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A Jazzy Weekend

1 by Fingolfin
This weekend saw the 10th annual River Raisin Jazz Festival take place in my home town of Monroe, Michigan. The free event was another huge success as always, and we packed one downtown riverside park with about 20,000 people at one point. I've never seen so many here, it was great for Monroe. We had some big names this year including Alexander Zonjic and Friends, Nelson Rangell, the Jeff Lorber Fusion, Tim Bowman, Jeff Golub, and of course Kenny G himself! I went both Saturday and Sunday and managed to catch 7 of the 11 shows. I came home with six CD's, four of them autographed, and I got to meet Zonjic, Kenny G, and Tim Bowman.

I've never been able to go to one of our Jazz Fests before because we're always on vacation this weekend. I took advantage of the opportunity to get up close and personal with the bandstand (as did hundreds of others). By Kenny G and Zonjic's encore on Saturday night, I was about five feet from the stage. I took a few pictures to prove it!

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"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

3 by Thranduil
Well Fin knowing your passion for music, sounds like this was a very memorable weekend for you.
Those are some top notch musicians to be meeting. :)

I'm sure you got quite fueled up, and inspired :thumbs_up
"and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut stones, to work in wood, and engage in all kinds of craftsmanship"

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

4 by Olorin
Well Fin I am glad you went to this festival and had a good time, instead of going to the Indiana State Fair and getting caught in that tragedy.

It's interesting to see that Kenny G still has Big Hair. For some reason, I was thinking he had cut it off.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

5 by Thranduil
Somehow I think Kenny G without his hair would be the end of his career. People in nosebleed seats would say, "That's not Kenny G, he's got big hair", no matter how well he played.
"and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut stones, to work in wood, and engage in all kinds of craftsmanship"

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

6 by Darlak
I not a jazz guy myself, but being an absolute metal fanatic, I know the feeling you get after an awesome concert myself. Sweet stuff! =)
"I had the blues, 'cause I had no shoes, until upon the street, I saw a man who had no feet"

The biggest problem about a zombie-apocalypse would be to hide my excitement about it

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

7 by Fingolfin
[quote=""Darlak""]I know the feeling you get after an awesome concert myself. Sweet stuff! =)[/quote]

Indeed! :thumbs_up


Kenny G would be absolutely tiny without his hair. He's a really small guy, only about 5.5 feet tall I'd say and he's really skinny. I imagine the hair is sort of his signature look by now, too.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

9 by Fingolfin
[quote=""RevAnakin""]That is awesome Fin, I myself teach saxophone and play primarily alto but the soprano sax is my true love. Wish I could have gone![/quote]

Wow, about time someone agreed with me. The soprano is my band director's least favorite instrument, he hates it. As do most of my friends, they never want me to break it out when we play together...except to play Careless Whisper! :crazy: I'm not much of a sax player though, I'm a brass and guitar guy. :thumbs_up
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

10 by RevAnakin
Well, let me clarify, I hate HOW most people PLAY the soprano saxophone. Unfortunately, because most people pick it up for fun, they never learn how to play it correctly. When I was learning to play it, it was completely old-school French classical style really allowing me to gain quite a bit of tone control with it. So many people make it out to be a toy and not a "real or serious" instrument. I always make the argument that it is only not "real" because they themselves gave up because they didn't have the skills to learn to play it right!

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

11 by Fingolfin
Yeah, the big problem with playing it in an ensemble is that the soprano sax is difficult to keep in tune, which I'm sure you're well aware of. Players who don't take it very seriously tend to not do it any justice.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

13 by Fingolfin
[quote=""RevAnakin""]The funny thing is that it is no harder to keep in tune than a baritone if you have a decent horn. I am talking about like a Yamaha 82Z not one of those curved mini-alto ones.[/quote]

Ah, to have e xp endable income! I dropped my savings (with some help from my parents) on a Bach Stradivarius last year. No fancy Soprano for me, I'm afraid. Plus if I went out and bought a better sax I'd never be able to afford the bass and acoustic guitars I want. Too much to choose from I'm afraid. :|
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

14 by RevAnakin
Oh, yes. I saved all my money and bought my own 82Z Silver plated Alto back in the 9th grade. My parents refused to help me on that one so that was $2500 I have sitting in my closest while I complete my engineering degree! Then again, I have always worked with band directors so they buy the items "for the school" and then the school sells it to me for what they paid which for my alto was almost $1000 cheaper.

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

15 by Fingolfin
Sounds like a good deal! And silver plated, too...nice and shiny. Gotta have a silver instrument for marching band, it looks so much better. Don't know if you were into marching or not but regardless you can't really go wrong with a Yamaha sax. :thumbs_up
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

16 by RevAnakin
I only did one year of marching band in my only year of high school. My director was the female Hitler and my school sucked (richest high school in Central Florida *no idea why I was there lol*) then I skipped a couple grades and started college at 16 working full time and studied classical sax and music composition before as stated switching to computer and electrical engineering.

Yeah, my alto is silver plated with a gold plated neck. Definitely turns some heads when I play. I was pressured for years by my French styled professor to get a Selmer and I stuck to my guns and told him to shove it and got two new teachers!

