Well it is pretty obvious by now that the site has changed. I’ve been dying  to give the place a new look and this is probably the closest that I will ever  come to the image in my head. I think this will be the basic layout for some  time to come. I included a CD review feed from the All About Jazz website on my Music I Like page. Look for more additions like  this on other pages in the near future. I hope you like it. Feel free to send me you feedback by email — good or bad.

After not playing for about 4 days it took me some time to get my chops back  in shape. My range and tone was not really affected by the layoff but my  endurance and tonguing took a serious hit. After about a week of practicing I am  finally starting to feel like my old self again. It always feels good to come  back to the horn after being away for a while. That feeling tells me that I am  probably in this for the long haul. I get way too much enjoyment out of it to  quit. I certainly have days when I wish I had stuck with a reed instrument but  when things are clicking and sounding good – I can’t imagine myself playing  anything but the trumpet/flugelhorn.

I’m still working on that classical piece that I mentioned a few posts ago.  The problem for me really seems to be classical sound/style related. Right now I  feel like I’m only playing notes. To help get some good sounds in my ears I’m  planning to listening to more classical music — specifically classical music  with Bb trumpet. If anyone has suggested recordings please let me know. Don’t  worry, my ears will continue to have a steady diet of Blue Mitchell, Terence  Blanchard, Woody Shaw and Miles Davis. Those four cats are a stable in my  musical diet.

Speaking of Blue and Terence — we all share the same birthday… March 13th.  Too bad I don’t share the same chops and improv skills.