We are devastated by the news that Adam Mewherter is no longer with us. Rest in peace, our good friend.
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***Wow, three episodes in 1 week! Um, hope this hasn’t filled up the hard drive or caused a crash. But I’ll probably need to take a few weeks off now:-)***
I am very pleased to introduce my friend Dr. David Cutler to you, ladies and gentlemen. I think the world of him. He’s an extremely talented musician, and as it happens a gifted entrepreneur. This interview seems so timely. I have been having a lot of discussions with students, peers, and parents about making a career as a freelance musician.
Like David, I am an optimist. I believe that there has never been a better time to be a freelance musician. But I also know that most traditional educational tracts are not adequately preparing students. They have a job to do in making you the best performer you can be. The curriculum simply doesn’t have enough room for addressing some other issues related to being your own boss. His book addresses these issues. The accompanying website is great. He already has accumulated a wealth of resources, and it’s only going to grow. Please check it out and start thinking with fresh new ideas and a newly energized spirit. The world needs your music and is willing to pay for it. You’re going to need to be smart about running your business, though. As we discuss in the interview, the work you do will be largely of your creation. That’s the best part of being an entrepreneur, truly!
I hope you enjoy meeting David and take to heart some of the very good advice he shares herein. Then, you might consider visiting his website and buying his book. Being armed with knowledge and a variety of perspectives is a good way to be…..
You can live your dreams. You really can.
Peace:-)
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Podcast Video [ 49:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (451)Email it
***NOTICE: This episode comes right on the heels of Episode #139. Please don’t forget to watch that one, too, OK? Thanks.***
Recent flooding and heartbreaking devastation inspired some of the Southeast’s finest musicians to host a benefit concert in Powder Springs, GA. In this episode, see some clips from the concert and learn how you can help.
Please visit the website for a list of our generous sponsors and the musicians that donated their time and talent to help their neighbors. Thanks to everyone that participated!
To learn more about the fabulous Joe Gransden (who promises to come do an interview with us soon:-), please visit:
And if you think Wes can’t play any higher, go watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HChvUXMFFBA
Thanks, your support is much appreciated…….order a T-shirt and wear it with pride, eh? All proceeds go to those who need it most. If you prefer, I am accepting donations through my PayPal account, too (tom@trombonelessons.com). All donations to “Flood of Friendship” will be given to Salvation Army and/or CAMP Sweetwater.
Peace. Please remember to keep the victims of the flood in your thoughts and prayers.
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Podcast Video [ 10:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (359)Email it
This Episode is in PDF format. It should simply open or download when you click the PDF icon below. This is a general outline for the first in a series of 8 Master Classes I will present at The University of Michigan this Fall. It is my honor to be a fill-in for Prof. David Jackson for this semester.
I welcome all comments, as always, to:
tom@trombonelessons.com
Peace.
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***REMINDER: please take a moment to view Episode 132 and contact Mr. Fulton Stone with inquiries/bids. Thanks, all!***
A new project happening in Atlanta, Il Brasso Magnifico is the brainchild of our friend Mark Williamson.
What makes this group unique is the fact that all the literature performed is public domain. Plus, all recordings, performances, and sheet music will be FREE to the general public. Wow! Thanks, Mark:-)
And, let’s be honest…..the guy is a MONSTER E-flat horn player!
Please visit the website and tell your friends:
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Podcast Video [ 5:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (653)Email it
I never met Benjamin Fagan, but he sure was a lover of Trombone! At first an accomplished performer, then a collector extraordinaire. In this episode, Benjamin’s nephew (Mr. Fulton Stone) kindly welcomes us all into his home so we can peruse this most amazing collection of vintage trombones. There are 18 in all; some REAL beauties.
More than anything else, I sensed that the estate of Mr. Fagan would be thrilled to have these trombones fall into the hands of appreciative owners. That’s where you come in! If something in this collection piques your interest, please make an offer to Mr. Stone. His email address is:
fultonstone@bellsouth.net
(Of special interest might be a “starter kit” for an eager and deserving beginner. Trombone, mutes, slide cream, spray bottle, stand light, etc. If you have a worthy young player in your life, please inquire with Mr. Stone.)
And, if you knew Benjamin Fagan and have any anecdotes to share with his family, they would be most appreciative. Thanks everybody. Enjoy this. Mr. Fagan was quite obviously a man with a passion for our beloved Trombone. May he rest in eternal peace.
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Podcast Video [ 44:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (699)Email it
Cool…….many of you are liking these. Here’s some more with Lynda (thanks, Lynda!). Congratulations to all recent Graduates and best wishes in the next phase, whatever that shall be. We hope that it involves trombone in some way, if only because we know it’ll keep you happy and sane:-)
Hello to all my new Facebook friends, too. You are very kind friends, indeed. We should plan a party here in Atlanta…….hmmm.
