Hurricane Ian left its mark.
Happy October and I hope all is well.
Growing up in the Midwest, the saying, “In like a lion, out like a lamb” was bellowed by all once the month of March arrived.
Something similar is not only bellowed, but preached, declared, and prognosticated for hurricane season in Florida.
Hurricane Ian roared in, not like a lion, but like a hippo, jacked up on Mountain Dew, Monster drinks, and the largest double espresso coffee sold.
Ian hovered over our small community for approximately 12 hours, causing the river and all creeks to flood to historic levels. As of this writing, we have one road in and one road out of my town. The people are resilient and I am amazed at the amount of help that has arrived. Being a retired firefighter, I understand the heart of those that are here to help. It is what we have been trained to do and we do it to the best of our abilities. Help is appreciated more than could be expressed.
When we moved into our new home our neighbors visited and helped us unpack. They are, what I call, a firefighter family. The husband and son are career firefighters and the wife is a former volunteer firefighter. One of the first questions they asked us in June was, “Do you have your hurricane supplies ready?”
My wife, being the smart person she is, had hurricane supplies ready and staged from day one. However, we didn’t have a generator, extra gas cans, or a working chain saw. Buying a generator was on the to-do list as well as me working on my chainsaw so it would run longer than 30 seconds. Now, after Ian, our to-do list has been prioritized a little differently. Fortunately, our firefighter neighbors had an extra generator for us to use.
We suffered no injuries and the only damage we had was that the roof of the breezeway between my two barns collapsed on my new zero-turn mower. Please understand that I am not complaining, but, I am using my, “damage count” as a way to show how we were fortunate not to have suffered injuries and that, “things” can be repaired or fixed.
Listening to wise counsel has always been at the top of my priority list.
My dad had always had a record collection. Yes, I am talking about the 33 1/3 rpm records. I remember listening to Mozart on my little portable record player as well as listening to Al Hirt.
My first Al Hirt album was, “Pops” goes the trumpet (Holiday for brass). It was a recording of Jumbo Al and the Boston Pops with Arthur Fiedler conducting. That was my first time hearing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto and I fell in love with it instantly.
As a 6th-grade beginning trumpet player, it was the most incredible trumpet playing I had ever heard in my life. I was amazed at how he played, “classical” music and then transitioned into jazz. It was my first time hearing, “Java” too.
It was at that time that I knew I wanted to learn how to play the Haydn. Although I didn’t play it until my senior year of high school, I still listened to it continuously.
I had no idea other recordings of the Haydn, other trumpet concertos, or trumpet players other than Doc Severinson, existed. So, I fed my trumpet hunger with Al Hirt and Doc Severinson until I was introduced to the music of Maynard Ferguson at the end of my 7th-grade year.
By the end of my 8th-grade year, I was attempting to play along with as many, Al, Doc, and Maynard tunes as I could find. I was told at the beginning of my freshman year of high school, by upperclassmen, that I had some chops.
“You have some high chops. You should buy a new mouthpiece.”
“What mouthpiece,” I asked.
“We play on Maynard Ferguson Jettone 3.” The upperclassmen responded.
So, I got an MF3 Jettone mouthpiece. The softness of the rim made me realize the 7c, glass bottle rim, and raw brass mouthpiece I was using, would not be my forever mouthpiece.
I played the Haydn, Mvt I, at the state solo and ensemble contest as well as performing the Haydn for my college audition, on the MF3 Jettone.
“We are surprised and pleased at your dark tone.” I was told at my college audition by my future trumpet professor. I had no idea that his insides were probably churning when I walked in holding a beat-up Mercedes II trumpet, MF3 Jettone, and a stupid smile. However, instead of bashing me for not having a professional horn, proper mouthpiece, and stoic expression, he guided me and helped me expand my trumpet playing ability.
What is the connection between hurricane Ian and my trumpet playing?
Was I prepared for the hit and aftermath of playing the trumpet? Kinda/sorta. I had some of the supplies that were needed. I had a trumpet, a mouthpiece, and a desire to play. Most importantly, I had an ear that listened to wise counsel. I listened to my trumpet professor as he suggested I try different mouthpieces for Wind Ensemble, Chamber Groups, and trumpet lessons. He guided me through, what could have been, a devastating storm of musical hurricanes. He, just like my new neighbors, has seen the storms and was willing to help out someone that had the desire to learn, thrive, and pass along the lessons learned to others that have not encountered the storms.
As we rebuild in SW Florida and live music begins to be heard, I hope to find openings that could use a former Midwest trumpet player that has learned many lessons. I no longer own an MF3 Jettone, but, I do miss the feeling of its smooth rim on my chops.
Stay safe everyone, Dan