CCT Ragtime Orchestra - Music Changes and Cuts

This document pertains to the Spring 2007 Corvallis Community Theatre production of Ragtime, the musical. These notes are intended for the members of the CCT Ragtime Orchestra.

The following are the list of musical cuts, transitions, and/or alternate cues that will need to be marked (in pencil) in your books. Note that your books probably contain many markings from other productions, but ours may be different. Also note that these notes are subject to change. I'll keep you posted if/when new cuts arise and point you to this post for the latest revisions. Please mark your book as follows:

*** CHANGES MADE DURING THE RUN ***

*** Orchestra Volume Levels ***
(See my notes posted in the pit on Saturday, May 12 that outlines our strategy and approach - thanks!)

*** CHANGED 5/10/2007 - Opening night ***
#36 (Bows) – Do NOT take the repeat at measure 45


*** Simple Clarifications - Revised 5/8/2007 ****
#6 (What Kind of Woman) – No repeat on the safety vamps – just play on through!
#7D – Rich and full at measures 43 and 44, for those of you playing
#11 – No safety vamp at measure 8 – just play on through!
#23 – No safety vamp at measure 3 – just play on through!
#26C – No safety vamp needed – just play on through!

Act I
No. 4 - Journey On: we'll play the regular version of the cue (NOT the alternate version)

*** REVISED 5/8/2007 ****
No 5A - Crime of the Century (Part 2, Reporters) - just a point of clarification on the parts. Some of you seem to have an extra measure (measure 30) - however, the cue should end at measure 29.
***************************

No 5B - The Crime of the Century (Part 3: Victrola) - will be a pre-recorded cue.
Houdini's Airplane (just before No. 6) - cut this section of the cue only. (we will play cue 5A)
No. 7B - Success (Part 3) - we WILL play mm. 13-18 (not cut as previously indicated)
No. 7D - play through mm. 32, cut to mm. 43 and play as written
No. 9A - Gettin' Ready Rag (Part 2) - play to beat 1 of mm. 31, cut to mm. 76 (beat 2), then cut from end of mm. 85 to mm. 104
No. 11a - Firemen/Coalhouse Crossover - cue starts at mm. 9 (although some you may start at mm. 1 and play through mm. 8, then meet us at mm. 17
No. 12 - Your Daddy's Son - we'll do the regular version of cue (not alternate version).

**** REVISED 5/10/2007 ****
No. 16C - Lawrence, Mass. Sequence - add a fermata to your beat 1 chord or note at measure 22; we'll hold there and I'll cut off. Our next entrance will be at mm. 43 (with the screaming woman)...this is the slow 6/4 section....play through beat 1 of measure 46 (the 3/4 measure) and mark an abrupt cut-off // ....from there, cut to measure 65. We will play this in a slow 4/4 tempo...your last measure is either marked 3/2 or 6/4...either way I'll beat that in a slow 6 and we'll hold on the last beat, then a short cut-off and we're into the transition of "Gliding".
*****************************

No. 19 - We will do the normal version of this cue, not the alternate key version.

**** UPDATED 5/8/2007 ****
19A - President - played as is - just watch for the 2/4 measure hits.

Act II

No. 23 - We will do the normal version of this cue, not the alternate key version.
No. 25 - "What A Game" - this number is cut; we will do No. 25A though.

**** UPDATED 5/8/2007 ****
No. 26A - Play to downbeat of mm. 34; cut to beat 1 of mm. 64 of cue No. 26B (that's a solo C7 chord for piano, very milked) - the remaining beats in measure (beats 2, 3, & 4) are dictated/tenuto with chorus only ("My honey)...no instruments should be playing there...after that we're a tempo as written.
******************************

No. 27 - We will do the normal version of this cue, not the alternate key version.

*** NEW CUT AS OF 4/18/2007 ***
No. 29A - add a fermata on the whole note at mm. 18...this is where the cue ends... we then go to No. 29B and note where we start....
******************************

No. 29B - Harlem Pas De Deux - cue will start at mm. 12.
No. 31 - cue ends with fermata on mm. 40, beat 2.
No. 33D through No. 34A: we will do the normal versions of these cues, not the alt. key versions.

**** REVISED 5/8/2007 ****
No. 35 - we're adding a single measure (before measure 1), that repeats four times. Low instruments play a low G...then we play it as written.
*****************************

Final notes: make changes in PENCIL. These cuts/changes are subject to change - thanks for being flexible!

CCT Ragtime Orchestra Schedule 2007

Remaining Ragtime Orchestra Schedule:

*** Orchestra Required! ***
Saturday, May 5, 2 PM to 5 PM (full cast w/orch in pit) (cast to arrive at 1 pm, but the downbeat will be at 2 pm!)

Week #1 Pre-Performance Shows (Full Orchestra)
Monday, May 7, 7 PM
Tuesday, May 8, 7 PM
Wednesday, May 9, 7 PM (Preview Night - a real audience!)

Ragtime Performances - Majestic Theatre, Corvallis, OR
Week #1: May 10, 11, 12, 13(M)
Week #2: May 16, 17, 18, 19, 20(M)
Week #3: May 23, 24, 25 26, 27(M)

(M) = Matinee 2:30 p.m. performance; regular show time 7:30 p.m

The above is the orchestra schedule for the Corvallis Community Theatre production of Ragtime (Spring 2007) - want to practice along with the score? Purchase the Original Broadway Cast CD

Important: for all rehearsals, always bring your music, your own stand, and a pencil. If you cannot make a rehearsal and have a book checked out, you must make arrangements to get the book to the rehearsal so the other players in the section are not without music! Please arrive in time to warm-up and get setup. I'll typically arrive 45 minutes beforehand to help setup and if you have equipment I and others can help move stuff.

Ragtime Orchestra Rehearsal History

Saturday, February 17, 10 AM to 12 noon
Saturday, February 24, 10 AM to 12 noon
Saturday, March 3, 2 PM to 4 PM (note the different time!)
Saturday, March 10, 10 AM to 12 noon
Sunday, March 18, 10 AM to 12 noon ** CHS Band Room **
Sunday, April 15, 1 PM to 4 PM (full cast w/orch) New & Confirmed!
Saturday, April 21, 10 AM to 12 noon (NEW, UNPLANNED, BUT CONFIRMED!)
Saturday, April 28, 10 AM to 12 noon (last rehearsal before we hit the pit!)

Move to Stage/Pit Preparation: Sunday, April 29, 1 PM (anyone welcome to help out)

Monday, April 30 - 6:30 to 9:30, Run Act I - Piano in pit w/orchestra any players who want to join in!

Tuesday, May 1 - 6:30 to 9:30, Run Act II - Piano in pit w/orchestra any players who want to join in!

*** Orchestra Optional - Please Try To Make It If You Can ***
Wednesday, May 2 - 7 PM, Full Run - Piano in pit w/orchestra any players who want to join in!

