Don't play those bars, I'm going to do an impromptu solo

Hello friends. I do apologize again for the long break, but the holidays and a last minute production sucked away all my writing time, and also my creative juices. I am back though to write some of my recent thoughts on prior musical events. I will start with the most negative.

I just finished playing in a pit for "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Forum". Well, not really finished, it wrapped up two weeks before Christmas, but you know what I mean. This was probably one of the worst run musicals in which I've ever participated. From a cast that didn't have one single singing voice, to a musical director with very little experience, and stage director who could only say "Make it more Broadway" as her only criticism, its a miracle that every night sold out the 80 seat theater space. I must make this statement because its terribly true, but please do not take it as a homophobic remark, but the show would have made much more sense if the courtesans for the house of Marcus Lycus had been portrayed by drag queens. Really, the worst decision of the whole production was to put the "orchestra" (I put quotes because it was a violin, cello, drum kit, piano, trumpet, trombone, clarinet/sax, and flute, that's it. This is a Sondheim show, he writes big) in a catwalk in the back of the hall, in a corner that was acoustically dead. This means they could not hear us, and we could not hear them. So pitch, tempo, concept of the whole show was just about lost, except for violent, and loud pounding on the synthesizer piano. The lack of a conductor for proper cuing was also a poor choice. It was hard to hear vocal cues which is essential for every orchestra member to hear if there's no conductor. I cannot complain too much because the show was successful overall and people were working hard and doing their best to pull it off, and I did make the most money I've ever made playing trumpet from this production.

So onward to other topics. I watched the poor lip sync'ing inaugural concert on January 19th on HBO. The only performer who did not lip sync and should have was Bono with U2. Some highlights of the show though was when Stevie Wonder made Usher and Shakira, and just about everyone else involved look like amateurs, Pete Seeger trying to lead people in a sing-a-long but people failing to grasp how that works, and Bono doing a one-liner about peaceful Palestinians that made everyone seem a little uncomfortable. The low lights were many, such as James Taylor singing with four other people who were indistinguishable, John Mellancamp walking 20 feet away from the microphone and not playing his guitar, yet playback sounded like he was still doing both, and Garth Brooks. All of Garth Brooks. First was Garth Brooks being set up as "The Sound of American Radio". Then was Garth Brooks singing American Pie, but avoiding the really fun and artistic verses. Then the topper. Garth Brooks performing "Shout" by The Isley Brothers. Again, a disclaimer as I'm not racist or anything, but Garth Brooks, you're not black. You should not have gone within a fallout radius of that song, or any other song published by an R&B or Doo-Wop group ever. Snoop Dogg would never sing "Ring of Fire", you don't sing "Shout". I happen to know Ronald Isley is very much alive and performing. Why could he not do his own song? I'm sure you call him and ask him, he'd do it for a fair wage. I had to stop watching the concert once Beyonce came out to sing "America, the Beautiful". Because her and Josh Groban both suffer from the "I can't sing a note on down beat of one" syndrome. They always, ALWAYS go silent on beat one and ciondense the first syllable to fit on the and of one. Whats wrong with letting the melody stand and letting your voice carry the tune? Nothing, and I think it can be taken as a weakness in your performance.

On a personal front, I'm looking at a light orchestra set up for the next orchestra concert. This I'm kind of happy about. I need a bit of a break from the duties. Its sometimes nice to not need to be so necessary in a group, and be able to just show up, contribute, and then leave.

My current missions in purchasing music consists of completing my Who discography, and the harder challenge of doing the same for Journey. Journey's older albums seem to be going out of print on CD as most people just want the Greatest Hits album and the Escape album. I've been having better luck with finding them used on vinyl. And of course, you know I have no issue with that, considering Steve Perry's voice is magical on vinyl. That reminds me that I'm trying to get as much of the Who on both mediums, of CD and vinyl. I am still always looking for Pink Floyd on vinyl as well.

Well my friends, I sign off on this entry and promise to keep you all updated on my musical musings in this world. I hope the new year has been gentle to you so far!

I leave you tonight with this video of The Isley Brothers doing their famed song "Shout" just so you can try and see why Garth brooks made me so angry!