed. While I'm no prude, I find the whole "hey, the girls started getting drunk and half-naked!" aspect to be rather base. Sure, it's great fun to have everyone get into the music, but I'm not thrilled when a woman jumps onstage (or in front of it) and starts the mock strip routine. It's just tacky, that's all...

That said, I've been playing profesionally for almost 30 years, and have had some great moments. Some are documented at my website (http://drumbent.com/special.html).

Mark

saxmanglen

12-17-2006, 01:10 AM

I find it interesting that most of you guys say that your most memorable gig was with naked/barely clothed/attractive girls. I would think that a career highlight would be something musically amazing, not nice to look at.

Now there's "memorable" and then there's "inspirational". I'm with you, if your referring to the latter. ;)

saxgirl9

12-17-2006, 09:41 AM

Well, I believe this thread is supposed to be about the highlight of our CAREERS. And I would hope, that a CAREER is about the music and not the girls.

I don't play music to meet boys. Why should it be different for you guys?

Al Stevens

12-17-2006, 03:11 PM

I don't play music to meet boys. Why should it be different for you guys?
"Vive la difference."

BayviewSax

12-17-2006, 03:30 PM

"Vive la difference."

:lol: Thank you, Al... just made my weekend.

saxgirl9

12-28-2006, 11:57 PM

This is why I could never date a musician.

Al Stevens

12-29-2006, 01:06 AM

This is why I could never date a musician.
If you think this inclination is exclusively held by male musicians, you are in for major culture shock when you date a plumber, barber, doctor, bus driver, whatever....

Ruediger Kramer

12-29-2006, 01:09 AM

when the vernissages of my next-year exhibitions of drawings and photographs take place, my wife and i will make the music ourselfes (blues, boogie, some smooth-jazz and a little bit Wayne Shorter and a little bit Mozart and Tschaikowski)
it will make us smile :)

DukeCity

12-29-2006, 01:18 AM

There have been several musical highlights (those magical musical moments when the music and musicians just "click"), but some of the most memorable were touring with Maynard Ferguson's band.

•My very first Maynard gig in Pensauken, NJ and we were playing "MacArthur Park" and I headed down front to play the bari solo (that I had listened to Bruce Johnstone play a million times). I was so excited, that after the solo I almost passed out, and had to hang on to my music stand for a moment when I got back to my spot.

•That same tour, playing at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival for several thousand people.

•Playing in Erie, PA and Bruce Johnstone came out to the gig. It was great to perform for him, and a thrill when he came up on the second set, and we played together.

•One of my last gigs was at the Pine Knob amphitheater outside of Detroit, and in addition to doing our Maynard show, we also backed up Dizzy Gillespie, Al Hirt, and the great vocalist Billy Eckstine. It was fun hanging at the hotel bar with Dizzy. And the next morning I was headed to the airport, and shared a limo with Eckstine. He started telling stories about his classic bands with Sonny Stitt and Art Blakey, and Kenny Dorham, etc.

bari_sax_diva

12-29-2006, 01:42 AM

This is why I could never date a musician.

Actually, the highlight of *my* musical career was marrying one. :D

J.Max

01-05-2007, 01:48 AM

Three things:

1. Being admitted to Indiana University on probation (because my playing sucked), but getting it JUST up to speed to be able to stay there. My first lesson with Dr. Rousseau (who took me on as a charity case - I was not in his studio) was amazing and I still remember everything about it to this day.

2. Playing in a jam session with some all time KC greats at the Mutual Musician's Foundation and not being booed off the stage.

3. Playing in another jam session and having Bootsy Collins and George Clinton walk on the "stage" and getting to play with those guys!

Honorable mention:

-Meeting a homeless (or so I thought) saxophone player on the street and talking to him in Washington DC and finding out later that it was actually Sonny Rollins!

Steve P

01-05-2007, 02:07 AM

Just one. When Claude Delangle said to me, after a performance:

'You are 99.9%; near perfection'

Honorable Mention:
Getting the first copy of "America's Millennium Tribute to Adolphe Sax Volume XI' that had my name on the cover. That was yesterday.