*** Orchestra Optional - Please Try To Make It If You Can ***
Thursday, May 3 - 7 PM, Full Run - Piano in pit w/orchestra any players who want to join in!

Update: All orchestra rehearsals are at Majestic Theatre (map) unless otherwise marked.

Sissel's Hideaway - for Early Bird Jazz Band

Here's a new piece entitled "Sissel's Hideaway" which was written specifically for the 2007 version of the Linus Pauling Middle School Early Bird Jazz Band, a before-school ensemble I direct here in Corvallis.

This piece is intended for a young but talented group of players. The lead melody is backed by Latin/Rock rhythm section feel (straight eighths) making it easy to establish a groove. There are two sections that transition to a Swing feel and feature a full Sax soli featurette as well as a full ensemble featurette. Solos are written out and feature the Baritone Sax (or Trombone) and Tenor Sax (or Violin/Concert instrument).

Sissel's Hideway - Score Rendition (MP3) - Approximately 5 minutes total

Sissel's Hideaway - Available Parts & Score

This score can be played with as few as 10 players and still retain a rich sound.

Sissel's Hideaway - Score Excerpt (2 of 9 pages)

Alto Sax 1
Alto Sax 2
Alto Sax 3
Tenor Sax 1
Tenor Sax 2
Baritone Sax
Bass
Drums
Piano
Guitar
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2

Additional Parts:

Clarinet
Violin

For more information on this chart, contact Rob Birdwell.

X Factor - a new tune for small combo

I usually write out my tunes first, then record them, but with this particular tune, (entitled "X Factor") I decided to record a simple demo with some percussion, bass, guitar and Flugelhorn. Now that it's scored (and you can download the parts from the links below), I'm pretty happy with the form and chords - the melody is understated...and there's some room to grow (for example when it's arranged for a larger group)...and that's sort of nice I think. In my demo solo (my first real stab at playing through the changes) you can hear that I'm exploring a bit, testing the waters with some ideas, but it's "real" and but a mere moment of making music with the machines in my basement! Naturally, this musical setting will be much more fun to bring to life with the guys in the XTET! There's nothing particularly deep about the title "X Factor" - X is a pretty snazzy little letter (it marks the spot, so they say) and over the last three years I've enjoyed many-a-gig with the XTET guys...and that musical relationship is extremely meaningful and deep- so that's "X Factor" I suppose. Enjoy!

X Factor (MP3 Audio Demo) by Rob Birdwell

X Factor (Bb Flugelhorn Part) by Rob Birdwell

X Factor (Concert Lead Part) by Rob Birdwell

Boogie Boogaloo - Score Demo

In the spirit of the blues, Boogie Boogaloo provides a unique chord progression to blow over with a melody that lays and plays right! Introduce this tune to your small group and get 'em dancing! I encourage public performances of my work...all I ask is that your keep me posted of when and where you perform my work. I'm always interested in live recordings of my tunes, so send me a link if you make a particular hot live recording. And do contact me if you have more "commercial" interests for any of these tunes - I encourage those too!

Boogie Boogaloo - B Flat / Flugelhorn Part, by Rob Birdwell
Boogie Boogaloo -Concert Part, by Rob Birdwell

A Musical Message - Vote

Check out Neal Gladstone's video: "I'm A Liberal" - and don't forget to take action and VOTE!

Blue In You - Score Demo

This tune is evocative of many of the 50's and 60's era Be-Bop and Hard Bop tunes I love. It's pretty fun to play and the chord changes are nice to blow/pluck/hammer over. Download the lead sheets (below) to "Blue In You" and try it out with your own group. The lead sheets are the latest version (revised from the cheesy flash bouncing ball demo), complete with a coda for an ending. Enjoy and let me know if you perform it or want to record it. (That's encouraged!)

Blue In You (Bb Trumpet Part) by Rob Birdwell
Blue In You (Concert Rhythm Section Lead Part) by Rob Birdwell

Rob Birdwell, Top of the Valley - Musician

Thank you Gazette-Times / Democrat Herald (a Corvallis and Albany, Oregon newspaper) and the voters...whoever you are! I'm honored to play with some truly great musicians in this area. There are numerous fantastic teachers, incredible performers, and sensational musicians in this area...I am sincerely humbled!



Rob Birdwell

Valery Ponomarev's Big Break

This article should be of interest to fellow musicians, especially when traveling to Paris with your instrument. Here's my take:

Valery Ponomarev, a world class Jazz Trumpet player, attempted to board his Paris to New York flight with his precious 1961 Connstellation Trumpet as a carry on. However, French airport personnel insisted the instrument be stored in a place they call "l'hold," which when translated from the French means, roughly, "the place where all Trumpets get crushed."

Long story short: words were exchanged, wills were tested, passions flared, and Mr. Ponomarev's arm was broken in an apparent scuffle with airport security. The police actually claim Mr. Ponomarev broke his own arm by "rebelling" - interesting.

Mr. Ponomarev allegedly endured 6 hours without treatment, but fortunately survived to play another day - and that's some very good news. Still...

In a country that doesn't even put lane lines in their swimming pools so as not to impede an individual's personal freedom to swim wherever they want to ("Pourquoi avons-nous combattu la revolution ?") this recent airport fiasco in Paris underscores the challenges faced by airline passengers, especially musicians, who are merely seeking assurances that their valuables will be stowed as safely as possible.

"L'hold" may be good enough for luggage and travel bags that can absorb a certain amount of impact, but maybe, just maybe, airlines will consider alternative storage space for les instruments extraordinaire. If these storage spaces exist, then airline personnel must be trained to assure passengers that their instruments will indeed be stowed accordingly. Maybe then there will be fewer crushed instruments and even fewer broken arms.

Rob Birdwell

Blue In You - new music for Jazz Combo

A few days ago this riff/tune was going through my head and seemed eternal. How could I ever forget it? But then my day got going and at some point I realized the tune was gone! Usually I write enough of my little ditties down so that I can expand on them (or toss them out!), but I got lazy on this one. Flash forward a few days: at 1 am my previously lost tune (or something close enough to it) comes back!! Yippee! I call this one "Blue In You" - it's just a little musical setting; something for the Jazz cats to blow over. Maybe someday I'll expand on the arrangement, but here it is in its simplified form...my forgotten tune, remembered! Feel free to perform it with your own group (encouraged) and keep me posted on any live performances (highly encouraged) as I'm interested, and let me know if you record it on your next CD (also highly encouraged). Here are the links to audio and parts:

Blue in You (MP3 Rendition from Finale Score)

Note: these lead-sheets reflect the newly revised coda/ending section:
Blue In You (Bb Trumpet Part) by Rob Birdwell
Blue In You (Concert Rhythm Section Lead Part) by Rob Birdwell

Birdwell Music Gabcast #3 - Blue In You - small combo version - listen to me gab on my cell phone about my new tune, "Blue in You"

Trumpetular Jamming

Birdwell Music Gabcast #2 - Trumpetular Jamming

A very brief improvisation with no clear agenda other than hearing how my new copper Jo Ral bubble mute sounds over a celular connection...oh, and of course seeing if I can convey a mere hint of musical meaning through these strange and wonderful technologies...but what do I know...I'm just a caveman trumpet player.

