To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.
----William Congreve
This passion for music of mine, it comes down through generations on both sides. Maternal grandfather played clarinet, saxaphone, piano, harmonica, drums and vibraphone. Paternal grandfather played organ and piano. My dad played piano. & was ALWAYS whistling some tune or another. Mom the same sans whistling. I play clarinet, saxaphone, harmonica, guitar and bass, a bit of violin, piano and flute. And among my 3 daughters we have 1 flute player, 1 piccolo, 2 keyboards, 1 saxaphone, 1 clarinet, 2 violins. This family is serious about our music. For fun. None have ever tried to make much of a living from it.
My poor lovely wife can't carry a tune in a paper sack., though she dearly wishes she could.
I learned music when I learned to play the clarinet. And it's always been the one I played the best. Learned to play it because it was what my maternal grandfather first played as well, growing up in the 20's & 30's. Then he was off to Europe in the early 40's in he service of Uncle Sam and my grandmom tells me he never played it again after he came home.
But I still have his very old marching band model. I believe it's a Conn or Selmer though can't say for sure without pulling it out.
One day I will. Spend the money for new pads and springs. And make it sing again.
Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton,
Teddy Wilson, Gene Krupa,
George Duvivier
MOONGLOW
3 comments:
MR, I was lucky growing up with my father as a jazz musician. He was inducted into the Kansas City Jazz Hall of fame, and even has his name on a wall at the Jazz and Blues Museum there. He's still playing, but what was really great was getting to see Woody Herman, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Buddy Rich....and Maynard Ferguson all before they passed into immortality. Jazz is truly the one invention that will mark American greatness, and when the future generations look back upon this wasted era, they will marvel in disbelief that we didn't cherish the great things enough to preserve them....this they will do with bitterness, if amnesia doesn't erase their minds, first.
Jazz is THE Great American Art Form.
Must have been awesome to see all those greats.
Jewel,
I was lucky enough to have also seen all the men you mention, plus Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, Roy Haynes, Oregon, and others.
I was always lucky enough to study with the Stan Kenton band for one week.
My father was a huge Stan Kenton fan. Turned me on to him at 12.
Post a Comment