Steve P

Al Stevens

01-05-2007, 05:45 AM

Another special day was when we opened for Phil Driscoll.
I toured briefly with his big band. I recently learned that Driscoll was convicted last year of income tax evasion. He faces jail time. It don't pay to mess with the IRS.

Siggie

01-16-2007, 12:55 AM

It hasn't happened yet.

Game, set , match.

Also, when I realized I'd play forever even if I never stood on a stage.

jmm1713

05-31-2007, 02:39 AM

"Vive la difference."

hahahahaha !

Randall

05-31-2007, 04:08 AM

I have had some really memorable experiences, but the most important to me personally was getting to jam with Grover Washington Jr. on the stage of the Osaka Blue Note just before I went to Berklee.
:)

TommyD69

06-13-2007, 08:20 PM

I would have to say My ultimate would be to play with the Rolling Stones. Maybe hang out with Keif, like Bobby Keys does....... (minus the swan dive out of a palm tree).......8-)

bluesaxgirl

06-13-2007, 08:23 PM

That first jazz improv gig I had to a crowd of seven students. I felt so accomplished...and it was fun too. Seems like it was only a few weeks ago. Oh, yes. It was. :shock:

littlemanbighorn

06-13-2007, 08:39 PM

There's a few:

Playing in a small group conducted by and performing a piece by Mats Gustafsson. (and getting to study with Mats, Evan Parker, George Lewis, Mark Dresser, Mark Helias and Nels Cline through vcmi)

Playing with Detroit proto-punk legends the MC5 on their first reunion tour.

My first month and a half long N. American tour (both great and awful at different times for varying reasons.)

BobbyC

06-13-2007, 08:53 PM

All my big moments happened while playing keyboards. Sorry saxers.

They would be:

Opening for Lou Christy at the Pittsburgh Regatta.
First time in front of a gigantic crowd and I was shaking.

Opening for Bad Finger and having Joey Mullin (sp?) (and his band) check out my stuff and say "You keyboard players have the coolest stuff".
Those guys still owe me a roll of duct tape now that I think about it.

The only good sax moment I can think of is running up to Grover Washington Jr. after a concert in Pittsburgh.
Me and my friend (who gave me my tenor) tell him we're sax players too and he says "Yeah, right."
We spent several minutes trying to convince him we played sax and then got his autograph. I think I still have it somewhere around the house.

Kritavi

06-13-2007, 09:42 PM

Playing with Detroit proto-punk legends the MC5 on their first reunion tour.

In about 1980 I did an impromtu trio gig with Wayne Kramer and drummer Charles Bobo Shaw in some basement dive in alpahbet city in NYC. I was a hippie from San Francisco and the only one not doing heroin. It was weird but very cool as I was an early MC5 fan. We hit about 3AM with no rehersal or planning and just blew for 40 minutes back in the punk/noise/jazz days.

Im going to have to think about a highlight, this was not it.

bigtiny

06-13-2007, 09:48 PM

Hmmmm.....

-playing with heavyweights like Sam Rivers, ROVA, Eugene Chadbourne, etc with my band SHIM 10 years ago in FL

-doing a CD of Anthony Braxton material (many pieces previously unrecorded) and it being liked by Mr. Braxton

-Playing a concert with the Florida Orchestra as part of the Zappa repertory band 'Bogus Pomp'

of course, this was all as a trumpet player....now I'm a beginner again =:-)

bigtiny

littlemanbighorn

06-13-2007, 10:17 PM

I'm pretty sure they're all clean now. I was so nervous about playing with them that I drank way too much that night, and wasn't exactly playing at my finest but we played a pretty balls-out version or Sun Ra's Starship.

In about 1980 I did an impromtu trio gig with Wayne Kramer and drummer Charles Bobo Shaw in some basement dive in alpahbet city in NYC. I was a hippie from San Francisco and the only one not doing heroin. It was weird but very cool as I was an early MC5 fan. We hit about 3AM with no rehersal or planning and just blew for 40 minutes back in the punk/noise/jazz days.