Rob's first Gabcast - XTET Jazz October 12, 2006 at Bombs Away

Birdwell Music Gabcast #1 - Rob's first Gabcast - XTET Jazz October 12, 2006 at Bombs Away

Just testing this feature out - yikes! Do I really sound that dorky?! Must be the cell phone - some of my golden tones get lost in the cellular transfer...wait, yes, I do sound that way normally...oh well. The XTET plays live Jazz in Corvallis: Bombs Away Cafe, Thurs., October 12, 7:30 - 10 PM. Come on out...should be fun!

Rob Says Hello

So I finally give in and get a cell phone (again) with vague plans to do some audio blogging (and we all know how great a trumpet can sound through a cell phone, right folks!?), when audioblogger says they're calling it quits on their service!

Well, thanks to Gabcast, I'm still in the game! So now you can look forward to some insightful audio messages from me...like this one (press to play - I just say "Hello", but with style and grace):



Enjoy...Rob

A Week of Jazz

It was quite a busy week of music - a couple gigs in Portland and then Bombs Away here in Corvallis; all with the XTET of John (Guitar), Mike (Bass), Viking (Drums), with Lou Chavez subbing on one night on Drums, and myself (Flugelhorn/Trumpet). David Rosowsky sat in on Bass for a few, which was very nice. Among the usual corndogs of Blue Bossa and other brilliant (and some horrid) standards there were a smattering of originals offered up. And maybe I'm just gig weary, but a very few of the so-called "standard" tunes just aren't doing it for me these days - maybe I'll come round - but sometimes I feel like a select few of these chestnuts need to be taken behind the proverbial barn and "Old Yeller'ed". Or maybe just a fresh approach would be more civil - yes, I suppose that's the ticket. Anyway...

The gigs in Portland were for week long engineering convention where we performed on two separate evenings - a Monday evening at the Portland World Trade Center and a Wednesday performance at the Portland Art Museum, which I must visit with my family since in only five minutes of perusing I was able to see works of art by several artists whose works I'd actually studied - truly world class stuff! A work by Robert Rauschenberg - a layered transparent thingy under fluorescent light - caught my attention, although as you can tell by my description the art class I recently took did not exactly improve my powers of perception...but I was happy that I was at least aware of some of the works and artists and it will be fun to return and explore some more!

In other news - new workout swimming times to report: 200 free: 2:08; 200 IM: 2:27 (from the wall, drag suit of course). That'll do for now pig...

Carmike Corporate Propoganda

The following is a minor rant I sent to Carmike Cinema's corporate site - will probably get lost in the mix. (Thank goodness for blogs!) I just found the pre-show spot to be so terrible I felt compelled to complain. If you were in attendance and saw Carmike's new "All Digital" promotional advertisement (or whatever it was called - see? The actual point of the promo didn't register with me!) then maybe you'll share some of my sentiments... my letter goes something like this:

Your new "Carmike" promotional spot, the one espousing the virtues of Carmike's various digital services, its digital projection capabilities, etc., is pure #$%@! The spot ran tonight before "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and (I'm not kidding) nearly spoiled the entire evening for me and I'm certain many others in attendance! If there was anything funny, interesting or at all appealing about the piece it would almost be redeeming - but there is not! The marriage of music to visuals is most horrid - I wanted to escape the theater - it was absolutely maddening. But then, when the spot continued on and on for what seemed like five minutes, it seemed obvious to me that the team that put this thing together was clearly was out of their minds.

The spot, which was presumably produced to accentuate the virtues of Carmike (as if Carmike has some sort of lien on digital technology), does quite the opposite. It was insulting to me - after shelling out good money to be entertained - to have to sit through what seemed to me to be some sort of corporate sermon. What did we all do to deserve this? Are we not attending movies enough? With a pre-show prelude like this, it's no wonder.

Please pull the spot, fire the folks that put it together and realize that people go to movies to be entertained. Bag the propaganda and the mind-numbing self-indulgent corporate spots - your audience won't take it.

Rob Birdwell

New Studio Tracks Coming - Someday

Just a post to get back to my musical roots - in addition to playing scores of Jazz gigs over the last year I've been chipping away at my own "produced" tracks. At first I thought I'd release a collection of purely "Jazz" tunes - nothing pop, country or disco! But it turns out that that is just too much of a restriction for me! And it's very challenging, for me at least, to write, produce and perform a purely Jazz CD (whatever that means in this day and age) with a band of one! Try as I might, I simply couldn't resist writing some tunes with vocals. I'm even experimenting with a story-telling, poetry thing with a jazzy/funk underscore. I'm shooting for about 8 tracks for the CD. No date projected for the release but I'm hoping to get something out by late 2006 or early 2007. I've got a few in the can already...well, sort of.

Possible titles on my yet-to-be named CD include:

• Shameless
• Aerostar
• Ghost at the Gig (The Ballad of Frankie Templeton)
• Lament
• Listen To The Children
• Homemade Movie
• Incantation #1, #2, #3
• ... ??

This will clearly be a "homemade" work - written and recorded in my basement studio! But I'm hopeful I will capture a little of what I had in my head to the tracks.

More to come I suspect...

Rob

Dog Days of Summer

Just saw "An Inconvenient Truth" - fantastic! Nice production, presentation, message, information...and as I'm into the music (hey, who isn't?) I must say that that part of the production was very effective...nothing over the top, mostly just mild dramatic underscore in certain places as if to provide an interlude to Al Gore's fine presentation, which stands on its own just fine. (The slick editing and variety of camera angles do spice things up - the display that he presents his charts with is gianormous!) I really like Melissa Etheridge's song, "I Need To Wake Up", written for the film and plays during the end credits - well done!

On another environmental note, we just purchased a used car that can run on E85 or "flex fuel" - naturally, there's no station nearby (that I'm aware of) that offers this type of fuel! I'm not sure it will make a difference in the whole scheme of things, but I'd like to think that a move away from fossil fuels (however small) is a good step.

I've received permission to display this logo in a generic letter to fuel stations that don't yet carry E85 - here's a simple letter that I will be handing out to gas attendants and station owners/managers when I attempt to fuel up with E85, but can't because they don't carry it:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dear Fuel Station Owner/Manager/Attendant,

I am the owner of an E85 or "“Flex-Fuel"” enabled vehicle. Presently, your station does not offer this particular fuel alternative; however, I am hopeful it will be offered in the very near future.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I know, I know...if that's not the most lame letter, I don't know what is! Not to defend this lame-assed-ness, but my point is to simply and clearly convey a request (let's get it on with the E85, bring on the hydrogen, yada, yada...) - there are just some many forces at work here and the person at the service station is not exactly making the call (in fact, they're probably marginalized enough, working for a pathetic minimum wage!) The station owner may in fact have no recourse for offering E85 - I'm actually not sure of this point though. The fact is that we've all dropped the ball. Our elected leaders were not held accountable and big oil companies and car manufacturers have been able to hold off on ubiquitous fossil fuel alternatives for a number of years and have cited numerous reasons why (probably even more lame than my letter!)...suffice it to say, the letter is just one part of the message, but a message that must get out. Let's bring on the change, one car, one house, one product, one day at a time. But let us start right now.

