I once again had the great fortune of joining the Mike Montgomery Jazz  Quartet  for an evening of jazz at the New Haven Cafe in Greenbelt.   This time there was a slight twist in that I played the first two tunes as the  only horn – quartet!  It was a stretch for me and a reminder that I really  need to work on playing the heads to tunes.  Based on how you play the  melody you can either draw the crowd in or turn them off.  Truthfully – I’m  not sure what I did to the listeners in the cafe, I was just trying to get through  it (especially a very fast Blue Bossa)!

As always I enjoyed playing with my partner in jazz Lorenzo Toppin but I also  got to check out my man Bobby Beale who subbed on drums for Mike Fore.  I’ve run into Bobby at jazz concerts  all around the city but we had never played together.  It was a real treat.   Everyone did a fantastic job and audience seemed to appreciate what we did.   I had a great time and look forward to more opportunities.

Reviewing the Performance

As usual I recorded the performance and as usual I thought I did great until  I listened to the recording!  I try to wait a few days before listening to  the results but curiosity usually gets the better of me.  It was painful.  After listening to the recording I often wonder why I get invited to play  anywhere!  To my ears my intonation is off,  my tone lifeless and my ideas incomplete. Once I get over the initial “bash” session I settle down and work on the areas that need attention.   That’s the point of it recording – right?

Am I being overly critical?  Probably, but I  recently read an interview with Sonny Rollins that gives me some comfort. When asked if  he had a favorite recording Sonny stated that he found it excruciating to  listen to his own work. If Sonny can feel this way (and in my opinion he has set  the bar with regards to jazz and tenor saxophone) – so can I.  I guess that  is part of what drives us back to the woodshed to try to find perfection.

Still on Claude Gordon

I’m still plugging away at the Claude Gordon routine and the results have  been positive.  On the gig I felt like I had a lot more in the tank and was  able to take much longer solos (4+ choruses).  Normally I would play 2 or 3  before starting to feel the burn.  For the range studies I’ve moved from  topping out at G on the staff to about B below high C.  I haven’t started  using these notes in my solos or regular playing but there is a mental barrier  that I feel tearing down with every advancement.

The Gordon routine is still taking up about 90% of my practice time.  I  miss the jazz stuff tremendously but I’ve noticed that when I do practice  improvisation exercises, it is easier because of my improved endurance, range  and overall playing.

Back on Miles

It is no secret to those who know me that I am a big Miles Davis fan.   His playing on the recording “Kind of Blue” is what moved me from jazz spectator  to jazz performer.  Over the past few years I have jumped from player to  player with regards to copying style and vocabulary.  I never really  stopped to focus on anyone.  I’ve recently made the decision to really dig  into Miles – specifically the work he did on Prestige and his early Columbia  stuff with John Coltrane.  I’m giving him more of a focused listen and I  marvel at the beauty and simplicity of what he plays.

Truthfully I hear a ton of cats coming out of  Freddie Hubbard but very  few bring the vibe that Miles did.  I think that style of play lines up  more with me as a person.  I’m not entirely sure what took me so long to  get to this point but I’m glad I’m here.

New Deal

On July 30th Lorenzo Toppin and I had an opportunity to sit in with the Mike Montgomery Jazz Quartet at the New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt Maryland. I had a great time and hope to get an opportunity to do it again. I was impressed with the number of different tunes the group was able to play. The number of songs that I’m able to play now would barely fill a two set gig. I realize that I need to make more of an effort to learn new tunes. Special thanks to Mike Montgomery, Mike Fore and Bette Stallman for inviting us join them.  If you want to catch them live visit Mike Fore’s website for a schedule of events.

Claude Gordon Method

After the gig at New Deal I’ve made an effort to spend more time addressing the items in my last post. Part of that process has involved working with the Claude Gordon method. While there are many methods out there for learning to play the trumpet I was drawn to the Gordon method because it stresses the fundamentals (especially breathing properly). I also appreciated the fact that it includes practice assignments that keep me focused. I go through the Gordon routine, take a nice long break and then hit some jazz studies (scales, arpeggios, patterns and transcription).  I’m only in my 3rd week so study but so far – so good.  I plan to stay patient and work hard at it.

