Success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally a good performance on my part. Not perfect but pretty good. I am even happy with my solos tonight. STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. My room mate Daniel and I put in several hours yesterday. We will do the same in the morning. We are playing in Wisconson again tomorrow night then on the New York. To all of Flat Stanleys buddies in Texas, He is doing well but does not like the cold up north. This is his first trip to Wisconson or New York. He gives a special hello the Katheryine and her class mates.

Tried to call you CE. The number would not go through. Please email me again.

Will post again tomorrow.

Great Concert

What a great concert last night. I still had a few (not perfect spots) but overall pretty good. Great crowd as usual.

Today several of us sax guys went to a local music store here in Peoria Ill. I picked up some stronger bari sax and clarinet reeds, a music stand, flute plugs and a alto mp cap. Then my room mate and I practiced about 3 hours. Mostly on articulation, tuning and dynamics. A few technical passages. Lots of improvment.

Still waiting for a close to perfect run on my part.

YUK!!!!!!!!

I truly hate the BASS CLARINET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Concert

Great Concert tonight. Keven the lead alto loaned me a bari mouthpiece to help me balance the section and the BASS TROMBONE. It worked!!!!!!!!!! It is a hard rubber Berg Larsen. 110 over 5 M. WOW> What a huge sound but easy to control. Here are the mouth pieces the rest of the saxes use. Tenor 1 - Otto Link - Tenor 2 -RBC Alto 2 Mouthpiece Cafe 6 - Alto 1- Meyer 9

Saxes on the band - Alto 1 Mk 6 Alto 2 Yamaha 875( trying to find Mk - 6
Tenor 1 Selmer Reference Tenor 2 - Selmer Reference
Bari - Mk 6 (alto Mk 6)
All the clarinets are Buf - R13
Flutes - 2 Yamahas - 2 Gemeinhardts 1 Haynes( i plan to join this club)
Bass Clar - Leblanc

Ill let you know about the other instruments later. we are in Iowa tonight heading for Rockford Ill tomorrow. Pleasant dreams.

Here We Go

After 3 days of individual practice we are playing again. We will have sax sectionals tomorrow afternoon. We have sectionals about once every 2 months. The band does not have rehearsals ever. To play on this band you must read very well and pick the rest up on your own and FAST. That includes all articulations, tuning to match lead player(vibrato too), dynamics, releases etc. The Glenn Miller cds really help. I have listned to several to get the exact articulation for several passages. If you play saxophone you have to be able to improv some. I had two solos the first night I got here. That means wlking to the front of the band sticking your bell in the mic and GO. I have three tonight. One of the tunes I have not played yet. Wish me luck.

By the way, this is a clean cut band. No hair can touch your collar, no ear rings etc. If you have any inappropriate behavior you get fined just like when you are late to anything. It is great actually. everyone takes care of their business.

Please send comments it is really fun to get them.

WOW

It is amazing what begins to happen when you spend 12 hours on your horn in two days. Things you thought you could never do begin to appear. If your bottom lip can take it. I had to stop today because my bottom lip hurt so bad. Practicing flute tonight. No wonder these guys all play so well. No school anywhere can give you this kind of experience. Everyone that loves playing should do this at least once. You just have to experience this to understand how great it is. My room mate Daniel Puckett from Thomston Georgia cleared up my fuzzy flute sound in just a few days. I have had many flute professors try but fail at helping me. You just gotta know what to do!!!!!!!!!! Takes experience not a degree. LOL

DAY OFF

We were off today. That means I got to practice from 9:00am this morning to 3:30pm this afternoon. It was really fun and I saw good improvment. Tomorrow I will do the same again. We are in St Louis and headed for Effingham Ill. Make sure to check out the Glenn Miller Orchestra web-site for tour details.

Flat Stanly says hello to Katheryne and her second grade buddies in Rowlet Texas.