Our vehicle in a 2000 Chrysler Town and Country LX. Although there are literally millions of E85 flex-fuel vehicles on the road today (not just the new models), you would think that by the year 2006 we'd have a plethora of choices at the pump. That's just not the case in Corvallis, Oregon at this time. Maybe it's true in your town too. Hopefully positive changes will happen in 2007.

Rob

The Swimming Musician

Okay, so this isn't a true musical post - but here's an sidebar about some of my swimming stuff, which, in a way, is very much related to music for me:

Over the past few months I've gotten back into a fairly regular swimming workout routine. I used to compete and was on a partial swimming scholarship at U of Idaho, coached for two years and taught swim lessons until I was about 24 years old! (By then I had my own kids to teach!). Over the years I've made some mild efforts to stay in the water, but never really "got back" - okay, so I'm not going to make the 2008 games, but I'm really enjoying it and hope I can find a way to keep swimming regularly forever. What's been fun for me is to see my times come down, nowhere near those "glory days" but good enough for me. I'm swimming about 3 to 4 times per week and usually go between 2500 and 3500 yards - in other words, I'm never far from my taper! (When I was competing it was normal to swim between 5000 and 10,000 yards per day, with two workouts a day - crazy! But it did keep me tired and out of trouble!)

These are my recent workout times, from the wall, and my best estimate - I'm guessing I'm going around 90% (but honestly, I'm not sure about the 10% I'm supposedly holding back on- so maybe these are 100%) - regardless, these times represent where I'm at today, where I hope to be in about 6 months, as well as the comparison with the 17 year-old me that used to haul ass in a size 28 Speedo - I'll probably never beat that kid but that doesn't matter since I think he'd be pretty happy to know I'm still chugging away:

500 Free: current: 6:06 goal: 5:20 best: 4:57
200 Free: current: 2:18 goal: 1:59 best: 1:52
100 Free: current: 1:00* goal: :55 best: :51
50 Free: current: ~:27 goal: :24 best: :24

400 IM: current: (Hey, I finished one!) goal: to keep finishing! best: 4:25 (?)
200 IM: current: 2:35 goal: 2:15 best: 2:06
100 IM: current: 1:08* goal: 1:05 best: :58

50 Fly: current: :31 goal: :27 best: :25
100 Fly: current: (I can finish one!) goal: :59 best: :56 (?)
200 Fly: current: (You've got to be kidding!) goal: to finish one! best: who knows!?

Well, that's a snapshot for now - I'm mostly just setting some goals for fun and fitness. The main things I'm working on in swimming (and there are many parallels with my trumpet playing and composition work) are technique and enjoyment. When I enjoy something, I usually do pretty well at it. Like music, I'm not interested in having it feel like "work" - the health benefits alone are great regardless of times and goals, but the goals do add a bit of incentive.

I try to get creative with my workouts and mix things up - today's, for example, will be one of my longer ones and go like this:

1000 Free - mostly very easy, work on technique, bi-lateral breathing
6 x 50s kick - choice, with about 15 seconds rest between
200 choice - technique/drill
8 x 200's (odd=Free, even=IM - descend 1-4, 5-8)
8 x 50's on the :45 (pace - all < 35)
100 warm down

Total: 3600 yards

Portland Jazz Jams - Day After

A fun way to spend a Tuesday night - jamming at the Mississippi Pizza Parlor in Portland, Oregon with some terrific players! Pictured are Dan Presley (Bass & terrifically tall on talent!), Rob Birdwell (Trumpet/Flugelhorn), and Duncan Branom (Drums - also teaches privately); Darren Littlejohn (host and founder of Portland Jazz Jams) played guitar, along with Vince Frates on keys (who made that old spinet sing!) - they were all generous enough to read some of my originals: El Camino, TV Buddha, and Buddy Collette. My parents (Bob and Christine) came down from Vancouver (very special!) - Jeff and Mary from Portland too -- cool! ("The Thing II" - a future song title?) It was great to play - and perhaps even better: to listen to many of the outstanding players who showed their stuff - big time! There were many players of note on this particular night, but, because I'm a Trumpet player I simply must announce a radar alert for Trumpet/Flugelhorn player Russell Scott who demonstrates exceptional talent and fluidity on both horns - he's a treat to hear! (DL mentioned that Russell also plays Sax very well too....Mercy!) And the various "Sax men" (no sax women on this night... Naturally I forgot all their names - except for "Shoehorn" who has a memorable handle and nice style of playing - so I'll refer to these folks with random-associative-trait-handles) - especially liked the a liked the arc of "musical engraver dude's" Alto solos - great energy, as well as the cool Tenor lines of "tenor guy who also played a bit of piano after the jam". All in all, such a variety of styles, voices - everyone has a story...and some nice ones were told. I'm definitely inspired. Thanks again to Darren Littlejohn for hosting the Portland Jazz Jams series of events.

Hungry? Want to hear some great Jazz and support upcoming and established Jazz artists? Check out the Tuesday feature at Mississippi Pizza Parlor or any of the many other jams sponsored by Portland Jazz Jams.

Now...enough shameless blogging. Time to get back to the "shed"!

Rob

Portland Jazz Jams - Featured Artist

I'll be the "Featured Artist" at the Portland Jazz Jams at Mississippi Pizza on Tuesday, April 18, starting at 8 PM. With Dan Presley (Bass), Duncan Branom (Drums) and who knows on Piano and/or Guitar, it will be an honor to play and I look forward to making some great music!

Portland Jazz Jams brings together many players who love making music - many thanks to Darren Littlejohn (director/founder/host of the program) for all he does.

Along with some yet-to-be-decided Jazz standards, maybe (if the players are willing) we'll sprinkle in some of my tunes:

Buddy Collette - Concert Lead (PDF)
Blackberry Blues - Concert Lead (PDF)
El Camino - Concert Lead (PDF)
TV Buddha - Concert Lead (PDF)

If I'm really lucky, Fred Berman (who works in Portland on Tuesdays) will drop on by and join me and grace everyone with his fine clarinet and/or Sax.

See you at the Jam!

Rob Birdwell

Thataway for Early Bird Jazz Band

Here's a demo of a chart composed especially for the Early Bird Jazz Band (Linus Pauling Middle School in Corvallis, OR). We don't have any trombones this year in the band (what's up with that?!), so I tried to make the most of the terrific rhythm, trumpet, and sax sections we do have!