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Thanks for the emails, everybody, and Facebook messages (if you’re a Facebooker, I hope you’ll be my friend:-) It’s always good to hear from so many of you. I’m glad you liked meeting Hadyn, too. I am so envious of his adventurous spirit! He has taken his Trombone Love to a new level, eh? We were all very glad to meet him, for sure.
In this Episode, I have decided (as many of you have advised and requested) to get back to basics: learning to play the trombone. Truthfully, the Podcasts were originally intended to do just that. So, I found a very courageous volunteer in Lynda Jones. She’s been playing trombone for just 1 year, after spending 20 years in the US Army….. as a horn player!
I love to teach, that’s a fact. Hopefully, many of you do, too. Having done it now for so many years and with such a diverse studio, I find it more enjoyable now than ever. The goal of the teacher, in my opinion, is to inform and inspire simultaneously. A good teacher knows a lot about the student: background, goals, habits of thought, etc. One sure way to stay inspired yourself is to endeavor to do all you can to help students fulfill their potential…..
Thanks again, Lynda, for being a willing participant!
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Wow, it’s been a long time since our last Episode. My apologies. Been pretty crazy around here:-) We recently had a terrific visit from Mr. Hadyn Godfrey. He’s a Podcast viewer from New Zealand and has spent the past few months roaming the USA in search of all things trombone. We’re so glad he decided to come to Atlanta and spend a few days with us!
In this Episode, Newell Sheridan (assisted by Lynda Jones) conducts the interview and Hadyn gives a very insightful glimpse into the trombone scene on the other side of the world……
(Y’all might chuckle like I did when Newell puts the “hard sell” on Hadyn to consider a Shires. Ha! Can’t blame a guy for tryin’)
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This is a PDF file to accompany Video Episode #123b. Self-explanatory, I trust, please just click the PDF icon below. Peace.
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It is my pleasure to introduce my friend Harry Hagan in the next 2 episodes. He was our “Mystery Artist” in Episode #116. Mr. Hagan is a gentleman, a scholar, and an amazing trombonist. I have known him for a few years now, and feel very fortunate to have befriended him. I spent an afternoon at his home recently and had a terrific conversation with him. His career has taken him around the world and he has some cool stories to share with you! He also has great advice and some keen observations to share. I know this to be absolutely true: Harry has thought deeply about seemingly every subject under the Sun! He is an expert mason. Seeing his handiwork is inspiring. While his hands are busy, his mind is, too, apparently. He talks a bit about that and other things……
I think you’ll agree, too, that his trombone playing is absolutely gorgeous. I hope you enjoy meeting him!
Harry, thanks for the great “hang”.
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If you’re a student looking either for Undergraduate or Graduate opportunities, check out what’s going on at Mercer University. They have opened a new chapter and are seeking to become one of the elite music schools.
In this episode, learn more about Mercer University, The Townsend School of Music, The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, the town of Macon, and more. Dr. John Dickson tells us all about it.
If after watching this, you want to know more, please visit their website:
www.mercer.edu
Or, as always, write me and I’ll help however I can: tom@trombonelessons.com
Thanks, everyone!
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Why the interrogative title? Well, this really should be Part 3 of our visit with Dr. John Upchurch, a.k.a. “The Slide Doctor” (a title bestowed upon him, apparently, by Buddy Baker!). You may have visited his website (www.slidedr.com), seen him at festivals/conventions, or maybe you’ve shipped your slide to him. He’s one of the very best. I took my King 2B slide and my Shires slide to him to see what magic he could perform. They’re perfect. I love them.
Dr. Upchurch was very kind in allowing camera to roll. He’s quite eloquent and photogenic, wouldn’t you agree…..perhaps I was set up:-) The conversation in this episode comes after more than an hour of the most thorough explanation of slide technology that you may ever see. That footage will air ASAP, and I highly recommend it to everyone. He truly knows slides.
He knows much more than that. This was a good conversation. In it, he explains for us all a whole lot more than proper tube alignment. Thanks, John, for the hospitality and generosity. I couldn’t be happier with my slides, and I feel like I earned a degree in Humanity in one afternoon.
PS- I’d like to mention this again: I just saw our resident digeredoo expert Jay Evans (and friends….there’s Jen!) on the “Renaissance Christmas” DVD done in Chicago. It is really wonderful. If you have loved ones asking you about your Santa list, this would be an ideal gift for a good girl or boy:
PPS- Holiday Party, December 15, 7pm in Powder Springs, GA (email for info)
Peace.
LOOK! Now you can now download The Piedmont Trombone Society’s debut album “Let’s Get Lost” (winner of the ITA’s 2004 Kai Winding Award). Click the button below for details. We thank you for your support! We will use these profits to start our 2nd album. Thanks, everybody.
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Podcast Video [ 17:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1245)Email it
Joe welcomes you into his home….one of the most unique residences you’ve ever seen.
Befitting a king. Naturally. It boggles the mind that Joe doesn’t play trombone!