PRACTICE

Last night the concert was great. A sold out house of around 2000. We spent all day on the bus today. Studied our charts , (there are 400 in our folder), listened to music on our MP3s, read and took naps.

Tonight we rest and the next two days we practice individually. There is a guy in the band here named Kevin Sheehan. Not only is he a great sax, flute and clarinet plyer but get this. He can transcribe complete jazz band charts of grade 5-6 without the use of any musical instrument. He only needs 1 starting pitch and he is off. UNREAL!!!!!! He writes out every part note for note by EAR!!!!!!! I told him today he is not normal. LOL

I hope all mine and Flat Stanley's 2nd grade buddies are doing well. Stanley had a rough time in the rain today. He is catching up on needed sleep tonight.

Motels/Practice

Well, a different motle everyday almost!!! Last night Red Roof tonight Holiday Inn, tomorrow back to Red Roof in St Louis for 4 nights. We are playing at the University of Kansas tonght.

We practive individually about 2 tp 3 hours each 24 hour period. SOme of our tunes are very technical. We have an arrangement of Bill Bailey that is dang hard at 200 beats a minute.

No internet at Red Roof so it may be a couple of days before another report. PLease keep checking and sending comments.

Two Concerts

After two performances I can say WOW!!! The Glenn Miller Band is fantastic. All the guys are fine musicians and nice people. The vocalist , Julia is also fantastic.

There are No talking during performances, Never be late( that is a fine of $$$$), play your part
the first time, dynamics are a big thing here. the band plays PPP to FF. Always look your best on stage, cleanly shaven or beards must be neatly trimed. YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE Every DAY!!!

I love this!!!!!!!!!! The leader, Larry O'Brian has really high expectations and he plays the trombone GREAT.

So far road life is pretty nice. I do miss my family.

BUS SEAT

I have an assigned seat. Lots of electronics, etc for all the toys. I met the new singer John. I never thought about it but he has to show up with ALL THE WORDS MEMORIZED. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!

I also met Ron, piano, Gary, tpt and Larry the Leader(trombone) Everyone is nice. Concert tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here

I arrived in St Louis this afternoon. It feels funny. No car, no car keys. Have not met anyone yet. However, I am pretty relaxed and excited about meeting everyone tonight and tomorrow. I will load all my stuff on the bus in the morning. Tomorrow first concert!!!!! I am excited and can't wait to hear the other musicians and the band. I will give a late night report tomorrw night on the first gig. Wish me luck!!!!!!! Flat Stanley is really nervous so all you second graders in Rowlet Texas say a little prayer for him.

TRAVEL BUDDY

Thanks to my second grade cousin Katheryine Doss in Rowlett Texas I have a travel buddy. I have just packed up Flat Stanley that Katheryine sent me and he is ready to go. He will be sending messages to Miss Doss and her class mates while he tours with the band.

Packed and Ready!!!

All is packed, horns ready and so am I. Tomorrow Debbie will take me to Pine Bluff Arkasnas to load up the rental car and head for St. Louis. I am rooming with Ron Mills( piano player) tomorrow evening. I have been told I will most likly be rooming with the 2nd alto player(Daniel Puckett) after that. I will blog again tomorrow eveing after I arrive.

Getting Ready!!!!!!!!!

Today after church I am getting all my horns ready,(bari sax, alto sax, bass clarinet, clarinet and flute) for playing. As required I have my 26in suitcase, overnite bag, hang up bag with 2 white, 2 black shirts, and 2 pair of black dress slackes with very comfortble dress black shoes. I have clothes to just LIVE. We do laundry I am told about once every two weeks.

I am very anxious to meet all the band members and to seeing my spot on the Glenn Miller Bus .

Tomorrow I will tell everone so long and do a short studio session for the John Caldwell for the Miss Arkansas Pagent. I will be posting on a regular basis starting later this week.

Happy Easter

Hello, Tour!

Things are being set up, but this will be a blog to follow Mr. Gary Meggs' tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He will update the site himself periodically.