Thataway - Score Demo (MP3)

There's ample room to open up for solos - my own Saturday morning offering on this demo is a bit restrained, but hopefully conveys a sense that a little might actually go a long way. (I'll make a CD mix without the solo for practicing too!)

For you Early Bird Jazz members: listen to the audio demo, then cue it up again and play along!

Have fun!

Rob

The Meaning of Music - Corvallis Art Center

On Saturday March 18 and Sunday March 19, I took part in a really neat performance - a melange of story and music performed on the Corvallis Art Center stage. The program on Saturday night went so well I video taped the Sunday performance, which also went quite well. Bach, Bartok, spoken word, poetry and free Jazz were the order for the day. John Bliss and I performed a free Jazz piece that segued into a All The Things You are - fun stuff!

"Free Association" and "All the Things You Are" performed by Rob Birdwell and John Bliss.

Although we didn't do a piece with all five of us together, to my "audio montage" of all five of us performing. Bach, Bartok, spoken word and Free Jazz all re-mixed together! Maybe someday we'll actually do something like this live!



Kathleen Dean Moore (Author), Rachelle McCabe (Piano), Anne Ridlington (Cello), John Bliss (Guitar), Rob Birdwell (Trumpet/Flugelhorn)

A listing of the works performed:

• Prelude from Suite #3 for Unaccompanied Cello, J.S. Bach
• Maria, Leonard Bernstein
• “The Augmented Fourth” - Kathleen Dean Moore
• Intermezzo from Opus 26, Robert Schumann
• Sarabande from Suite #3 for Unaccompanied Cello J.S. Bach
• "The Testimony of the Marsh, Kathleen Dean Moore
• Improvisations from Opus 20, Béla Bartok
• Gigue from Suite #3 for Unaccompanied Cello, J.S. Bach
• "In Endless Song" - Kathleen Dean Moore
• How Can I Keep From Singing? - Folk hymn
• Valse Sentimentale, Tchaikovsky
• Free Association / All the Things You Are- Jerome Kern/John Bliss/Rob Birdwell
• "To Music" - Ranier Maria Rilke

9 Year Old's Reaction to Receiving an Xbox

My son recently turned 9. For his birthday he received an Xbox (the "classic" model). We suspected he'd be happy and excited - it's a pretty cool device...but when his happiness spilled into tears of joy, well...that just begs for a movie! A take-off on the Visa commercials, it's about 16 seconds long - enjoy!

Frey's Xbox Movie 2006

Photo's by Christel Birdwell, Music by Rob Birdwell

Rob Birdwell's Jazz Performances

Well, 2006 is certainly turning out to be a Jazzy one - many great gigs and shows coming up. I'm constantly reminded at how special each opportunity to perform is ("...blow like there's no tomorrow!") I'm enjoying playing so much and especially love making music with so many great players. We're beginning to explore new territory and the discovery is always fun. I'm penning and hoping to sprinkle in more of my ORIGINALS of course. This schedule is fairly solid, especially for the next couple months, with more to come in May. Hope to see you out and about! (Rob Birdwell)

Tues., Feb. 28, 8:00 PM - Fat Tuesday
Bombs Away Cafe Corvallis, OR

Fri., March 3, 7:30 PM - Hill Top Big Band
Old World Deli Corvallis, OR

Sat., March 4, 4:00 PM - XTET
Sibling Revelry Corvallis, OR

Thu., March 9, 7:30 PM - XTET
Bombs Away Cafe Corvallis, OR

Sat., March 18, 7:00* PM - Birdwell/Bliss Duo
Benefit for Corvallis Art Center Corvallis, OR

Sun., March 19, 12:30* PM - Birdwell/Bliss Duo
Benefit for Corvallis Art Center Corvallis, OR

Sat., March. 25, 8:00 PM - XTET
Sahalie Wine Cellars Corvallis, OR

Thu., April 13, 7:30 PM - XTET
Bombs Away Cafe Corvallis, OR

Tues., April 18, 8:00 PM - Portland Jazz Jams
Mississippi Pizza Jazz Jam Portland, OR

Fri., April 21, 7:30 PM - XTET in Portland
World Forestry Center Portland, OR

Thu., May 11, 7:30 PM - XTET
Bombs Away Cafe Corvallis, OR

Thu., June 15, 7:30 PM - XTET (All Swedish Show!)
Bombs Away Cafe Corvallis, OR

Wed., August 9th, 7:00 PM - XTET
Portland Art Museum Portland, OR

One For The Road - Glenn Tilbrook DVD

I'm a big fan of Glenn Tilbrook's work, solo and with Squeeze. He really puts a great deal of craft into his songs and production - he's quite an amazing singer/songwriter and I always enjoy and appreciate his work.

Years ago, I had the opportunity to hear him (along with fellow Squeeze writing partner, Chris Difford) perform an "unplugged" set in a small music shop in Los Angeles - it was spectacular! What a performer - what a rapport with the audience. Naturally, I was very interested to read film maker/Director Amy Pickard's posts a couple years ago saying she'd filmed a portion of Glenn's RV tour of the U.S. After much hard work and quite a bit of help from many talented folks, the DVD is complete and available on Amazon.com!

This DVD is a must-have for Glenn/Squeeze affectionados. And believe it or not, I'm actually listed in the end credits on the DVD! Go figure! I made a very modest donation to help out with production costs (per Director Amy Pickard's request - hey, this is, after all, Glenn Tilbrook...his movie, story - well worth it!) - and because she's clearly amazingly organized and super generous herself, Amy listed my name (along with about 20 other "Financial Contributor" folks) in the credits at the end of the movie. Sweet!

Now if I (Rob Birdwell- musician and performer himself...hint, hint), can somehow get invited to play, for example, a bit of Flugelhorn on a new Glenn Tilbrook track - now that would be very cool! (There, I said it - but alas, I won't hold my breath for Glenn's RV to honk in front of my driveway!) But, hey, what would life be without a pipe dream or two? Well, here's one that's certainly no pipe-dream:

Glenn and Willie Nelson - yes, I do believe this collaboration will bear fruit. Somehow, some way, we're going to hear Glenn Tilbrook and Willie Nelson performing together. (Like Kate Bush sings: "just saying it can even make it happen...") - so I'm saying it here and now.

Early Bird Jazz and Jam 2005

Here's a really nice track - this is an improvised Jazz "jam" by the students of the Linus Pauling Early Bird Jazz Band for which I'm honored to direct. They're terrific kids and they get up a little early twice a week to take part in this ensemble. It's a great joy for me to work with these students and I look forward to each and every meeting.

On this particular Friday in December 2005 (just before the holiday break) I asked the kids (whose ages range from 12 to 14) to compose and perform something as a group and I would record it. (Some of the students have done this before - for others it was something new.) Other than provide a bit of guidance in the beginning while getting started, the kids came up with all of this on their own: riffs, melody, stylings, solos - they worked together. It was give and take (what isn't?) - it was a collaboration...all in a matter of a few minutes. Wow!