Im going to have to think about a highlight, this was not it.

bigtiny

06-14-2007, 06:50 PM

Swingin' Cat

06-14-2007, 06:58 PM

Johnstone has been teaching at SUNY Fredonia for a number of years. www.fredonia.edu

jazzsax07

06-14-2007, 10:32 PM

1. teaching a sax ensemble that won DownBeat small ensemble four times.
2. conducting sax ensemble four times at Montreaux and North Sea jazz festivals. (Oh yeah, I did have a couple of arrangements that allowed me to play at both venues) On stage at North Sea is a time to remember.
3. guest co-host of sax clinic at a major sax competition.
4. being honored as "musician of the year" by SJJS.

Mitch

06-15-2007, 11:53 AM

Hi guys, I'm not on here often, infact rarely but I've just got back from an awesome musical experience...

For the last two weeks I've been away with school playing in Osaka, Japan with the Owada Int. School. Even though I didn't understand what the conductor was saying (i was getting it translated) it was amazing to be able to communicate through music and not worry about languages.

Also being named as Junior Musician of the Year in 2006 at my school

Obviously this doesn't compare to a lot of you guys, but these have been my highlights!

Rick Adams

06-15-2007, 12:05 PM

I've really enjoyed and been inspired by a lot of these stories! I've only been playing 6 months so I've still got my L plates on and definitely don't have a "highlight" to report as yet, but I guess the thing that I aspire to is to be able to play so naturally and in harmony with what I hear inside me that I can completely transcend any thinking, acting or doing and just be with the music and with the moment. Nothing to do with external accolade or even whether anyone else was even present at the time! This is what makes me pick up the sax and blow long tones and scales every day. Now how hippy is that? :)

The Salmon Thief

06-19-2007, 11:53 PM

I am of but 16 years of age, and so I'm sure have the majority of my musical career ahead of me, but I would say that someone coming up to me at a small show I played with a local band (playing tenor/alto sax) and requesting a song that is mostly me soloing -- made my day. :)

Chicken 'Lil

06-20-2007, 05:23 AM

My first gig with Don Cherry. That was pretty cool.
Probably the most fun I've ever had on a gig was playing with John Lewis and Levi Seacer (both from Prince's Madhouse bands -I don't remember who was playing bass, but he was also super bad). It was a pick up gig and we were supposed to play for two hours with a break. We played for three, never broke and never stopped between songs. That was fun just thinking about.

Manda

06-23-2007, 04:38 AM

I would have to say that there have been some big and 'small' moments that made my musical career special.

1) Being tracked down by an old college professor half-way across the country so that I could help him premiere a recently discovered Tommy Dorsie piece at North Texas. That was awesome. (spelling sucks for me so I apologize for any mistakes!)

Tie) Getting my acceptance letter from North Texas and the scholarship - what a feeling :)

2) My first lesson teacher drove 45 minutes each way to give me a half-hour lesson for the staggering amount of $3 when I was in junior high. After I started giving my own lessons to youngsters for a lot more than $3 did it finally dawn on me just how special she must have thought I was. It was good to see her at my wedding. :)

3) Being called the "Great White Hope" by the esteemed Dr. Mike Hooley. I would have given anything to save him from the cancer.

4) Standing on stage performing a song that one of my students wrote and getting to see the look on his face as the crowd cheered him at the end.

I guess that my musical career may not have the flashy 20,000 fans or the half-naked girls dancing around me (ew anyway). But it did have lots of good moments with people who touched me the way that I can only hope to touch the world with the music that they helped me to make.

joelsp

06-23-2007, 05:40 AM

I would say it was the chick who said she would bite her friends nipples if I played a solo for her... as I was helping the rest of the guys pack up. I didn't.