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

17 by Fingolfin
[quote=""RevAnakin""]Yeah, my alto is silver plated with a gold plated neck. Definitely turns some heads when I play. I was pressured for years by my French styled professor to get a Selmer and I stuck to my guns and told him to shove it and got two new teachers![/quote]

Way to stick it to the man. :evil:

Classical sax players usually swear by the Selmer Paris. Honestly, when it comes to soprano, I think Yanagisawa makes the best. Nothing against Selmer, there isn't really a bad Selmer sax, but from what I've heard, Yani seems to be the way to go. :thumbs_up
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

20 by Thranduil
[quote=""Fingolfin""]This has quickly turned into a music review thread! Anyone else out there play an instrument?[/quote]
I used to play Clarinet.
I still have it Fin, you want it? Free to you, pay for shipping. It has a nice case.
"and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut stones, to work in wood, and engage in all kinds of craftsmanship"

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

23 by EagleFriend
I played clarinet for 2 years in primary musical school! The hardest thing was to learn how to blow into it to get a proper sound :D It was fun! But I switched to all kinds of end-blown flutes as I entered medieval music ensemble called Joculatores Slavenses... Miss playing clarinet though :(
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that's why they call it the present."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

24 by Thranduil
[quote=""Fingolfin""]I'm no good at clarinet, though I'd like to get better...just to say I can play it you know. Tempting offer Thrand, but I've got my mom's clarinet. Thanks for the thought though! :thumbs_up [/quote]
Okay Fin, but feel free to check with your band mates at school. :)
"and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut stones, to work in wood, and engage in all kinds of craftsmanship"

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

25 by Fingolfin
[quote=""Thranduil""]Okay Fin, but feel free to check with your band mates at school. :) [/quote]

Sure will! :thumbs_up


Interesting, EagleFriend. Not a big fan of the flute or any of its variants, really. I just feel that it's one of those instruments that you really have to do it justice for it to sound good. Otherwise it just sounds...bleh. But if you listen to really good flautists, they can make some very beautiful music!
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

26 by EagleFriend
:) You probably think about side-blown flute (modern flute) because the end-blown flute has stronger sound and more medieval, not classical, bird singing like sound :) Either way, it's the question of taste :)
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that's why they call it the present."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

27 by Fingolfin
Indeed that's what I was reffering to. The end blown is indeed a stronger sound, but all the same, the flute family is not my favorite. Of course, I'm just peeved because I can't play them so I'm a little biased! :D

The Tin Whistle is pretty cool though. Doesn't get better than Concerning Hobbits.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

30 by EagleFriend
Don't know for tuba but clarinet was harder to play then flute...you need strong lips (mimic muscles) for clarinet :) That tuba instructor seems great but I'm half world away from Florida :)
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that's why they call it the present."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

32 by Fingolfin
Interesting note about the air. It doesn's surprise me all that much because I know flute is almost like you're whistling into the instrument.

Tuba is another one I have a hard time playing. It's the only major brass instrument I haven't figured out. I'm just not used to a mouthpiece that completely covers the lower half of my face!
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

33 by EagleFriend
Imagine me RevAnakin, practicing/playing clarinet for 5 hours per day everyday XD I have stronger lips then Arnold Schwarzeneger :D
Flute is easier to blow but you need very very fast fingers. Never tried tuba but would like though I think I would have problem with covering lover half of my face thing :)
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that's why they call it the present."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

37 by Fingolfin
We had a nasty sudden change in weather here, which throws the joints for a loop...and it throws previously broken joints even farther. It was almost 100 degrees this weekend, today it barely broke 60. Not fun. :(

But I'm managing to play trumpet on it. Too bad I can't just sling it around my neck like a sax!
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

39 by EagleFriend
[quote=""Fingolfin""]Ugh, my wrist that I broke two years ago is flaring up.[/quote]
But why?! It should had healed long, long time ago... Have you been to the doctor?

[quote=""Fingolfin""]It was almost 100 degrees this weekend, today it barely broke 60. Not fun. :( [/quote]
Wow I just turned that to Celsius and realized how great the change was!!! From 37*C to 15*C?! That's just insane!!! :crazy2:
Last edited by EagleFriend on Wed Sep 07, 2011 5:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that's why they call it the present."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

40 by Fingolfin
Yeah it was in the 50's fahrenheit most of today, and very rainy. And my wrist did heal, albeit turned a little too far to the right. :( And when the weather suddenly changes, it tends to make joints ache...especially joints that have been injured, didn't heal quite properly, and have been working overtime for two months.
"Remember, the force will be with you, always."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

42 by EagleFriend
[quote=""Fingolfin""]weather suddenly changes,tends to make joints ache...joints that have been injured, didn't heal quite properly, and have been working overtime for two months.[/quote] Well that e xp lains a lot :) Either way I'm sorry to hear that :( Rest a little ;)
Weather in Serbia these days is nice, not too cool and not too warm...
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that's why they call it the present."

Re: A Jazzy Weekend

49 by RevAnakin
OH MY GODS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yamaha finally released the YSS-82Z last month!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been waiting for this soprano saxophone since 2007 and after 3 years of prototypes and 1 year of production it is out! Now I need to find a way to get $3000 lol
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