Hindsight on 2011

Maybe I need a little more distance from 2011 to have good hindsight, but I've been thinking about the past year and trying to figure out where I've been and where I'm going. Summing up the facts, gigging this year I made more money, and played fewer gigs. The gigs I played were more often the kind of music I'd like to be playing, but my schedule has been much lighter, which I don't enjoy. I had no gigs in November. The bottom line with gigs is that I want to be playing more, but there is lots to celebrate from 2011.

A couple gig highlights -

• Wicked in May - I really loved being part of such a big production. It's an incredible musical, great sets and music, and top notch Broadway actors. Beautiful voices. 
• Mahler 1 with the Spokane Symphony - one of the few times I got to play with an orchestra this year, and what a treat to do Mahler!
• The Spotted Cats Debut - an August evening cruise on Couer d'Alene playing great music. Lots of familiar faces in the crowd, and my Mother-in-Law wins the prize for selling the most tickets and inviting the most people. 
• The Eric Moe Brass Group - once again, not my name choice for the group, but an amazing opportunity for me. I put together a 12 piece brass group to play a September 11 tribute, and it was wonderful. To pick music, people and play in that setting was amazing for me, and I loved it. 

As far as teaching goes in 2011, I had nearly the same load as last year, and made a little more money. I have a couple adult students right now, and I really enjoy working with a mature student who knows the discipline practice takes and puts in the time. I also have some much younger students than I usually have, and that's going well too. It's fun to see joy in the novelty of making noise on a trumpet.

Right now I'm practicing for some solo opportunities coming up. First in February on Monday the 13th I get to be the guest jazz soloist with the Ferris High School jazz band. Then on March 28th I get to play Carnival of Venice with Ferris also.

For the jazz concert in February, we're doing a Dizzy Gillespie tune called Emanon, and some other things too. I'm working on doing a solo that sounds kind of like Dizzy; not a complete transcription, but definitely using some of his licks and aiming for his sound. I'm doing a Dizzy impersonation, and it's a fun challenge. To a jazz trumpeter's ear Dizzy, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard etc. all sound very unique, and you know within a couple bars who you are listening to. I want to sound like Dizzy.

Then in March I'll need to sound like Herbert L. Clarke. I've been doing some homework learning about the Carnival of Venice. It looks like it was originally written for violin, and then stolen by Arban for the cornet. Since Arban there have been many arrangements done, each player putting their own stamp on it. Among trumpeters one of the most famous is Allen Vizzutti's Carnival of Venus. Of course, it's out of this world.

As long as I'm posting links to videos, here's one I stumbled on. Water Trombone. Does this surprise anyone? really? :)

Starting 2012 trying to sound like Dizzy and H.L. Clarke is quite an ambitious new years resolution, but I still have a couple months to get it done. Hope your 2012 is a great one!