New Orleans

The one year anniversary of the hurricane Katrina has come and there is still much work to be done. There has been tons of media coverage about it but I had to ask myself — why haven’t we heard anything before now? Will the plight of New Orleans once again be forgotten after CNN, MSNBC and other programs stop talking about it?

I refuse to forget.  I watched Spike Lee’s documentary When the Levee Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (music by Terence Blanchard) as it documented Katrina’s approach, it’s terrible strike and the aftermath. It sickens and deeply angers me to read some online BBS where people feel it is waste to make the effort to restore the city or that the people “got what they deserved” for staying. IT REALLY ANGERS ME. I can’t understand the mind that would believe or even verbalize that sort of statement.

I have a friend who lives in New Orleans. She attended a remembrance service and shared a quote with me that was on the cover of the program.  To me – it speaks volumes about what the city and it’s people are made of:

‘Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.’ – Helen Keller

RE-NEW ORLEANS!!!

As I mentioned in my last posting things have been really busy for me musically. I’ve had quite a few gigs over the past few weeks – all of them quite enjoyable. Still, as fun as that has been I am looking forward to putting in some serious time in the woodshed. For me practicing to prepare for gigs and practicing to improve or fix problems are two different things. Since I am not a full time musician I don’t feel like I have enough time to get ready for a gig AND hit my problem areas. I’ve been recording and reviewing many of my performances and I hear so many things that are lacking in my playing.  I feel like I need to work even harder to improve.

I’ve got a long laundry list of items that I need to hit once I wrap up my last gig on 7-30. Some of them include:

• Endurance – I still find myself wiped at and struggling near the    end of gigs. I am fortunately enough to play with cats who understand what    I’m dealing with on a brass instrument but there is nothing more frustrating    than having a ton of ideas that you want to play but can’t because you’re    tired. While I understand that this is all part of playing trumpet – it    doesn’t make me feel very good.
• Tone – My tone still isn’t the best. While I like the core sound I    feel like I play too soft. Part of it may be me dialing back to keep from    tiring out but I still need to work on it.
• Intonation – My intonation is all over the place (see Lady Bird    clip below). The good news is I can tell when it’s off. Now I just need to    figure out how to fix it. I’ve noticed that there are certain notes that    routinely sound bad for me (4th line D comes to mind).
• Breathing/Use of Air – I probably should have placed this in front    of the first two items. There is a very good chance that the core of my    problems center around this. I’ve been working with The    Breathing Gym fairly regular to make me mindful of what I should be    doing. I am also using a breathing bag which also gets me moving air and    taking that sensation to the horn.
• Solo Development – I think I have some great ideas when I play    solos but I don’t organize them very well. I tend to rush and lump all of my    best stuff in the first two chorus. By the third I’m wandering and babbling musically    – not saying a thing. I think I would be better served to use more space as    well. Much more.
• Blues – My blues playing needs a lot of work. I do ok but there is    so much more I could do with it. I plan on doing a lot of shedding on this    including transcribing some solos or choruses from cats that I like.  I    had a conversation with my buddy Lorenzo and we surmised that Blues is the    stepping stone for all other tunes that we struggle with.  Master the    blues and other things will become easier.

As you can tell from this list – I’ve got a lot of work to do. If there are any players out there who have suggestions on ways to work on any of these items – feel free to email me.

Sound File

After a LONG time I’m finally posting a sound file that I threw together today. Lady Bird is one of my favorite tunes and it routinely kicks my butt when I play it. I sound much better playing it now compared to when I first started.  I have a bad habit of using certain ideas more than once and it shows in this clip.  Still, I hear promise…

Click here to listen… as always – your feedback is appreciated.

Change in Attitude

Over the weekend when talking with some friends of mine I realized that I had  a change in attitude about music and how I viewed myself as a musician. My  friends are both dancers and we were talking about how something that you love  to do (in my case playing jazz/trumpet) becomes a part of you. I no longer look  at music as something that I do – it has become a part of who I am as a person.  Right along with all my bad habits, likes, dislikes and character traits, music  and the desire/need to create it defines who I am.