Play the track - Jam/Blues Tune the Early Bird Jazz Students Composed and Performed

(There were a couple better titles suggested - but at this hour I can't recall what they were!)

Not every member of the band was attendance on the day we record this jam, but it was a good showing and we'll definitely be doing similar stuff throughout the year - meanwhile, we're hunkering down on some of our more structured charts for our concert in January - possibly at CHS (Jan 25?)...who knows, maybe we'll program a jam tune in the mix!?

I hear some really wonderful things beginning to emerge here - so much creativity and promise ...and much, much more to come of course!

Enjoy,

Rob Birdwell

Rob Birdwell Jazz Solo Clips

The following are some audio clips of my Jazz solo work. It can be a challenge to play something "new" on the spot - especially with tunes that I've played time and time again -but that's part of the fun and craft of Jazz! Even though I'm playing with intent, I'm usually as surprised as anyone at what comes out. Much depends on my mood, the energy of the space we're playing, whether or not the audience is actively engaged, and how tuned in we (the band) are to each other. I'm not sure these particular solos represent anything significant for me (I suppose I've played better and certainly worse!), but they do at least represent some of my recent moments and honest attempts and expressing musical ideas through improvisation - enjoy!

Stella by Starlight

In A Mellow Tone

Blue Bossa

Alone Together

The musicians playing on these tracks are John Bliss on Guitar, The Viking on Drums, Mike Rhodes on Bass, J.G. on Piano, and me (Rob Birdwell) on Trumpet/Flugelhorn.

Bix Beiderbecke - BIX index

Bix Beiderbecke and the BIX index - A series of 19 recorded audio interviews with musicians, family, friends and associates that talk about his life and times. Fascinating and wonderful. Recorded in the early 70's. Rife with Jazz history. Streaming and downloadable audio - all free.

The Blowholes at Majestic

The Blowholes performed at the Majestic Theatre for the Starlight Gala on October 15th, 2005, which was a fundraiser for the theatre and their programs. The performance part of the evening went without a hitch and it was a true joy to perform for the wonderful audience in attendance. Everyone in the band volunteered to do this and worked their tail off to do what was needed to do to pull this thing off. Sam Kincaid's sound engineering really made the band sound great! Robert Crum's photos of the band made us look great!

Naturally, The Blowholes are looking forward to our next performance - let me know when it is because I don't have a clue! Hopefully soon though. I'm hunkering down this Winter to work on some new compositions for the group.

Rob

XTET at Sahalie Wine Cellars in Corvallis

This Saturday, October 22, the Xtet will be performing at the new Sahalie Wine Cellars, at the corner of First and Monroe Streets, in downtown Corvallis. This is a wonderful new venue for live music in Corvallis, with a warm atmosphere, a beautiful wine bar, and wonderful food. Come on down, sip a glass of Oregon's finest wines, and enjoy the eclectic musical tastes of the Xtet. We'll be featuring the pyrotechnical percussion of The Viking, the flamboyant fluegelhorn of Rob Birdwell (of "The Blowholes" fame), the gemeinschaftish guitar of John Bliss, as well as the beautifully basipetal bass of special guest Steve Willis. See you Saturday.......

XTET at Sahalie Wine Cellars

Thursday, October 22, 7:30 - 10:30 PM

ASCAP Award

I received a letter today from ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) informing me that I've been awarded a cash sum as part of their ASCAPLUS Awards program, which is an awards program that provides cash and recognition to 1): active writers in the early and mid stages of their careers, and 2): to established writers whose main activity is outside of broadcast media.

I'm very honored - thank you ASCAP and the ASCAPLUS Awards Panel!

Sincerely,

Rob Birdwell
ASCAP Member

Leaping the Dunes

I love this scene - the dunes on the Oregon Coast near Newport.

The Blowholes on SonicBids

Check out one of the The Blowholes' new PR site:

View The Blowholes's EPK

Big in Japan

This site/link in Japan is the source of over 12,000 downloads in only the last month for one of my songs, Beautiful Moments, which is interesting considering it was a tune I 1) have never formally promoted; 2) recorded the same night I wrote the song - a live piano/vocal rendition; 3) intended as a rough demo just to get a sense of the tune; and 4) named WIP.mp3 so that everyone knew it was just a work-in-progress! (I've since decided to adopt the WIP.mp3 file as a placeholder for my advertisement of the moment - for obvious reasons!)

Occasionally I see a pattern of interest for certain mp3 files downloaded from my site, but usually nothing dramatic. Until tonight.

Apparently, I'm big in Japan.

Once a year or so I look at my site's statistics provided by my host...it's usually the same deal over and over. Endless searches for trumpet fingering charts, lots of virtual trumpet links, surprisingly little action on my Real Trumpet offering (surprising to me because I feel Real Trumpet a more substantive and useful product), and of course only a smattering of evidence of interest in my songs, compositions and arrangements..except for the ones that have remotely provocotive names (e.g., Big Girl - yes, the "Live" version is number two on the most downloaded list for this site - gee, I wonder why? But Little Man - a song for my son - isn't even on the radar).

But apparently one of my cryptically named mp3 files (WIP.mp3) is being downloaded thousands and thousands of times - but why this one? Clearly, WIP means something interesting in Japanese. Wish I knew what. Bet I can guess. This I do know for sure: WIP is the title for my next Blowholes tune!

Obviously there's a perfectly reasonable explanation...I mean, no one is THAT interested in my work (ha! besides me)...are they? And it doesn't matter because writing music brings me great joy and satisfaction. Naturally there's a business side to this art and it's nice when there's interest in one's work. But why such interest in a rough demo of a song...intended for a very few to hear...a recorded version of a song I never got around to removing or renaming?!

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I know the truth, which is this: no one is actually listening to my song. The site is just a feeding ground for piranha-like appetites for free MP3s and WIP.mp3 just happens to correlate to something provacative in the English to Japanese translation. Dang! So okay, maybe I'm not so big in Japan after all - just digital fish food for the masses...oh well.

The song is real though...

I loved the tune when I wrote it and am still do; I like the shape, mood and lyrical intent - harmonically there are some interesting things happening too. Its harmonic underpinnings are rooted in Jazz but there's clearly a "pop" thing going on as well. It is understated with bits of sophistication and that's a nice space. The lyric is a poem to the past; to friends far and away now...to dreams...fantasy reflections, and if I'm honest, it's a song to the me of another when. I never got around to producing this song they way I still hear it... I wrote a little arrangement for a small group and we tried to perform it one night in the lobby of the Majestic Theatre in Corvallis for a benefit. Turns out I forgot to transpose the Alto Sax part when I printed the part (that was a "moment"), but I do recall performing it somehow. And at least one singer in the local area asked me for a lead sheet and permission to perform it, which of course I happily gave.

