February 2008
FebruaryFeb 29 Friday 08
Music Jokes To Kill By
Don't get me wrong. I like the old - What do recorder players use for contraception? Their personality!! - kind of jokes. But it's the Jonny no talent that you
FebruaryFeb 28 Thursday 08
Calicchio Review
An honest review without the jargon
I play on a Calichio Ultra Heavy weight Trumpet. The initial reason I chose this trumpet was to counteract my naturally bright tone as the heavier model (with thicker valve caps and a bigger bell) give it a darker sound than other …
What Lives Inside Your Trumpet??
Unfortunately this post didn't go according to plan. I asked a friend of mine who works in the biochemistry industry if he would take a swab from the inside of a trumpet and tell me about the bacteria he found.
Unique content hey?
Well after speaking with him I found …
FebruaryFeb 26 Tuesday 08
Naming my Army
As you know I'm naming the jazz band I've formed at the school I peri. It's more difficult that you would think. If anyone has any ideas let me know.
I'm leaning towards a suggestion by one of my army;
FebruaryFeb 25 Monday 08
Well on the Way to: Eurobusk Episode 1
Rob is currently editing a weeks worth of footage and
FebruaryFeb 24 Sunday 08
Sit In On Dr Dolittle
As you know yesterday I sat in with Dr Dolittle. What a great laugh!!
I met Graham Justin (who was deping on 1st) and Chris. It was a bit of a squeeze in the pit of the Grand Theatre but it was great to hear the musicians play up close.
The trumpets are really sound …
FebruaryFeb 23 Saturday 08
Date With Doctor DoLittle
I'm afraid I'll have to leave you with a short post today as I'm traveling to Blackpool to sit in with the Doctor DoLittle guys.
It should be a great experience if nothing else and it's thanks to the friends I made through playing My Favorite Year at LIPA; James Newton …
FebruaryFeb 22 Friday 08
How To Make A Composer Fly
This is a short story that Dave Livesey was telling me.
When he was younger he was singing in the choir at the Anglican Cathedral (Liverpool). For anyone who has seen the size of the organ in the Cathedral you'll will truly appreciate the following.
Reading that …
FebruaryFeb 21 Thursday 08
I'm Going to Shoot the Leopard
It's been a while since I've moaned about my Mac. But for the LOVE OF GOD!!!!
If this i the first you've read about this here's a sumary:
I love it! I killed it!! and it's been at least six weeks an I still haven't sorted it out and got all my software back. This could …
In YOUR Face M6, M5 and A38
Today has been very busy with painful jobs that need to be done such as the MOT!!!
FebruaryFeb 19 Tuesday 08
Pit Rage
I love playing shows but my 2nd trumpet Mark seemed to think that I may have been suffering from "Pit Rage" as I had inadvertently drop kicked a chair at the clarinetist twice over the week.
It's perhaps due to playing this show 3 times in the past year, leaving my …
Instrument Damage
This post is inspired by an old friend of mine who uses a trumpet stand.
He recently left his trumpet on the stand whilst going to the bathroom. On his return he moved his chair back to sit down. Of course when he reached for his trumpet, to his horror he realised …
FebruaryFeb 17 Sunday 08
Show Quote of the Week
The shows misfired line of the week has to be;
"Do you want me to get that windpipe and ram it into your windpipe?".
It reminds me of a line used by Jimmy Carr when remarking on Allen Sugar's comments of having a gut feeling in his stomach;
"That kind of use of the …
FebruaryFeb 16 Saturday 08
Health and Safety In The Pit
The venue we rehearse at for the show this week have decided to lock every other door in there. This is a brilliant idea, especially if there's an emergency and we need to get out quickly.
An emergency such as the bass amp which was situated by the afore mentioned ONLY …
FebruaryFeb 15 Friday 08
Sweet Charity's on Fire!!!!!
Like yesterdays post this too came from chatting with Mark about previous shows.
It was actually less than a year ago that we were playing Sweet Charity. We were just starting to play The Rhythm Of Life when the fire alarm went off. Mark and I played for as long as the …
FebruaryFeb 14 Thursday 08
Matt Roberts and the Copacobana Love Note
I was reminiscing with Mark (the 2nd trumpet on the show I'm playing with this week) about some of the things that have happened during our time working with this particular show company and I thought its was worth a couple of posts.
It was the last night of Copa and …
FebruaryFeb 13 Wednesday 08
My Pupil Playing on TV
James is my top pupil and I found out the other day he was the feature when a camera crew came into school. (He neglected to tell me this himself, instead I heard it from the head of music) Follow this link and have a listen to him playing Andante and Allegro at the age …
FebruaryFeb 12 Tuesday 08
Happy Birthday (to me)
Here's my Birthday Blog. . . . That is all.
(Although I'm staying in Derby I have developed a great little trick to get an internet connection so I can make up for todays slow post and the previous missing posts of the past couple of days, sorry about that! To make up …
FebruaryFeb 8 Friday 08
O-O-O-O Oklahoma!!
Back in Derby playing Oklahoma for a week. It's with a good little amateur company in Burton and it's a good laugh with cast and musicians. It's half term as well so no massive drives either!!
So now I've got all this time, what will I do besides designing, blogging, …
FebruaryFeb 7 Thursday 08
Too Many Miles To Drive
Living in Liverpool is great at the moment but it does mean I have to drive 112 miles to get to gigs and teaching in Birmingham. Thank god for gadgets and audio to keep me sane.
For example tom tom, blue tooth hands free, ipods, podcasts and for the early morning drives …