When I realized this I also realized that I took what I did much more  seriously now. When I first started playing I was quick to use my beginner  status as a punch line or joke to downplay and explain my lack of ability. I  can’t (and won’t) do that now. The more opportunities that I get to play in  public the more my confidence grows and the more I start to truly believe that I  am a musician. I believe that realization is allowing me to play more to my full  potential and to practice honestly to improve.

Sorry to get deep with everyone. This is a pretty big deal for me. I  still love music and find extreme joy in playing it but I just feel “different” for lack of a better word.

More Gigs and More Confidence

Part of my new found attitude is a result of playing in public more. Since my  last posting I have played a gig in Greensboro Maryland, in a church ensemble  for choir day, a BBQ jam and numerous other gigs. I think I’ve played more gigs in  the past few months than I did the entire year of 2005 and there are already more  on the horizon. I am starting to feel more comfortable on the band stand. The  more comfortable I become the more I start to come out of my box and abandon the  “safe” stuff that I normally play. I attempt to chase ideas and pull off some of  the more complex stuff that I work out in the practice room. I still have moments where I stretch myself into a corner and have to quickly figure out a way back to center.  As a friend of mine  once said – “I’m getting in my reps” which means the more I do it — the  stronger (and more confident) I will become.

It seems strange to say this so quickly after posting my “Shaking Trumpeter”  journal entry but it is true. While I still get nervous prior to playing it is  no where near the paralyzing fear that I experienced before. Once the music  begins I focus on the task at hand and that focus makes my mind too busy to think  about anything other than listening, playing and enjoying myself.

Equipment Update

I’m sure many folks have noticed that I removed the equipment link from my  menu items. When I first started playing trumpet I went through several horns  and mouthpieces. I think there was a misconception that I spent more time  looking for equipment solutions to my playing problems instead of digging them out of the dirt via  practice. For the record, even when I was trying different horns and mouthpieces  I will still practicing between 1.5 to 2 hours a day (more on weekends). That  being said I will probably put that information back on my site in the near  future.

For the curious, the my current line up is:

Lawler Model T Trumpet (brushed lacquer finish) Conn Vintage One Flugelhorn (Satin lacquer finish) Karl Hammond Mouthpieces (5ML, 5FL)

I will probably be using this setup for a long time.

Photos Update

The Photos link is active again and I’ve added a  few pictures from recent gigs. More to come!

Special Thanks

While playing with the Jazz Band  Masterclass I met a guy by the name of Lorenzo Toppin. I really clicked with  this cat and in him I found someone as anxious and driven to improve as I am. He  is very encouraging (he actually digs my sound more than I do) and has made a  point to invite me to sit in/perform with him regularly. I can’t put into words  how important that is and how much I appreciate it. I still have my doubts about  being ready for “prime time” but I remember reading that Miles Davis didn’t  think he was ready to play with Charlie Parker and people thought Miles was nuts  for hiring a developing tenor star by the name of John Coltrane. I listen to  recordings from some of our gigs and I’m constantly asking myself — why does he  want ME to play with him!?  I’m still figuring things out!  While I may  never be on the same level as these great players – Lorenzo’s confidence in me  has given me confidence in myself.  More than that – I ALWAYS have a  great time playing with this cat and I think that joy comes out in the music we make.

Thanks Lo…

As has been the trend lately I am woefully late with my journal updates.  Seems as if I’m only good for one a month now. That being said things have been  really busy for me musically and I’ve got a lot to catch everyone up on…

Still Shaking – But Getting the Job Done

I got a lot great suggestions on how to deal with my nervousness. It was nice  to hear that I wasn’t the only one who goes through “changes” prior to a  performance.  Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragment. The consensus seems to be that  you are always going to be somewhat nervous prior to playing in public but once  the music starts – you should keep you mind focused on the task at hand. That is  what I ended up doing for my performance at church and it turned out GREAT. It was probably the first time that I was up there playing and  everything felt good – embouchure, breathing, tone… the whole package. The funny  thing is I forgot my written music! I had to do everything from memory and by  ear! After the initial panic of realizing it was gone I calmed down and just  trusted all the hard work that put in to prepare. Without the music in  front of me I really had to focus and listen in order to get everything right.  It really reinforced the feeling of getting “lost” in the music instead of negative thoughts like “oh my goodness… I missed  that note” or “ok… here comes the hard part… don’t screw up.” Focus on the  music.