Honestly, so far, it would be my stint with Kenwood Denard playing James Brown tunes, and him treating me like Maceo. That was truly an amazing thing.

king koeller

06-23-2007, 06:27 AM

Playing for the Jerry Lewis telethon, in Las Vegas, opening up for the Buddy Rich Big Band, We were the McDonald's All-American High School Jazz Band 1979 Edition, from all the states of the union. We also played Carnegie hall with Lionel Hampton,....but back to the first story...
On this gig in Vegas, Jerry Lewis was clowning around, and right on National Television, when I had my big solo on Children of SanChez, in the lead Alto book, He let out Elephant Fart noises on some Buddy Rich trumpeter's trumpet, and I didn't know what the hell was going on, so I had to keep playing...
My back was turned, so I didn't see Jerry, so I thought it was one of own trumpeters. My parents said at home in Alaska, that the TV camera flew from my solo to the clowning of Jerry Lewis, and I felt then as I do today, that he is a big prick. He was a TV hog, and had the entire telethon to mess around, He could at least let the band alone to make some music... no... he had to be in the spotlight. We were only 17 years old at the time, It was the gig of a life time, I'll never forget the feeling of being up there in front the whole world, playing a solo and having Jerry Blow those Elephant farts!He was so much younger, that was 28 years ago!! Every body in both bands was shocked and pissed, except Buddy Rich, who was cracking up...
It's been a long time....

honkinhogger

07-20-2007, 12:41 PM

1. Playing with the Central Michigan University Jazz Band at the Montruex Jazz Festival in Montruex Switzerland in 1979.

2. Seeing Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald in concert together in Montruex in 1979.

3. The joy one sees when people enjoy and dig the music you are playing.

honkinhogger

Jolle

07-20-2007, 01:27 PM

Playing alone in the woods and finally nailing the feel of Palhaço, a great piece of Egberto Gismonti. (Jan Garbarek did it too on tenor, but somehow I don't like what he did with it. So copying that wasn't an option).

Those moments beat any gig, even that one where the band we opened for asked me back on stage to solo over their song. Or that crowd of 500 people that was jumping from the first to the last.

Dreams to fulfill :
- playing with the band at some of the major festivals in Belgium (Esperanza, Sfinx, Mano Mundo, ...)
- touring Europe
- playing together with Egberto Gismonti while that one lady I miss so much sits in between the audience. (keep on dreaming, I know...)
- recording a CD with my own compositions.

hmmm... on second thought, first get my own compositions worth recording :D

Ken

08-03-2007, 08:14 PM

The day after playing in my combo at a jazz camp last week and thinking it was so-so, I'm walking through a crowd at a concert and someone says "Hey". I look up and see that I'm facing Benny Green. "My name is Benny Green. I really enjoyed listening to your playing yesterday" I won't forget that for the rest of my life.

Dreams to fulfill:
- Retiring to free up enough time to really get into it
- Get my own band together to get a band sound.
- Opening up my own joint so we can have somewhere to play :)

DeltaBlues

08-06-2007, 03:11 PM

This past Saturday, our band played at the Gibson Guitar Beale Street Showcase Lounge in Memphis for their 4th Annual Garage Band Reunion. Right before we went on they had a tribute to George Klein (of Elvis fame). Nice guy. It was neat hearing him tell stories about the King.

rogerb40uk

08-06-2007, 07:48 PM

Hey, girl & guy, keep your SOH :)
Any hetero guy is gonna remember such occasions (although whether they are 'highlights'....? ;) )

In my case, as a struggling late bloomer, it will be a real highlight to get through a 'standard' sounding something like a saxophone player, and without making a mistake :o

I guess I've got past the stage where the wonder of my playing (and the champagne) will make beautiful women want to strip :D

Robenco15

08-08-2007, 10:45 PM

Mine would be, in no order:

-Marching in the inaugural Parade in 2004
-Playing on Tivoli stage, LegoLand, and many other place in Denmark
-Playing in different schools and places in Germany (for actual jazz educated people)
-Meeting Maria Schnieder, Sonny Rollins, Ornette Coleman, Ravi Coltrane, and Lenny Pickett
-Being accepted into a school for Music Education, therefore ensuring a life in music

Doing all of this before the age of 19. So far so good.

trahansax

08-08-2007, 10:50 PM

-touring Europe at 16
-touring mexico at 20
-playing in front of 250,000 fans in arizona @ Country Thunder
-having Ozomatli come check the group
-having Los Lobos come check out the group
-just being fortunate enough to play music!!!!

bandmommy

08-09-2007, 04:03 AM

I'm impressed with the big names and venues listed by everyone.

