May 8, 2010 -- A series of victories

Today was a big day for the NWSA jazz big band. First, they had to deal with The Grand Ogre which is Brewer pre-11am. But everyone showed up at the airport and made the flight, so I would consider that victory number one (no small one). Although AC was late, but he made up for it by being the best dressed. TD and DR win the first arrival awards. EJ and EJ, you made it through your first flight.

One might even consider it a double victory since no one got hassled carrying their giant trombones on the airplane. Thanks for smiling your way past the agents, musicians. Knowing human nature will get you far in this world.

We scored more victories. DS learned not to ask me where the trash can is at the airport. Most impressive, I thought, was the way everyone totally nailed the act of cramming your instruments in the overhead compartments of the plane so as to crowd out any non-musicians' even entertaining the thought of putting their stuff up there. It's about time we musicians won one.

MR learned that when you have a bari strapped to your back you are like a bull in a china shop. He almost took out 3 diners during lunch... Careful, my man.

JR learned that New Yorkers get really angry when you walk straight into them from lack of watching where you are going. But I think maybe he was trying to push me into traffic since he walked into me and the New Yorkers at about 15 miles an hour at an intersection. I'm on to you.... JR.

Oh so many vicotries in the educational realm. TMad and RR learned during dress rehearsal not to blow off the specified chord substitutions on the 12-bar blues, or you must face Gasior and get up earlier in the morning the next day. Don't worry guys. You learned that when YOU have YOUR OWN band, you can play anything however you want. I think the lesson is: start a band (I'm not kidding... and WRITE for it).

Multiple vicories in the evening jam session. Everyone represented well. The Motorcycle Man, KGonz, TMad again, RR, the Peace Man... Even TD swallowed his agonizing face pain to sound great on some choruses. He also learned that when he asks for Brewer's opinion, it might not correspond to the general pulse of the community. I also admired DLion's extra choruses on All Blues. Way to flout the rules, brother (one chorus was the rule). But don't try that with me....

BW, you're the workhorse. Keep swinging, my man. PW, no words for the great last-minute job. You'll go far.

Tomorrow is the concert. More to come..

--------------------------------------------------------------

May 9, 2010 - Performance Day

Today was another big day. We were the very first band to perform in the festival, and it was the first experience with this kind of performance pressure for many of our musicians. A fantastic job was done by everyone, of course. Again, special thanks to PW for sitting in that hot seat and coming through. All the soloists nailed it and I'm sure everybody is happy to relax now. Now, we listen to the rest of the bands and see how we stack up against the national competition. More later.

----------------------------------------------------------------

May 10, 2010 - Judgement Day

Well, we did our best but didn't win it all this time. Our musicians played with great skill and form.All the bands were good, and all musicians should be proud of their performance. With particular pride I would hold up the NWSA perfomance of the ballad as the best of all. Our soloists had a sensitivity others may have lacked. Maybe it was the extra soul in TD's performace due to his agonizing tooth pain, or maybe DL played extra well because there was no conductor on stage to fetter his individualism. In any case, more proud we could not be. Thanks to the seniors, we'll miss you next year. As for the rest, let's hit it hard between now and next year so we can bring that prize back to NWSA. See you next time.