HR-57

As many of you know one of my goals for 2006 was to play at one of the jam  sessions at HR57. Early  this month I got that opportunity. I played over two tunes – “So What” and  “Footprints.” I wish I could say that I got up there and knocked everyone’s  socks off but that didn’t happen. I wasn’t super nervous but for some reason  none of my ideas came out the way that I wanted them to. I also felt vastly  inferior to all the other cats that got up there and played.

While I feel good about getting up there – the truth of the  matter is I have a lot of work to do before I attempt to do it again. I felt  like I had no business being up there playing. While that may sound like a negative  statement – it isn’t. The experience was a nice (but humbling) way of measuring where I am  right now as a player.

A Long Way to Go

I really need to build up my vocabulary and I’ve begun tailoring my practice  routine to do so. There is a book called Elements of the Jazz Language for the Developing Improvisor by Jerry  Coker and I’ve been working with it religiously. It actually provides patterns  and licks that were used by the greats.  The cool thing is it includes a CD containing those  licks from the original tunes so you can hear them. You learn them in all 12 keys but they’re not  written out completely. They give you one key and you must work out the others  so the important element of ear training is not ignored. After learning a  pattern or lick  you go to a tune and look for places where you can apply it – that is an  important part of the process that I think people leave out.

One important thing I realized after the HR57 trip is I need to get cracking on  improving as a trumpet player. My facility on the instrument is woefully poor  and that is unacceptable in jazz. I need to get back into spending serious time  with Arbans, Schlossberg and Clarke. I know I’m going to need some help from  someone to tackle this part…

Terence Blanchard

My birthday just rolled around and lucky me… Terence Blanchard was in town. As usual I enjoyed his show very much. The group has been playing  together for some time now and it shows. They are very familiar with each other  and do an amazing job listening and responding. They make up a very cohesive  unit. They performed tunes from the Bounce and Flow albums but they also played  some new music which sounded great. Even though Flow hasn’t been out a year  – I’m anxious for some new material.

As an added treat Terence brought up Gretchen Parlato to sing with the group. She sang on “Benny’s Tune” and then performed a duet  with Lionel Loueke.   That song was based off the melody from “Juju.” Gretchen wrote the lyrics (a tribute to Wayne  Shorter) and it was really good.

Between sets we had an opportunity to talk to  Terence and as always he was great. I brought him a New Orleans Saints t-shirt  for his birthday (same day as mine) and he really liked it.

I’ve actually been converting some of Terence’s music from LP over the past  few days. He did some great stuff with Donald Harrison that I’d like to give a  closer listen.  That’s hard to do when you have to crank up (and dust off) the  record player…

Tim Warfield

I will start this section with a bold statement — Tim Warfield is the  baddest cat out there right now on Tenor and Soprano saxophone. For those of  you who don’t know him, Tim has been  playing with trumpet monster Nicholas Payton for a few years now.  I caught Tim  at Twins Jazz Club on Saturday night and stayed for all three sets. The energy  and confidence that he brought to the stage was incredible. He is technical  monster but he is also musical and inventive with his playing. He  never seemed to run out of ideas and everything flowed freely. He performed some  standard tunes (he opened with a blues and completely demolished it) but what I  enjoyed most was his compositions. As I have said before I am all for cats  writing original music. He performed two of his own and both were great. One of them was extremely funky and I could see it crossing into  mainstream music. It was easy to grab onto but what he did with it during his  solos really blew me away.

My friend Lorenzo and I had an opportunity to talk to him between sets and we asked  him if there were any things that really opened up his eyes with regards to  learning jazz. His answer was being fearless (he most certainly was that)  and paying attention to rhythm. He said that facility on a person’s instrument  and theory is something that everyone can achieve through hard work.

Again – Tim Warfield is the man. Until I hear someone else LIVE that  plays like him I will stand by my claim.

