New Orleans… again.

Posted on July 13, 2006 by Gandalfe
A friend of mine, the professor, was in New Orleans last week and reports:
 
“The French Quarter looked good – no real signs of damage though from locals I learned that some of the businesses had been down but were coming back.  The surrounding areas were a mix.  I stayed in one burb that looked great.  Took a tour through another area where block after block was nothing but empty and gutted houses with nobody living on the blocks.  Those areas has a stench about them that sticks with you long after you leave.  In those areas there were piles of rubble from the gutted houses along the curbs awaiting pickup (waiting months for pickup).  I have no idea where they will put all that rubble – maybe on the river and let the next storm blow it out to sea.
It is now hurricane season down there and though the levies are ready for a category 3 storm they’re telling people to evacuate/hide for a category 2 as all the rubble will become very dangerous projectiles.
 
The single most lasting sense I got was that in public (news and papers) they keep saying, “We’ll be back.  We’ll rebuild.” That when they say this it is not so much a declaration of commitment and belief as it is to convince themselves.  Right now 91% of the former population of New Orleans proper is gone elsewhere.  Freeway traffic is what you and I’d dream of.
 
Overall a good trip.  Glad I went.”
 
It’s like good fiction, except that it is actually a true report.
Posted in Band, Community, Travel | Leave a comment

The Bis Key Quartet

Posted on July 13, 2006 by Gandalfe
The Bis Key Quartet, consisting of Jim & Suzy Glass (my wife and me), Jim Borthen on Bari and John Gess on tenor sax meet for practice tonight. Two weeks ago we had a guest lead alto/soprano sax, Dave Anderson, practice with us. We are just having way too much fun.
 
We practice from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, working on tunes like the Intergalactic Rag arranged by Paul Coats (our fav arranger), It Don’t Mean a Thing, and Satan Doll. The last two are Ellington numbers. We have about 50 tunes in our book. Many of our songs were purchased from the Sax Noir out of Vancouver and the Bayou Saxophone Ensemble with Paul Coats. 
 
We hope to start performing this Fall. Look for us at Crossroads in Bellevue and other places in the Seattle surrounds.
Posted in Sax Quartet, Saxophone | Leave a comment

Alaska Was Beautiful

Posted on July 11, 2006 by Gandalfe
We are back from Alaska and I am deluged with e-mails. I had over 400 at work alone! Alaska was beautiful with warm and clear days and stunning vistas. Here are some pictures.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Posted in Travel | 1 Comment

Playing the Bass Clarinet

Posted on June 20, 2006 by Gandalfe
My wife and I have joined a fledgling clarinet choir that has met a couple of times. I’m approaching the end of my first year on clarinet. In my first year of owning a clarinet I’ve only practiced about a month’s worth of time though. So I’ve been playing the bass clarinet.
 
But alas, my Leblanc Paris bass clarinet is still in the shop for a complete overhaul. The tech found a repaired crack that is leaking so he has to rout out the fix and replace it with a better fix. So I was using a rental SML beastie that is very difficult to get to speak. Fortunately most of the chalumeau range, or lower notes for you neophytes, are okay.
 
So I was really enjoying the ensemble work, working on the intonation and the timing. There were four of us there, but we look forward to a fifth joining us next week. Two others have promised to join us but have yet to show up. It will be interesting to see how this group progresses and I get some practice to boot.
 
Play on.
Posted in Band, Clarinet, Hobbies | 1 Comment

Do you take your Saxes on Vacation

Posted on June 16, 2006 by Gandalfe
Okay, I’ll admit it… I love playing saxes especially when it’s group saxes. Suzy and I are going on vacation in July. We will be cruising south from Alaska through inside passages. My sax-playing son will be there too. So I thought we’d each bring our saxes and work on some ensemble music when we weren’t touring.
 
Suzy read me the riot act! She worries we will annoy the other tourists. She is a shy person, it must be said. So my son is bringing his SOP and I’ll have my alto. I was going to bring my tenor and Suzy would bring her alto sax. Here is the question my gentle readers. Should I bring both the alto and tenor sax and hope for the best?
 
Thanks for being there.
Posted in Repair, Saxophone, Travel | 3 Comments

Piano Blue Book

Posted on June 4, 2006 by Gandalfe
The “Bluebook of Pianos” has been published for over  thirty years. This information is used by Libraries, Retailers, Factories, Salespeople, Music Teachers, and Auction Houses. Our  new and used piano prices are used by technicians and  appraisers. It is piano information on demand, fast, free and convenient.  We are committed to providing accuracy and fairness in a product that exceeds your  expectations. ~ 
Posted in Piano, Reference | 2 Comments

Cowboy Bebop

Posted on May 31, 2006 by Gandalfe
The legend: THE SEATBELTS is a diverse band of talented artists formed in 2048 by the elusive YK. The name of the band derives from how the performers wear seatbelts to be safe from their hardcore jam sessions while they play. During the late 2040s and early 2050s, THE SEATBELTS traveled all over the solar system spreading their music which in the “Digging my POTATO” tour. Leaving their first mark in history, “Tank!” on their first album, “COWBOY BEBOP,” ranked in at #1 in the Solar System Music Charts of 2056.
Posted in Band, Jazz | Leave a comment

No Organist tonight?

Posted on May 27, 2006 by Gandalfe
I guess pretty soon they will automate what I do at work too. The Digital Hymnal will probably be a very popular item.
 

The Hymnal Plus by Hymn Technology – The ultimate music worship solution!

              To listen to a short MP3 demo now, click HERE

(Note: Sound quality is dependent on computer sound card and speaker. To experience the true quality of the Hymnal Plus, please request our information packet and sample CD.)

Posted in Music, Piano | Leave a comment

We Chose a Petrof Parlor Grand Piano

Posted on May 17, 2006 by Gandalfe
After a significant period of time and research, we have finally purchased our first grand piano. We played a number of instruments and finally selected a 5′ 8″ parlor grand made by Petrof. We were thinking about a baby grand, but the difference in sound resonance between the two was very impressive. With our 10 foot ceilings, we will appreciate the bigger, read phat, sound.
 
I’ve posted a picture in the list of instruments I admit to owning here on this blog. (We won’t talk about the ocarina.) As we were getting ready to close the deal, I said we’d buy the instrument if Josh, our sales person and musician, would give Suzy and I each a month of lessons; he agreed. It turns out he sez he will be on next year’s TV show called American Idol. We’ll have to get some pictures of him teaching us.
 
Suzy has played on and off for many years, but never seriously. She plays well enough to regale me with some of my favorite pieces. I play stuff that I wrote in high school, so many years ago. So I will have the most to learn. Our house now has a Lowery spinet piano that Suzy has played since elementary grade school, a Thomas organ that mom and dad bought for me at an estate sale for $15 including delivery, and a Hilliery (London) pump organ from 1886. The grand piano will be in great company.
Posted in Hobbies, Piano | Leave a comment

Can you name all the kinds of saxophones?

Posted on May 13, 2006 by Gandalfe
Can someone help me complete the chart?
Type  Pitch Concert pitch range Frequency Range (A-440) Hz
Sopranino Eb Db1-Ab3 277-1661
Soprano C B-F3 233-1396
Soprano Bb Ab-Eb3 207-1244 (1318)
F Mezzo F    
Alto Eb Db-Ab (A) 138-830 (880)
Tenor C B-F 116-698
Tenor Bb Ab-Eb (E) 103-622 (659)
Baritone Eb Db (C) – Ab1 69 (65) – 415
Bass Bb Ab1-Db1 51-277
Contrabass Eb Db1-Ab 34-207
Posted in FAQ, Saxophone | Leave a comment