Jeffries Tube Rendezvous

 I had some fun with this one!

Some backstory: in August of 2022 I had a surgery (for large acoustic neuroma). The surgery was successful and my facial nerve preserved. While I lost hearing in my left ear I'm still able to record (and frankly music has never sounded better!) but obviously I'm not so concerned with a stereo mix as much! 

For a time (maybe a couple months?) I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to play more horn(s) again. My recovery was physically very hard. Lots of pain in my head, neck and back. I wanted to return to swimming and biking but those would have to come in time. I did not lose my balance but I remain the klutz I've always been! As for playing trumpet, I couldn't play anything at a few weeks post-op. The left side of my lips had lost some sensation. The mouthpiece felt asymmetric and very odd. Still, I persisted and did lots of facial exercises.

In time I could play low notes up to middle C. Months later, after lots of PT, acupuncture, and exercise, my embouchure finally came back. It was a joy to finally be able to play, although I was straining for a long time to get to the top of the staff. Now I'm playing just about at the level I think I was at pre-surgery, albeit my range and endurance are still continuing to improve.

Bottom line: it feels great to be playing, singing, writing, and producing music again and I'm looking forward to lots more to come!

This song is a personal celebration for me - it's just me checking in with a bit of humor, an interesting chord progression and melody, I'm playing synths and ukulele (!), and playing what I think to be some solid flugelhorn lines!

Quietly - new album from Rob Birdwell

June 1, 2021 - My album "Quietly" is now available on Bandcamp.

https://robbirdwell.bandcamp.com/album/quietly

Quietly should be available on all major streaming platforms later this month, with a limited number of CDs available sometime in July, 2021.

There are additional track notes and audio clips available on my home page:

https://www.birdwellmusic.com/music/quietly/

Thataway

This is a melodious and jazzy modern shuffle written for a young, developing ensemble. This chart is well-suited for middle school jazz bands and/or a high school group.

The score and parts for Thataway are available on Sheet Music Plus!

Scored for Trumpets 1, 2, 3, Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax 1 & 2, Tenor Sax 1 & 2, Baritone Sax, Trombones 1 & 2, Piano, Bass, Drums, Guitar.

The shuffle feel gives this tune a sophisticated and modern sound.  Once your players get to know the interplay of the lines they will dig in and have a great time.

The chart can open up for solos (as many as you need or want: trumpet, alto, tenor, piano, guitar) - while there's no "written" solos (chord changes only), players can listen to the recorded solo to get some ideas for an approach to soloing over the chord changes, which move along pretty easy.

I Believe In Dog

"I Believe In Dog" is a symphonic work scored for full orchestra - the music is underscore for my poem/narration, "I Believe In Dog" - the score and parts/poem are now available on Sheet Music Plus! https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/i-believe-in-dog-digital-sheet-music/21322551?ac=1

Bella

Bella was a loving member of our family for almost 16 years.  She lived a long and happy life. She was by my side in my studio for many music scoring projects - kept me company and made sure I took lots of breaks to get outside and enjoy the outdoors!  All dogs (and cats) deserve loving homes.  It's my hope that "I Believe In Dog" can be performed and used to raise awareness and resources for organizations that foster and care for dogs and cats in order to find them homes.

Bella with "Dead Cow" - she'd shake that stuffed thing but never broke DC after over a decade!

Score excerpt from "I Believe In Dog" for Full Orchestra and Poem Reader/Narrator

Halie Loren in Bandon Oregon

Pictured from left to right are: Rob Birdwell, Matt Treder, Sean Peterson, Halie Loren, and Larry Smith.

Had the great honor to join Halie Loren and band for a performance at the Sprague Community Theater in Bandon, Oregon on June 7, 2019. Incredible audience and such a nice venue. The band this night was:

• Halie Loren - vocals, piano, ukulele 
• Matt Treder - piano, rhodes, vocals
• Sean Peterson - bass
• John Raden - drums, percussion
• Rob Birdwell - trumpet, flugelhorn

The first time I had the privilege to record some trumpet/flugelhorn solos in the studio with Halie I was thrilled and even a bit nervous as I didn't know what to expect or how she worked. I'd heard her previous work so I knew the quality of the performances and production were of the highest standard. Some studio sessions are better than others for sure.  Most of my experiences in the studio have been fun and enjoyable but there have been a couple that were absolute train wrecks for a variety of reasons.  Fortunately, every recording session with Halie and band have been the best of the best! 