Upcoming Performance

I’ve got a gig coming up on April 2nd in Greensboro, MD near Delaware. I’m  playing on a few tunes with some members of the jazz band master class that I  used to be a part of. Most of the songs I have performed before but I’m spending  some time to look over them again since my knowledge of music has improved. It is cool to look at them now and recognize things like  ii-Vs and ii-V-Is… it really simplifies the tune and allows me to play new  things.

While I’m sure it will be fun it will probably be the last time I gig for a  while. I need to hit the shed really hard over the next few months. At some  point I’ll go to HR57 again and see where I am in relation to my last  performance. I don’t think this pause in performance is a bad thing and I’m not  viewing it as such. I’m just being honest with myself and my playing.

DC/MD/VA Based Performers

Over the past few weeks I’ve had an opportunity to check out several of the metro area based musicians like Zack Grady, Michael Thomas, Thad  Wilson and Paul Carr.   All of these cats are serious players and when not making music – they’re really nice  guys.  Hearing them play has kept me focused, inspired and motivated.   I’m going to continue to make an effort to get out and hear them more often.

As I’ve gotten older I find that I wrestle with stage fright.  Serious
performance anxiety.  As more playing opportunities begin to pop up I’ve
noticed that I get really nervous.  Being a little nervous is normal but
I’m talking agonizing about having to play a week or more before the actual date
arrives.  I’ll lay in bed and thinking about a pending performance –
mentally seeing all the people staring at me waiting for me to begin. Images
like that do not help me sleep well.

The funny thing is this actually started before I began playing trumpet.
Prior to picking up the horn, I sang all the time.  I entered talent shows
in high school and I’ve been singing with a choir at church since I was about 8
years old.  I lead songs regularly and I have an OK voice.  While I
remember being nervous I don’t recall agonizing over a performance more than a
day or two before it actually arrived.  A few years ago I noticed that my
nervousness increased.  It got to the point where I didn’t want to sing
solos because I would struggle with it a week in advance.  Instead of
looking forward to singing a solo I was dreading it and just wanted to get it
over with so I could relax.

I’m actually starting to feel the same way with the trumpet.  The
nervousness I had with singing is multiplied times ten.  The funny thing is
I tend to get slightly less nervous for my jazz gigs than I do for my church
performances.  This could be because I spend most of my practice time
preparing for jazz.  I’ve got a couple coming up near the end of the month
and they are really starting to bug me.  The nervousness effects my
performance as well.  I remember being petrified when I played with the
community band but not with the performances.  I got nervous over tuning up
(and of course when you’re nervous you don’t use your air properly and you weave
all over the pitch)!  I’ve had rehearsals where I struggle with a certain
part or note but as soon as I get home – it just pops out…  problems
gone.  Very frustrating.

I used to hope that as I performed more I would slowly get used to it and not
get nervous.  Later I heard that Miles Davis always got nervous before a
performances – even late in his career!  So much for that idea! Perhaps you
never really learn to avoid the nervousness but you can perform well in spite of
it.

I know it has been a while since my last journal entry. I’ve really been bad  about logging my thoughts and filling everyone in on what I’m doing. Truth of  the matter is unless there is a gig of some type coming down the pipe, there  isn’t much to talk about. I spend a majority of my time practicing to get better  on the trumpet and learning to express myself through improvisation. Both of  those tasks require a fair bit of repetition in order to reach the goals that  I’ve set for myself. I perform the same drills or some varation on them daily.   It’s challenging enough to make them exciting, fresh and new in the practice  room — making them seem that way week after week IN PRINT is even harder!

I was recently named chairman of the instrumental group at my church. We only  have a total of about nine regular members but the hope is it will grow into  much more than that. So far we’ve got clarinets, flutes, viola, guitars,  trombone, trumpet and percussion. We recently played two gigs for Christmas  programs and they turned out fine. More importantly we were well received by the  church which will hopefully lead to more opportunities. Black History month is  right around the corner…

One thing I discovered on those two performances was I have NO chop strength.  Reading and playing the first trumpet part was a completely different animal in  comparison to the improv/jazz gigs that I’ve played. It could be mental but we  played three short songs and by the end of it – I was completely wasted. I had  NOTHING left in the tank. I was using the smash mouth trumpet method to get out  the last few notes on “Go Tell It on the Mountain” (for those of you who don’t  know, this method involves smashing the trumpet into your mouth to keep your  embouchure together and making noise). It was really depressing and it got me  second guessing if I was doing the right things for endurance. I’ve got a lesson  this coming Friday and hopefully we can go over a few things to help me.