In the song's chorus there's a reference to Google (which, in addition to being a gianormous number, is a registered trademark). Wanting to be legit, I emailed their legal team asking for official permission to use the Google name in my song...I'm not certain I ever got a response, but at least I tried - so the lyric stands until they decide to sue me...sue me...what can ya do me? I won't hold my breath!

Finally and for the record (and especially for all my dear friends and fans in Japan, whoever you are) here's the lyric to Beautiful Moments, my penultimate work-in-progress or whatever WIP means in Japanese:

Beautiful Moments Words and music by Rob Birdwell

When the moon is out tonight
I will pause at the sight
And reflect on the times
We shared long ago

When the night lark is singing
I will sing right along
And try to recall
That old melody we wrote

I can Google your name
But I won't find a trace
Of those beautiful moments
From another time and place

I can hold my breath
Till I'm blue in the face
Still those beautiful moments
Are elusive as grace

When the sun is on the rise
I will rise up and shine
Slip inside my space suit
And fly far, far away

To Venus or to Mars
Either one will do
See the Earth from the other side
The other side of you

I can Google your name
But I won't find a trace
Of those beautiful moments
From another time and place

I can hold my breath
Till I'm blue in the face
Still those beautiful moments
Are elusive as grace

Thought I saw you in a passing car
Headed west on Hollywood Boulevard
What ever happened to old you-know-who?
Yea times are pretty strange now,
Whatcha gunna do?

When the moon is out tonight
I will pause at the sight
And reflect on the times
We shared long ago

When the night lark is singing
I will sing right along
And try to recall
That old melody we wrote

I can Google your name
But I won't find a trace
Of those beautiful moments
From another time and place

I can hold my breath
Till I'm blue in the face
Still those beautiful moments
Are elusive as grace

I can search for your name
But I won't find a trace
Of those beautiful moments
From another time and place

I can hold my breath
Till I'm blue in the face
Still those beautiful moments
Are elusive as grace

(c) Copyright 2008 Rob Birdwell / BirdwellMusic.com
All rights reserved...even in Japan.

Artist Share

Wow! Artist Share is really something special - check it out!

Ever want to study the score(s) of active (working) composers, arrangers...people who are writing and working with some of the best musicians in the world? Well, I sure do! And now anyone can. I should mention that there's usually a fee involved - but the fees scale; in other words, there's usually something for everyone and the fees (per artist) are reasonable and well worth it in my opinion.

I've been particularly inspired by Maria Schneider's site and her artistshare offerings - her lectures share insights into her various approaches to composing and arranging, which range from a sometimes whimsical approach (free flowing, uninhibited, dreamy) to her ability to articulate the nuts and bolts behind the inspiration, and analyze and evolve those musical nuggets into musical creations that are simply top drawer!

New Orleans and Other Areas Hit by Katrina

Thanks to everyone who donated to the humanitarian relief effort at Bombs Away (Corvallis, Oregon) last night (Thursday, September 1). The XTET performed and John Bliss took the lead for the collection effort and did a terrific job! When we completed our evening of Jazz the total donations were $257 in cash and checks. And the donations didn't stop there as John reported even more the next morning. Every penny donated will go to the American Red Cross to assist in efforts to help the people who need it for the hurricane relief effort.

The XTET performed many tunes that we ordinarily perform (Jazz standards and some originals) but under the circumstances we wanted to pay tribute somehow, some way...so as it turns out, many tunes took on our own somewhat limited take on a "New Orleans" flavored sound. We opened with a blues - that much I do recall. Did some Ellington. There were Cajun rhythms throughout tunes that don't normally have them. I cried (or tried to) with my plunger and did my best Sachmo imitation with a straight mute. We even played "When The Saints Go Marching In" which was preceded by freely improvised and mournful intro - if nothing else, the offering was sincere and we tried to do what we could in one of the ways we love - making music. Only a smattering of folks heard us - but what folks they are!

At one point I was asked (casually) to say something about New Orleans...well, I honestly didn't know where to begin or what to say. What could I have said? I've never visited the city, but always wanted to. Only in books, articles, movies and music do I know of that land. But what a fascinating place - and what an amazing history, not just for Jazz and music, but for all of humanity. Maybe I could have shared a silly adolescent dream...

I've always dreamed of visiting New Orleans, to be able to leisurely see the sights, meet the people, learn the history from the residents themselves, enjoy the food...and maybe best of all, take in some of the wonderful music...my dream goes so far as to imagine myself joining in on some jam sessions, and actually holding my own....only to have Wynton himself join in - he'd slap me on the back and say, "not bad, not bad..." - then he'd slyly whisper something like "but you best keep on workin' in that shed - still a ways to go yet!" - but we'd laugh and get on great. He'd blow everyone away and it would be a blast. So many stories and experiences would be shared - so many new friends...my silly little New Orleans dream.

[And here I choose to edit out some of my various "reality" ramblings - there was something about day-late presidential photo-ops...a need for basics and simply doing the right thing at the right time...but I'm not sure I can articulate anything that is close to coherent at this hour - perhaps another time - the Major of New Orleans (C. Ray Nagin) seemed to sum it all up very well.]

When I heard Wynton Marsalis was performing (along with many other fine artists) on a tribute (NBC) I tuned in. I had my trumpet in hand but it didn't touch my lips since I was pretty much in awe of the power of what was being said - and what I know Wynton was saying to the world. Could anyone else hear what he was saying? I heard it tonight. It was unmistakable.

Also performing: Harry Connick Jr. (what a performer! must buy more of his stuff!) Aaron Neville (very moving!), Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and other backing musicians - well done!

More Photos of The Blowholes at da Vinci Days

Special thanks MM for the photos!!

Blowholes at da Vinci Wrap

The Blowholes on the Shady Stage - da Vinci Days 2005! Click to see the QuickTime Movie excerpt!

John Bliss - Guitar
Andy Nelson - Tenor
Jim Guynn - Alto
The Viking - Drums
Rob Birdwell - Trumpet
Cheryl Leckie - Tuba/Bass
Mike Bevington - Trombone

It was fun to play at da Vinci Days. I especially enjoyed hearing all the other musical acts too!

Thanks to all our family and friends for being there - that means so much!

The brief QuickTime movie clip is not exactly the most flattering sound or picture quality, but at least you get to see how we all groove and move! Ha!

Preparing for da Vinci Days - Blowhole Style

Preparing...what have I forgotten? Must remember clothes pins for the stands - it will probably rain too, but I can't control the weather...or can I? Got the t-shirts, festival passes...need to get some more parking passes for everyone in the band or figure out how the loading/unloading stuff will work...borrowed a 50" x 11" piece of wood from my neighbor - it's light and somewhat sturdy - it will serve nicely as my music stand extender. (The charts are long and page turns were ill-conceived!) Going to paint it some funky shade of blue from an old can of paint I found in the basement - will duct tape it first (wouldn't want it to look unprofessional!)...it's slightly ridiculous to need such a wide stand...oh well!