First of all, Halie was running the console and doing the recording engineering herself, along with her long-time musical director/pianist extraordinaire, Matt Treder.  Both of them knew what they wanted but also kept things loose and in the moment - it's jazz after all!

Check out Halie's latest album, From the Wild Sky, which features her original material. As with all her recordings, this one is carefully crafted and features her exquisite songwriting and performances.

Scores and Parts for Rob Birdwell's Original Tunes

Been busy working on new music, gigging and enjoying life! I'm in the process of migrating my scores/parts for my original and public domain works to Sheet Music Plus!

The Sheet Music Plus service is a good fit for me, will save me time (more time for music!), and will hopefully expose my composing/arranging work (and even some of my songs!) to a much wider audience!

St. James Infirmary Blues is one of my arrangements now on Sheet Music Plus - it's a public domain song so I can make it available!  Enjoy the amazing Katie Smith's fabulous performance as well as that of everyone in the Corvallis-OSU Symphony!

I have several other derived work "arrangements" - making those available is much more complex.  There are some incredible publishers and rights organizations out there - but getting licensing for an orchestral arrangement is expensive folks - the best offers I've had offer a 12.5% markup price if I'm selling - that's actually good, but I have yet to sign any paper work for that deal.  The WORST are the offers (and I won't dignify them with even mentioning names) for an "arranger license" of around $400 or more!  That wouldn't even include any costs for the score or parts.  I've had to turn down MULTIPLE requests from some GREAT orchestras because I simply don't have the rights.

So yea, I get it.  Intellectual property, and all that jazz.  It's important.  I've been threatened with infringement fees in the past, but hopefully never again.  The "arranger license" fees will pretty much mean there's no way any of my 3 to 5 minute arrangements of other authors' songs will ever be heard in a public venue again!  Well, not unless something changes or there's some sort of reasonable solution that has an economy of scale suitable for the small-town arranger and local orchestra.

I do like the 12.5% markup idea.  Wouldn't it be great to write an arrangement of a cool tune, make the score/parts available for $50 bucks and send $6.25 of any sales to the publisher/rights holder?  Ah, if only it were that simple!

I'm going to stick to writing/composing ORIGINAL music/songs/lyrics!  The pay may not be great but wow is it satisfying!

I've got some projects in the works that I'm excited about - these things always take time so check back soon!

Meanwhile, keep playing it pretty!

RB

Letter to the US Electoral College Electors

The following is my letter/email the the United States Electoral College Electors via http://www.asktheelectors.org/ - I'm posting it here because a number of Electors' email accounts are simply being inundated and may never be received.  I may also append Electors' replies as a matter of record - some of them appear to be respectful, while not particularly promising.  Still, it's our right to speak out.  I personally believe that the pending election of Donald Trump to the office of President of the United States is a grave concern and worthy of employing all legal and proper methods for resisting before it can even begin.  -RB

* * *

President-elect Trump has demonstrated during the entire course of his campaign, throughout the debates, and throughout these brief post-election weeks that he is every bit the emotionally unstable, intellectually vacuous, racist, misogynistic, and textbook demagogue we've witnessed all along. It's naive to think he has any capacity to "change" or "rise to the job" of President of the United States.  Politicians of all parties - Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green, et al. - agree that a President Trump will be nothing short of a nightmare for our great nation.


President-elect Trump has no real interest in the people of this country.  This is demonstrated time and time again with his crass interactions with a free press, his disparaging statements towards women, the disabled, people of color, and his utter lack of humility. 


As a demagogue, Donald Trump acts solely for his own self-interests.  His plans to devastate our environment and natural resources, his unpredictable, mean-spirited and reactionary character, his propensity to promote ersatz subordinates to the highest levels of leadership - those and many more character flaws and patterns - all raise dire concerns for our nation’s welfare and are a recipe for an unprecedented political, economic, social, and environmental horror that must be wholly rejected before it can begin.


On behalf of all that is truly great about America, our democracy, our freedom, our precious environment, our national security, our children and future generations to come, our well-being and standing with the rest of the countries that we share this planet with, and for peace on this Earth - on behalf of all these and more - I and many, many others of all races, genders, political, social, economic, and religious beliefs implore you to cast a vote for a candidate other than Donald Trump.  It is a moral imperative that Donald Trump never be allowed to take the oath of President.

Thank you for your time and consideration, I appreciate and respect the role you serve in our electoral process.

Sincerely,


​Rob Birdwell​