LOOK! Now you can now download The Piedmont Trombone Society’s debut album “Let’s Get Lost” (winner of the ITA’s 2004 Kai Winding Award). Click the button below for details. We thank you for your support! We will use these profits to start our 2nd album. Thanks, everybody.
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More with Mr. Patten. In this episode, we climb YET another ladder to another organ chamber. Whew! You all appreciate this, I hope. I am not a fan of heights, tall ladders, and such stuff. Joe makes it look so easy, too……almost as if he’s done it a few thousand times.
Enjoy!
PS- don’t deny yourself Part 1 and 3 of this series with Joe…and if you’re ever at The Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, by all means please feel free to: visit Might Mo, applaud between numbers, put your trash in the receptacles, and refrain from sticking gum under the seat. It is, after all, Joe’s house:-)
LOOK! Now you can now download The Piedmont Trombone Society’s debut album “Let’s Get Lost” (winner of the ITA’s 2004 Kai Winding Award). Click the button below for details. We thank you for your support! We will use these profits to start our 2nd album. Thanks, everybody.
(PHOTO below is by Jessica McGowan, of AJC.com)
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There is simply nobody like him, ladies and gents!
Joe Patten is living a most exceptional life, and is possessed of a powerful mind. This is the first in a 3-part series. In Parts 1 and 2, he will give us a tour of his pride and joy, Mighty Mo. Then, in Part 3, he very kindly welcomes us all into his MOST unique home….easily the most exclusive residence in Atlanta.
Many things have been written in tribute to this man. He is an expert in X-Ray technology, he has a renowned vintage car collection (he helped build some of the first NASCAR’s!), and he has an inspiring love for Mighty Mo, the Fox Theatre’s Grand Lady. Perhaps if you haven’t yet viewed Episode 105, our visit with Larry Embury and Mighty Mo, you may wish to do so before watching this one. It might give you a better appreciation for what you see here. Whatever you wish:-)
You can read more about Joe by CLICKING HERE.
Thanks, Joe, for the chance to spend an afternoon with you….we won’t soon forget it.
LOOK! Now you can now download The Piedmont Trombone Society’s debut album “Let’s Get Lost” (winner of the ITA’s 2004 Kai Winding Award). Click the button below for details. We thank you for your support! We will use these profits to start our 2nd album. Thanks, everybody.
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Podcast Video [ 50:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (760)Email it
Marty Mikles is one talented guy….and he shares his talents selflessly. He is a very active soldier in the Salvation Army, an organization for which I have developed an immense admiration.
I’ve heard him tell people that I was his teacher. The truth is, I have learned more from him than I ever could impart to any student. He inspires me (and everyone around him) and I’m glad to make the introduction for you. Please enjoy meeting him, then stop by his website to say “Hello”. One quick glimpse at his Guestbook and you can see quite clearly that his influence is widespread and often profound. His website is here:
In this Episode, I was honored to join Marty and his friends in the studio to record a new song, “Stand Up”. (Darryl, Robert, Bernie, and Lex….you guys rock!) Marty composed it, orchestrated it, sang it, played guitar on it, helped record and produce it. Amazing. His solo album, “Running in Circles” is fabulous, too!
Thanks, Marty, and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone (well, those in the United States….to all else, PEACE:-)
LOOK! Now you can now download The Piedmont Trombone Society’s debut album “Let’s Get Lost” (winner of the ITA’s 2004 Kai Winding Award). Click the button below for details. We thank you for your support! We will use these profits to start our 2nd album. Thanks, everybody.
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Podcast Video [ 25:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (833)Email it
Larry-Douglas Embury is the resident organist at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. As such, he has been given custodial care and exclusive performance rights on “Mighty Mo” , the awe-inspiring organ built in 1929 and still functioning beautifully today.
Larry was most kind in giving us a tour of “Mighty Mo” from the helm. While this episode may have precious little to do with trombone…I trust you will find this time well spent. Any musician who loves his instrument like Larry loves his “Mighty Mo” is a delight to witness. I hope you agree! Besides, you ain’t never seen an instrument like “Mo”. If you’ve been fortunate enough to attend a show at The Fox and hear Larry “live”, then you know what I mean.
He does shows throughout the year, with his “Larry, Carols, and Mo” Christmas Concert being among the most popular annual events in town! Tickets are free, but you better get them early each year. More about Larry can be learned at the Fox’ website:
You can order his recordings while there, too, and I highly recommend the DVD/CD done in 5.1 Surround Sound. It’s called “Sonic Bloom”. Check it out HERE.
He is also a musical force behind DuoArts, and you can learn more about that HERE.
Hope you enjoy meeting Larry and “Mighty Mo” ladies and gentlemen. Next time you’re in Atlanta and are lucky enough to catch a show at the Fox, stop by the console and say hello! I’m quite sure that Larry would love to meet you.
Thanks for the quality time, Larry! See you at the Holiday Show:-)
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Podcast Video [ 33:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (917)Email it
Yup, that’s what it is….plus a few plugs for our friends:-)
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