Since we are quickly approaching the end of the year I guess it is time to  put a few goals for 2006 on paper. Below is the short list…

• Transcribe – In 2006 I plan on spending a bulk of my improv practice time transcribing solos. I’ve tinkered with this in the past but I’m really going to put in the time and try to learn at least two or three choruses of my favorite solos if not the entire thing. I read and heard that transcribing solos is essential and required to learning to play jazz.  Time to buckle down and do it.
• More Practice Time – I’m going to put my old silent brass unit to work so I can get an extra hour or half hour of practice time in on weekdays. I plan to use it near the end of my sessions when I practice improv. I’m going to pipe in an aebersold playalong or my favorite exercises from Vol. 3 and get some additional work in.
• Increase Chop Endurance – After the experience of chopping out on the last two church gigs I’m going to either join a community band again or dedicate time to learning to play longer pieces of written out music regularly. I’m leaning towards the later but if I start back sliding I may force myself to join a regular group or maybe meet with a friend regularly to play some technically challenging duets.
• Local Jam Sessions – I’m going to attend and sit in on some of the regular jam sessions at local clubs. For me that would be HR57 and Twins.  Even though I am playing gigs from time to time the regular exposure to other musicians who are better than me is a requirement for improvement. There may be nights when I’m pushed off stage but I consider that part of the process.  When it happens – you can read about it here. I’m actually going to a jam session this coming Thursday but I’m still unsure about trying to play.  We’ll see…

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone. I wish good health,  happiness and peace to everyone around the globe.

Yesterday I had one of those – this is why I play music/jazz moments…

I had a Saturday morning gig to provide music for a church’s first
anniversary. The building we performed in had a really nice sound system and we
were able to do a sound check prior to performing. That was a first for me.
We’re talking monitors, individual mics for each instrument – a real nice setup.
In the past I’ve had problems hearing myself and I could tell from the sound check
that I would not have this problem.

The performance was great. The instrumental line up was keys, drums, bass,
two tenors and two trumpets/flugelhorns. Since the other trumpet player was
strong I played more flugelhorn. The musicians around me were really, really
good and I felt that I had to bring my ‘A’ game to contribute. The tunes we
played were an unnamed jam (more on that later), Footprints, Chameleon and
Little Sunflower. All of the music turned good but Little Sunflower was really
nice. Very funky. We were playing music during a breakfast buffet but the people
were listening and digging what we laid out. My chops were solid and felt good
for the entire performance.

Everyone seemed so plugged in to each other (including the audience). The
unnamed jam was a testament to that. Right before we started the set the
keyboard player started playing a slow little groove which the drum and bass
players locked into. The horns started noodling around and it just took off. It
was unrehearsed and completely magical to me. We carried on for 12+ minutes…

I made some mistakes. I think I made the change from E minor to F for Little
Sunflower early. The rhythm section quickly changed to cover for me but I went
back to E minor. There was about two measures of – "uh oh… what’s going
on" but I recovered and finished strong. Later when listening to the
recording of the performance the drummer setup the change every single time. If
I had just listened to him I would have known it was coming. I still get pretty
nervous when soloing and I think it effects my tone. The other trumpet player
commented that I sounded great when playing with the other musicians over the
heads but seemed to concentrate too much and tighten up when soloing. I need to
let go and just play.

That being said I did a lot of stuff well and learned a ton just by listening
to the other musicians. It was a very positive experience for me. I’m still
floating from the feeling it left me with and practicing like a mad man to
address some of the things that I noticed in the performance.

I’m so glad I decided to do this.

