Are we all dreamers. Maybe only dreamers are dreamers, if that makes any sense. I have mentioned here on the Shipslog I played the trumpet for awhile.
Do you remember “It’s Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White”? Perez Predo’s trumpet player Billy Regis could make that trumpet talk.
(The boys and I on Bourbon street at the Musical Legends park.)
You gotta remember the man from Nawlins, Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong and that gravel voice combined with a beautiful trumpet, ‘Hello Dolly’ & Wild Man Blues.
Oh, and Miles Davis, ‘Surrey with the Fringe on Top’.
I never played serious sports in High School, so I didn’t dream of being Mickey Mantle or a Babe Ruth. But I could see myself on stage with Satchmo and playing second Trumpet somewhere in NY or Nawlins.
I imagined that I could make my trumpet talk like Dizzy Gillespi did in ‘I can’t Get Started After Midnight.’
Now to be honest I cannot tell you what constitutes Blues or Jazz, but I know it when I hear it. And when I could hear, I enjoyed both.
Did you know Satchmo knocked the Beatles out of first place in record sales a couple times. Mixing that patter with an amazing Trumpet made my neck hair stand.
I was so good with the trumpet, I ‘thought’ I was the best. I sat first trumpet in two bands. UNTIL one faithful day in Valdese Jr. High, my silly, untalented band director took my trumpet to show me a run, he was pathetic. I never went back to the band room, if that was the best he could do, I could do that blindfolded. I was not only good, but I was a wise a$$, of the first order.
Did you ever attend PTA meetings with your parents? I did, three weeks after I quit the band. That night the Principal introduced the band director, who was going to do a solo. WOW, was the school that hard up for entertainment? This is going to be embarrassing, ugh.
To my amazement the man stood there with a Clarinet, what? No trumpet? Not even a sax? A Clarinet, a girl’s instrument!
OH, but when he started, I had never heard anything sound that good in my life. He was great. That is the first time I really scolded myself. I said to myself, you are a complete jackass, you were named right, you are a jackass. You are so ignorant thinking everyone must play a trumpet. Listen to the man stupid, he is on the edge of greatness.
I was too embarrassed to return to the band, but I had learned a great lesson about judging, I must have been 13. I have never forgotten that lesson. Looking back, I know I was never great on a trumpet, but good compared to the ones I knew. I knew when I didn’t go back to the band I would never see those dreams come true.
I played in several church bands after that, but it was by ear, not music.
There are times a dreamer must switch dreams, I did (several times). I still dream, but I try quit comparing..
Nite Shipslog
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Out of sequence but here are the 1937’s, my Sherry’s year…..Check the Phaeton out, NICE
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6 comments:
Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw could make a clarinet sing and they were not girls. What sweet dreams and wonderful aspirations you had. Having dreams makes life worth living. when was the last time you picked up a trumpet? I bet little Stella would be amazed.
I think a lot of kids have great musical aspirations when they are young. I don't think it matters if you don't turn out to be a star, but that you enjoy what you do.
I like what Ma says "enjoy what you do". I can hear that trumpet from here.
Sounds like you did enjoy your trumpet playing days though Jack :) It is neat how there are such a variety of instruments out there that produce good listening music :)
betty
I did the same thing with piano lessons. Since I played for Church
I thought I am good. I play the piano, keyboard, drums, autoharp
and sing in a band. Mother started me taking piano lessons at age 5.
I took until starting HS.
I like Taryterre's thoughts about you playing the trumpet for Stella!
To be real honest, I'm not a fan of jazz or the blues ...much to my sax-playing hubby's dismay! I know he'd love to visit the music scene on Bourbon Street someday. I'm hoping we can make that happen, and who knows I might learn to like (some) of it!
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