I would have to say that the biggest highlight of my "career" was playing a simple clarinet duet entitled 'Megens' Lullaby' at a small community festival.
Megen is my daughter and the other clarinetist. The piece was written for her by a very talented friend/mentor/musician.

The highlight of your career doesn't always have to involve huge audiences and big name artists.

trahansax

08-09-2007, 04:05 AM

Bandmommy, that's awesome!!!
I'm waiting for the day when my son is old enough for that!!!

sonnymobleytrane

08-09-2007, 04:17 AM

That's everyday.

One of my highlights was this:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/LaconiaCyclones.jpg

Then they arrested her a few moments later.

Forgive me Marty was that Wonder Woman????

sonnymobleytrane

08-09-2007, 04:18 AM

Forgive me Marty was that Wonder Woman????

Actually I just wanted to see her pic again and again.:evil:

sonnymobleytrane

08-09-2007, 04:19 AM

That's everyday.

One of my highlights was this:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/LaconiaCyclones.jpg

Then they arrested her a few moments later.

Is That a berg you are playing?

sonnymobleytrane

08-09-2007, 04:20 AM

That's everyday.

One of my highlights was this:
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/LaconiaCyclones.jpg

Then they arrested her a few moments later.

And a Mark VI ?

hakukani

08-09-2007, 05:07 AM

And a Mark VI ?

Naw, that's a super20.

edit: what a moron! I quoted the wrong post! I give up...

martysax

08-09-2007, 05:08 AM

And a Mark VI ?

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/LaconiaCyclones2.jpg

It's obviously a Super 20 with a Dukoff.

Carl H.

08-09-2007, 05:10 AM

Got a better shot? I can't trust you that it is a dukoff.

martysax

08-09-2007, 05:21 AM

Got a better shot? I can't trust you that it is a dukoff.

I don't, but ~250 Bikers who were at Laconia in 1997 have several better shots than those. All I saw was a flood of light for ~15 seconds. I'm sure some of those music fans caught close-ups of my ligature in their photos as well.

hakukani

08-09-2007, 07:32 AM

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/LaconiaCyclones2.jpg

It's obviously a Super 20 with a Dukoff.

...with an original dukoff ligature

I've spent forty years trying to keep my underwear OUT of that area of my anatomy.:shock:

sonnymobleytrane

08-09-2007, 12:03 PM

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f211/martysax/LaconiaCyclones2.jpg

It's obviously a Super 20 with a Dukoff.

Marty, what size reed would that be?

selmer

08-09-2007, 01:20 PM

The highlight is every gig where it all comes together.......when you hit that special something. That's what makes it all worthwhile.

Grumps

08-09-2007, 02:32 PM

The highlight of your career doesn't always have to involve huge audiences and big name artists.
I have a similar highlight Bandmommy...

When my son was in fifth grade, his band director put together a jazz ensemble and had parents fill out the group. My son was on tenor, I was on bari and my dad played the keys. A very, very enjoyable show and a memory to last a lifetime.

Though sitting in with Charlie Byrd at the old King of France does come in at a close second...

bandmommy

08-09-2007, 04:11 PM

Marty, what size reed would that be?

From this angle,,,, It looks like about a 3!

bandmommy

08-09-2007, 04:21 PM

My son was on tenor, I was on bari and my dad played the keys. A very, very enjoyable show and a memory to last a lifetime.

Was your son playing your tenor? If he was, that memory is EXTRA special. Megen was 10 and using MY clarinet. I had to borrow the 'Special Friends' Buffet.

Grumps

08-09-2007, 04:38 PM

Was your son playing your tenor?
Actually, the horn he played was the reason I showed up at these online sax sites years ago. A doctor I did business with gave me his old tenor, which turned out to be a stencil of a later model Martin Handcraft. It also came with a vintage Florida Link. Trying to figure out what this "American Triumph" from the "Art Musical Instrument Co., F.A. Buescher, Pres." was what eventually had me landing here at this site. I couldn't believe the horn played so well when fixed up and it eventually had me rethinking my tenor preferences. My son is in high school now, and this horn had still been his main axe. He's quitting band this year though. Too much of a drain on him, and although he's good, he also plays football, basketball and baseball and is in an advanced scholastic program. Plus, the band director is the same one that I had years ago, and still thinks that the Themes from Oklahoma make a wonderful concert showcase, and that a marching band tribute to Elton John is going to keep kids involved in band. Plus the outfits (which they make them wear for marching and concert performances) are truly something any parent would be ashamed of having their kid wear. It's a big school, with a longstanding tradition, but they'll be lucky to have 20 wind players left this year. The boy has plenty of keyboards at home, and a drum set as a recent addition, so I don't think he'll end his musical journey quite yet. I don't think he'll go back to sax playing though, and deep down I almost blame myself for perhaps overshadowing him a bit. But having my picture still up on the bandroom wall and a director telling him, "your father would never play that way," probably didn't help either.