P.S. – Happy Birthday Clifford

The first annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival was held September 28 thru October 2nd. Unlike the Capitol Jazzfest which features smooth jazz and r&b stars – this festival included more straight ahead or “pure” jazz artists. My biggest beef with it was a lack of promotion. I didn’t see enough press about it on television or in the papers. All that aside – I really enjoyed it. I didn’t see everything but I was able to see a few artists on Saturday including Wallace Roney. Wayne Shorter stole the show. At 72 years of age he is still playing wonderfully. His rhythm section was top notch and included some of the best musicians in the business: Danilo Perez, John Patitucci and Brian Blade. Everything was so tight and the players were totally on the same page – especially Patitucci and Blade. It was jaw dropping and good enough to make me purchase Shorter’s Footprints Live CD immediately. I’ve included a few pictures from the show.

I’ve been spending a lot of time on fundamentals in the practice room. I felt like I was struggling to do simple things on the horn. My range, articulation and control feels terrible. The bottom line is if you are having issues on the trumpet — everything else will be difficult. Playing scales, patterns, transcribing solos and other jazz related studies felt like pulling teeth. As a result, I’ve backed off the jazz a bit and I’ve focused on exercises in Arbans, Clarke, Schlossberg and etudes in the Sigmund Hering book (40 Progressive Etudes for Trumpet). I’ve also been playing the modes of all my major scales (something I’ve never really focused on before).

A popular quote among trumpet players is “You are your best teacher.” I often wonder about self taught players. Charles Tolliver is a monster player and I read that he was self taught. I sometimes wish that I was as well. At least with regards of recognizing my problems and knowing exactly what to do in order to improve on it. I think I’m somewhat better in that regard but I’ve got a long way to go.

For my performance at church I played a the hymn called “I Must Tell Jesus.” The high wood ceilings allowed my sound to soar and it was really easy to get lost in the moment. I focused on the words of the song and the tone of my flugelhorn. I played it without music and added a few embellishments here and there. I fought a bit of a lip quiver due to nervousness but it wasn’t too bad. That would probably be my biggest complaint. I’ve got a jazz gig on the 29th to prepare for and I’m looking forward to it.

I was in need of some encouragement/inspiration and as usual it came in the
form of a live performance. Terence Blanchard came to town and any one who
follows my site knows that he is one of my favorite players. His unique sound
and style make him one of the most original players on the music scene today.
When I caught Terence at Blues Alley earlier in the year it was without
guitarist Lionel Loueke and bassist Derrick Hodge. It was great to hear the
tunes performed with the full sextet in tact and as usual the group did not
disappoint. They started with two of my favorite tunes – "Over There"
and "Fred Brown." It still amazes me how the group can completely
change directions – collectively. My favorite was a performance of "The
Source" – all of the solos were so melodic. It was jaw dropping stuff and I
am beginning to think that the album Flow is better than Bounce. I left with a
huge smile on my face and a strong desire to practice (at 11PM at night).

Just a few weeks ago, hurricane Katrina hit Terence’s home of New Orleans.
Drummer Kendrick Scott is from Texas – a region dead in the sites of hurricane
Rita. My prayers are with them, their families and everyone effected by these
natural disasters. A lot of folks seem to think that life in New Orleans will never be the same. I disagree. I truly believe that New Orleans will return in tact and
better than ever. When it does – I’m going down for a visit. As a jazz musician
it almost feels as if that is a trip that I MUST make.

On October 2nd I’m playing a selection at my church. I’m excited about it but
admittedly apprehensive. About a year ago I had a not so great experience during
a rehearsal to play for service. I completely chopped out playing a Monette B2
and it scared me to death. Fortunately I have played a lot more gigs since that
bad experience and the thought of playing a single song is not as daunting. I’m
looking forward to it and hope it leads to more of the same in the future. As
I’ve said before – I just want to play.

Everyone has a right to their opinion with regards to playing style and sound
but I have always felt that as musicians – we owe each other a certain level of
respect. There are ways to express one’s opinion without stooping personal
attacks. I cannot for the life of me understand how one trumpet player could be
overly critical of another when they know how challenging the instrument is. We
won’t even talk about how difficult it is to learn jazz improvisation.

I have a lot of respect for anyone (from elementary school to the pro ranks)
who picks up an instrument and bares their soul, fears and strengths to the
world. Maybe I see the world through rose colored contact lenses.