Wind, Steel, and 1200 Girlscouts

Hello,

I am really starting to like this Sunday evening blogging ritual. I would like to blog a little more often, but I will take what I can get in these very busy times. This week I had 2 shows, one with the UM-Flint Wind Symphony and one with Gratitude. The Wind Symph. played on Wednesday in the theater at school. It was a good show. After 2 years of playing together, the group is really starting to listen and bring the music to the next level. There are still some holes in the boat, but at least now we stay afloat. The percussion section had a very cool part in a piece called 'Incantation and Dance' by Chance. I was on the claves. I like being a part of a big musical monster, but it still does not give me that same feeling as small ensemble playing, where the performer is as much a part of the music as the notes they play. In a small ensemble, elements like improvising, grooving, and communicating with the other musicians are all right on the surface ready for the taking. Those elements are much harder to find in a symphony. Speaking of a smaller ensemble, on Saturday I played with the Gratitude Steel Band at at mall in Taylor Michigan. The gig was from Midnight-3 a.m.! It was called the 'Mall'ticultural Girl Scout Gala, or something like that. Let me try to sum it up....1200 girlscouts, 200 very tired, highly caffeinated mothers, tons of candy, soda, and an inflatible obstical coarse. I am so glad I remembered my earplugs!

Thanks for reading,

John