bandmommy

08-09-2007, 04:53 PM

Too bad your son is dropping band. But I can see his reasoning.
Megen started clarinet with my old director. When he saw this skinny little brown eyed girl walk into his studio, sit down, and start assembling my clarinet,,,, He got a little weepy. All he could say is "This brings back so many memories of your Mom." He finally told me after 30 years that I had been his best clarinet student and that he was proud of me for sharing my 'talent' with other budding musicians. Right now Megen can kick my butt with her technique, but I"VE got the tone. We make each other work harder.

I've still got that clarinet.

Grumps

08-09-2007, 05:04 PM

We make each other work harder.
You're lucky. Getting my kid to sit down and play horn with me (or allow me to teach him) was like pulling teeth, so I stopped even trying after a while. We do have fun with electronic/drums/keyboard jams on occasion however. I'll definitely keep his horns for him (though I'm often tempted to borrow his early pro-model, silver plated Zephyr alto).

bandmommy

08-09-2007, 07:26 PM

I refuse to 'teach' my girls. That's why Megen started with my old clarinet teacher. I will only 'help' when asked. All of my girls play at least 3 instruments each.
If we keep pushing each other to do our best I may eventually be good enough to audition for the Grand Rapids Symphony. To make last chair clarinet would DEFINATLY be the highlight of my career.

martysax

08-09-2007, 07:34 PM

From this angle,,,, It looks like about a 3!

You're good. The dancer couldn't tell.

bandmommy

08-09-2007, 08:15 PM

After 36 years on single reeds I'd better be good!;)
Dancers just don't have enough going on 'upstairs' to be that observant.

saxmanglen

08-09-2007, 08:22 PM

You're good. The dancer couldn't tell.

Couldn't tell what?

Couldn't tell the officer how many fingers he was holding up? ;)

Al Stevens

08-09-2007, 08:29 PM

Looking at the title of this thread, I realize that many "has beens" have been involved in my career. The highlight? Hard to choose.

martysax

08-10-2007, 10:33 PM

Couldn't tell what?

Couldn't tell the officer how many fingers he was holding up? ;)

I understand he used his whole hand.

gary

08-10-2007, 11:03 PM

Hopefully the highlight is yet to come. :wave:

I've had so many good moments it's really hard to say. I've worked (OK my age is going to show now) with John Denver, Vikki Carr, Herb Jeffries, Leslie Uggams, Bob Hope, the Mills Brothers, Fran Jeffries, Charleston Heston, fell in love with Ann Jillian, worked with a lot of folks in midstream Hollywood entertainment, Miss Universe Pageant, etc, worked for the Playboy Jazz Festival as well as visiting the Playboy mansion, as well as playing for three presidents and a couple of kings and queens, so on and so on. Heady stuff, but sometimes that just gets eclipsed by the humblest of things.

One event that always stands out for me, though, is I was commissioned to write music for children in a Suzuki string program and they played two of these little pieces on a concert. The concert was in a poor (primarily Latino) area in a run down school gymnasium, in a run-down part of Dallas. There were about 16 little primary school-aged children. They were so cute, scrubbed squeaky clean and and in clean, pressed if thread-bare, clothes and their immigrant parents were so proud. When they played my "Menehune Minuet" I had to choke back the tears.

You can stand next to a Billy Harper and be inspired beyond belief or get a letter of thanks from a president, but there is just nothing that can warm your heart as something like that Bario experience. All that other stuff's good for the ego, but this - this is good for the soul.