Posted by Chuck Jackson on July 16, 2003 at 00:38:10:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Brass Band Radio posted by John Triplett on July 15, 2003 at 15:55:58:
OK, I am very proud to say that we have only 2 "professionals" in the band. Our Principal Cornet is Tom Wright. Tom is the Principal Trumpet of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. His day job is as an Insurance Claims Representative. Tom played for 10 years at the Tropicana and lost his job when the big strike of 1989 happened. That is when the powers that be decided that taped music is better than live. Tom is a very close friend. He can play jazz with the best of them and has an absolutly beautiful legit Trumpet sound. The LVPO did a great Mahler 4 in May and Tom played the trumpet part as well as anyone. Our Principal Euphonium is Dr. Jim Stivers. Jim teaches at UNLV and is Bass Trombonist with the LVPO. I had the great pleasure of laying down some killer lines with him at the 4th of July at Hills Park here in Las Vegas.
I use the term professionals loosely. The band is also made up of some of the finest teachers in the Clark County School District. Chief among them is our Solo Trombonist, Mike Allen, who is on my short list as one of the best trombone players I have ever worked with. He has done the Cavatine(Saint-Saens) and Blue Bells with the band and will be performing the Larrson Concertino with my High School Chamber Orchestra in the fall. We are blessed to have these teachers in the band.
Lastly, the bulwark of the band is made up of hardworking amatuers. We have County Commissioners, Truck Drivers, students, Accountants, and a Retired Deputy Shierf who play with us. They are fabulous people and hardworking musicians. Oddly enough, they play legit brass band music as well as the swing stuff, probably as well as a 2nd Section band. I am immensly proud of their accomplishments, they make me look VERY GOOD as a conductor. And they play for free. God Bless Them All.
Chuck Jackson