[TPIN] Dave Monette's Elyisan Trumpet

[Michael Anderson]

> 
> I disagree that it's a beautiful instrument,
> gaudy comes to mind.

The horn is a tribute to New Orleans, not a tribute to Rochester, MN. New
Orleans is bold, brash and gaudy. The decoration of this horn seems
appropriate to me. On the other hand, the Hosaphone would be a proper
tribute to Rochester. :-) Every monument should be appropriate for its
location and subject matter.

I am told by a reliable source that Irvin Mayfield requested this horn be
built in honor of his father and New Orleans. This wasn't a case of Dave
Monette hatching this idea as a publicity stunt, it came from Mr. Mayfield.
It took months to build and involved master craftsmen/women to do the
detailed cutouts, engraving and stone and jewel inlays. Each graphical
element is a part of the story. You can find this out by reading the site
and watching the videos. Everything about it has significant meaning to the
owner and lots of people in N.O. For instance, the blue inlay on the
leadpipe represents 30 miles of a river that winds through New Orleans and
the ruby next to it represents the spot on Elysian avenue where Mr.
Mayfield's father was found drowned.

How the horn was to be used wasn't Monette's idea either.

MA