I started writing lots of little musical bon-bons when I was in Sweden last summer with my family. (I was inspired to try to put together a little on-again, off-again ensemble after hearing a concert in the park by the Benny Andersson Orchestra - what a great songwriter and composer!!) Anyway, I scribbled and scratched and clawed my way through the writing process which I so much love. A little ditty by the lake in Sweden turned into "Swedish Beach Party." Further explorations in the Autumn lead me to draw from a funny confession from my mom (a true beauty) a couple years ago which inspired "Grandma Was A Go-Go Dancer." Our sweet little puppy dog (who has chewed up several cables and at least one important mute of mine!!!) inspired "That Is Not A Chew Toy" - and there are others too, all with their own story, sometimes personal, sometimes random, with many more on deck in sketch form or simply in my head - other day. Saturday we'll perform the first nine. Come listen!

Here's our set list for da Vinci Days 2005!

Rob

Peace Is Patriotic

Peace Is Patriotic words and music by Rob Birdwell

Just a little song to sing
On the fourth of July
A simple tune with simple words
So give it a try

You can play it slow
Or play it fast
But either way the sentiment
Is bound to last

'‘Cause everybody knows
Peace is patriotic
Everybody knows
Love is all we need

(Jam, Sing, dance, repeat as needed...)

Copyright (c) 2005 Rob Birdwell, BirdwellMusic.com

Download the sheet music to "Peace Is Patriotic" as a PDF.

I encourage anyone who wants to perform this song for private/non-profit events to please feel free to do so - I only ask that you contact me when and where you performed it. Additionally, I'd love to hear a recording of your live performance (nothing fancy!) so record it if you can and send me a link! This is a simple sing-along song for everyone to sing and perform, regardless of musical ability. Simple percussion, gazoos, a guitar or two, voices...even a Flugelhorn, etc. will all work fine. Thanks. Rob Birdwell

For commercial use and/or commercial licensing of this song and/or the lyrics, please contact me.

Blowhole Badge of Honor

"The Blowholes" is a Corvallis, Oregon based band (instrumentation: trumpet, alto sax, tenor sax, trombone, bass/tuba, guitar & drums). There are currently about 20 folks around town wearing these buttons. These are the pioneers - an elite and brave group! (Well, okay...they were actually given a FREE "I'm a Blowhole" button!)

But now you too can get your very own "I'm a Blowhole" button!! By wearing this button, you're saying something profound...you're making an important statement...and, well, if nothing else, you're at least creating an opportunity for some very interesting conversions...all that for only $1.35 (plus shipping)!! Wow! Order yours today!

What's In A Name - The Blowholes

Here's a little background for those of you interested in how and why I came up with the name "The Blowholes" for my all original Jazz septet:

It's all about the music...

First of all, when you play Jazz, especially in a free-form combo setting with multiple horns (jamming and/or simple lead sheet tunes) you're often arranging on the spot. As one soloist works through their choruses the other horn players listen...and sometimes background riffs are suggested (through whispers or other body language with the other players) to add interest and give the soloist and rhythm section yet another element to work with or against.

These lines might take the form of a simple "1 2 do-dot-do, 2, 3, 4 | 1, 2.do dot do..." or "do--, do-bop...2, 3 4" etc. Simple one or two note ditties that can be easily harmonized on the spot. These lines are spontaneous, stylistic, and simple and they can sound great and add interest and excitement at any given moment. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't - that's part of the challenge of being spontaneous.

Several times over the past couple years I've suggested more simple, sustained lines instead of punchy lines that attract too much attention. Free pads. "Goose eggs" or whole notes. So it's not uncommon for me to suggest, "let's blow whole notes" (under the soloist) - this is almost always effective because some interesting harmonies can be developed at random - all by blowing whole notes....blowing wholes....blow wholes...blowholes.

So the more I considered and researched the word "blowhole" for a band name (or "The Blowholes") the more I became convinced that it was a natural fit for a horn-based ensemble:

• 5 of the 7 players are quite literally blowing (Trumpet, 2 Saxes, Trombone, and sometimes Tuba)
• The horns all have bells - or holes - that's where the sound streams forth!
• Even the guitar and bass have holes - they're called f-holes (really!)

I recently came across a beautiful sign from somewhere in Hawaii(I saw it on the web) advertising "The Blowhole Cafe" which featured an animated blue whale - it looked like a very respectable place. The sign was very annimated with a nice variety of blue color tones. If we ever have a logo, some type of "musical whale" might be cool. Whales are amazing creatures - whales have blowholes.

Blowholes are also found on coasts, the result of the sea's relentless pounding away at the rocky shore which creates, over time, tubular openings in the rocks where sea water enters at a high velocity causing periodic steam-like eruptions. These ocean/rock blowholes are dramatic and awe inspiring - they're fun to watch too. Unpredictable, powerful - no two blows are ever they same...much like the making of music.

Blowholes, be they the blowholes of whales, the blowholes of ocean/rock formations, or my musical term of "blowing wholes" to affect a mood - these are things of beauty and the foundation of my belief in what "The Blowholes" represent: musical, natural, slightly irreverent, at times majestic, at times humorous...definitely an endangered species...and hopefully something special.

So go ahead, infer some sort of crude or negative connotation from a name; go ahead and make the juvenile jokes - we've probably heard them (and have our own)...or better yet, don't.

Instead, recognize that we're musicians attempting to breathe life into abstract ideas. We're trying to produce our own waves of sound that flow from one place to another. And who knows where these "waves" go - to the heart maybe? The mind? The soul?

The true spirit of "The Blowholes" can be found within the music and especially the performers who are doing their best to create something out of thin air.

I'm a blowhole and proud of what the name means for me. After all, a rose by any other name...

Blowholes to Play Da Vinci Days 2005

Come see and hear "The Blowholes" perform at da Vinci Days, Saturday, July 16 at 5-6 PM on the Shady Stage.

The Blowholes are a 7-piece ensemble that play all original music and features Rob Birdwell (Trumpet, Flugelhorn), Jim Guynn (Alto, Flute), Andy Nelson (Tenor Sax, Clarinet), Mike Bevington (Trombone), John Bliss (Guitar), Jeff "The Viking" Morre (Drums), and Cheryl Leckie (Bass, Tuba).

Our music is a blend of many styles and the arrangements of original material strive to strike a blance between tight ensemble writing and free solo sections (everyone is featured somehow, someway) - you'll hear lots of Jazz/swing with touches of latin, rock, funk and even some 60s style go-go! da Vinci Days is a wonderful festival and we're looking forward to performing.

You can catch "The Blowholes" in action on Thursday May 26 at Bombs Away Cafe (Corvallis- we'll be the XTET from 7:30 PM and then morph into "The Blowholes" around 8:30 PM or so. (This will actually be our first public appearance!)

Formed in early February 2005 we've been in the woodshedding a bit and now it's time to share the sounds and work out the logistics of playing live! Should be fun!

Rob Birdwell

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