[TPIN] A different twist... Promoting the future...

[Doc D'Errico]

I'm thoroughly enjoying the debate around Jon Trimble's comments and it's
various threads...  While I have opinions of my own, I sadly fall into the
"would never be a friend" category of his original comments, so I've been
keeping my thoughts to myself, especially since so many others have so
eloquently expressed a good percentage of them.

While all you pros and near-pros argue over who's worth playing with, I fall
into the category of "I love my day job, and while I'd like to make a living
playing music, I'm not sure I'd love it as much".  Not that I'm trying to
provoke yet another thread on the original, but I do spend time thinking
about what I want to do next because I'm at a point where I know I can't
keep up with the pace and the stress indefinitely.

I also saw Mike's post about the impact one of his performances had on the
life of another after playing "What a Wonderful World" (did indeed love the
photoshop, too)...  I previously mentioned in a prior thread that I have
been inspired by folks like Maynard, Mike Vax, Jeanne Pocius, Nick Drozdoff,
and others who share their gifts (note, I didn't say, "craft") with others,
especially kids.  I'm reminded of my own experiences watching my former
mentor perform for local schools (I was an adult by this time but wished I'd
watched his band in action as a student), and of being in my high school pit
orchestra when the director brought in a bunch of Broadway pros to sit with
us and perform alongside the students...

Regarding the latter, at the time I'm reasonably certain that I resented it
(probably more than I remember), but the amount I learned from the
experience and carry to this day is tremendous...  And I can't honestly say
that I was ever once criticized in any manner for my practice habits or
performing skills.

But after too many years of not honing well enough my own skills, coupled
with a "re-learning" effort following my stroke a couple of years ago, I've
not really had the "guts" to share my music with anyone outside a very small
group, when the unthinkable happened.  A co-worked asked me if I would be
willing to bring my horns to her son's school as part of a "bring on the
band" month they were having.

Yes, I will open the door to barbs and flames when I mention that this is a
pre-K to grade 3 school, but when she mentioned that they were having
trouble finding parents willing to perform and how excited the students were
at the concept, I somewhat reluctantly agreed...

So after a couple of weeks of extra practice, especially around songs I
never think about practicing, such as those appropriate to ages 4-7, I made
my way to the school and was greeted very enthusiastically...  I brought my
Mike Vax Getzen and it's cousin Flugel, described how it worked, even making
some intentionally bad duck calls on the Mouthpiece to the (thankfully)
expected laughter, ran a few scales which turned into "Doe, a Deer", and
onto a couple of songs that I hoped they knew and was pleasantly surprised
that they did indeed sing along...  I even let a couple of kids try to make
a sound on my kanstul pocket trumpet - to the expected laughter, but what I
didn't expect was the sheer joy in their eyes when they actually made a
sound (as bad as it was).

I kind of felt like the grinch at the end of the movie.  What have I been
missing?

Before the session I asked how many kids wanted to play an instrument and
everyone's hands went up, most of them said, "guitar" or "piano", but I now
have in my possession thank-you cards from kids who want to take lessons on
trumpet!

OK, it was a bunch of impressionable 5-year-olds, but maybe that's exactly
the right time?  I can remember when I wanted to learn for the first time,
and that was over 40 years ago...  Well, it was *my* moment, so go ahead and
flame.  I *do* have the stomach for it, and the glow I feel is like a shield
that will protect me from the worst barbs you can conjure.  But I also leave
you with another thought...  Maybe we should stop arguing over who's better
than whom and focus on making sure there's a next generation that's better
than we?

-- Doc
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I'm thoroughly enjoying the debate around Jon Trimble's comments and it's
various threads...  While I have opinions of my own, I sadly fall into the
"would never be a friend" category of his original comments, so I've been
keeping my thoughts to myself, especially since so many others have so
eloquently expressed a good percentage of them.

While all you pros and near-pros argue over who's worth playing with, I fall
into the category of "I love my day job, and while I'd like to make a living
playing music, I'm not sure I'd love it as much".  Not that I'm trying to
provoke yet another thread on the original, but I do spend time thinking
about what I want to do next because I'm at a point where I know I can't
keep up with the pace and the stress indefinitely.

I also saw Mike's post about the impact one of his performances had on the
life of another after playing "What a Wonderful World" (did indeed love the
photoshop, too)...  I previously mentioned in a prior thread that I have
been inspired by folks like Maynard, Mike Vax, Jeanne Pocius, Nick Drozdoff,
and others who share their gifts (note, I didn't say, "craft") with others,
especially kids.  I'm reminded of my own experiences watching my former
mentor perform for local schools (I was an adult by this time but wished I'd
watched his band in action as a student), and of being in my high school pit
orchestra when the director brought in a bunch of Broadway pros to sit with
us and perform alongside the students...

Regarding the latter, at the time I'm reasonably certain that I resented it
(probably more than I remember), but the amount I learned from the
experience and carry to this day is tremendous...  And I can't honestly say
that I was ever once criticized in any manner for my practice habits or
performing skills.

But after too many years of not honing well enough my own skills, coupled
with a "re-learning" effort following my stroke a couple of years ago, I've
not really had the "guts" to share my music with anyone outside a very small
group, when the unthinkable happened.  A co-worked asked me if I would be
willing to bring my horns to her son's school as part of a "bring on the
band" month they were having.

Yes, I will open the door to barbs and flames when I mention that this is a
pre-K to grade 3 school, but when she mentioned that they were having
trouble finding parents willing to perform and how excited the students were
at the concept, I somewhat reluctantly agreed...

So after a couple of weeks of extra practice, especially around songs I
never think about practicing, such as those appropriate to ages 4-7, I made
my way to the school and was greeted very enthusiastically...  I brought my
Mike Vax Getzen and it's cousin Flugel, described how it worked, even making
some intentionally bad duck calls on the Mouthpiece to the (thankfully)
expected laughter, ran a few scales which turned into "Doe, a Deer", and
onto a couple of songs that I hoped they knew and was pleasantly surprised
that they did indeed sing along...  I even let a couple of kids try to make
a sound on my kanstul pocket trumpet - to the expected laughter, but what I
didn't expect was the sheer joy in their eyes when they actually made a
sound (as bad as it was).

I kind of felt like the grinch at the end of the movie.  What have I been
missing?

Before the session I asked how many kids wanted to play an instrument and
everyone's hands went up, most of them said, "guitar" or "piano", but I now
have in my possession thank-you cards from kids who want to take lessons on
trumpet!

OK, it was a bunch of impressionable 5-year-olds, but maybe that's exactly
the right time?  I can remember when I wanted to learn for the first time,
and that was over 40 years ago...  Well, it was *my* moment, so go ahead and
flame.  I *do* have the stomach for it, and the glow I feel is like a shield
that will protect me from the worst barbs you can conjure.  But I also leave
you with another thought...  Maybe we should stop arguing over who's better
than whom and focus on making sure there's a next generation that's better
than we?

-- Doc