CLARINETITIS!

First performed in 1697, William Congreve's play The Mourning Bride includes as its first line, “Music hath charms to soothe the wild beast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak,” implying that the rhythm and sounds in music can calm even one with a violent, aggressive nature. In the matter of my clarinet playing, it has a quite different effect!

ARE YOU AN OLD SCHOOL DINOSAUR?

We used to be called Baby Boomers but that may very well change in the future. I just read in a comment by some wise guy millennial, that "old school dinosaurs" were a hindrance at the workplace because of their old fashioned ways.  And by "old school dinosaurs", he meant people born before 1970.

While that may be the case, our generation still has some rare distinctions that set us apart in a remarkable way from all others.  People born between 1950 and 1960 have lived in 7 decades, two centuries and 2 millenia. Between 1950 and 1970, we also had great music, beautiful (though bulky) cars, drive-in theaters, soda fountains, and some of the most memorable movies and TV shows ever. Just for starters, the Beatles music,  The Pink Panther and James Bond movies were born in the Sixties!  Google it!

THE RETURN OF THE CLARINET!

After more than 30 years of having abandoned it, I finally got another chance to play the clarinet thanks to a much welcome recent birthday gift.  But of course, it has been so long, I have to remember how to play the instrument, so I'm back to my beginner's days and dusting off those old clarinet courses, charts and tutorials. I'm back to square one with embouchure, fingering, tone and reed control.

Will I ever attain professional status?  Of course not! Will I become the next Benny Goodman? Never! 

But the point here is to just have fun and play to myself trying not to squeak much and flub as less as possible.  Music, maestro, please!

My first year trying to get some decent sound out of the instrument!

After much practice, I was proficient enough to get a gig on stage at a small dinner theater, playing

 "As Time Goes By" and "St. Louis Blues" in a musical show!

The day I got my new clarinet, 30 plus years after I had abandoned the instrument.

Back to the Clarinet Player Starter Kit!

Hopefully, this won't ever happen...but you never can tell!

Remembering BENNY GOODMAN on his birthday.

BENNY GOODMAN was born May 30, 1909. 

In celebration of his birthday, from the 1948 film A SONG IS BORN, here's a great rendition of "Stealing Apples". Starring Danny Kaye and Virgina Mayo, the film also features some swing greats like Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, Lionel Hampton on the vibes, and many others! 

"LEAVING ON A JET PLANE" as sung by Frank Sinatra.

Frank Sinatra released SINATRA & COMPANY on the Reprise label in 1971. The album features several bossa nova styled songs recorded for a planned second album with Antonio Carlos Jobim but were used instead as part of this new production. Here, Sinatra sings several hits from new composers such as John Denver, who penned "Leaving On A Jet Plane", a nice tune which was incidentally used briefly on the1996 film THE ROCK where Sean Connery sings to it while taking a shower!

You can listen to the song here:

The song is one of several where Frank makes references to flying and air travel.

SEPTEMBER SONG by Sinatra

We welcome the beginning of a new month in this pandemic year, hoping that things get better as the months fly by.  Sinatra's song refers mainly to the passage of time and the fact that, as we grow older, time is much too precious to waste!

The song was featured in his 1962 album POINT OF NO RETURN although it had been recorded by him before and would appear in different versions later on, but this one is my favorite. The songs on this album were recorded on September of 1961 and were the final sessions at Capitol Records.

Sinatra then moved on to his own label, Reprise.

FRANK SINATRA's first recording!

I am currently a guest in Hoboken, N.J., so I think it's fitting I share this historical recording:

Our Love is the first ever song to be recorded by Frank Sinatra. It is a stock arrangement based on part of Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet. It was recorded with Frank Mane's band, March 18, 1939, at Harry Smith Studio, 3 46th East Street Manhattan

BENNY GOODMAN remembered!

                    We lost Benny Goodman on June 13, 1986! However, his music is still very much around us!

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra playing BUGLE CALL RAG:

                                            

ARTIE SHAW and BENNY GOODMAN, the Great Clarinet Players.

I've always been a big fan of Big Band Swing music which I've been listening to since my early childhood. My parents had a good sized collection of old 78 RPM shellac records which I continually played on an old Motorola player and later, on a Garrard turntable. The music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and several other big band leaders, was a staple of their collection.

Later on, I managed to get hold of a second-hand clarinet and taught myself how to play the instrument, aided by Paul Harvey's THE COMPLETE CLARINET PLAYER Omnibus Edition from 1986 and A. Magnani's Complete Method for Clarinet in Two Books. Since there were no YouTube tutorials back then, and I didn't have the time to take lessons from a qualified music teacher, the learning process was quite slow and lengthy.

Of course, no virtuosity was achieved but after much practice, I managed to play it with limited proficiency, enough to carry me by when I had to perform in public for a musical play.

I don't remember the name of the show but I do recall I had two solo numbers with a piano accompanist: As Time Goes By and St. Louis Blues.

My clarinet kit.

The clarinet is no longer functional for lack of proper maintenance; however, I still keep it for nostalgic reasons and am planning to buy me a new one someday soon. Playing the clarinet along with Goodman and Shaw's recordings used to be a very pleasant pastime years ago and I hope I can indulge myself once more.

 

Artie Shaw was born May 23, 1910 and died December 30, 2004 at the age of 94.

Benny Goodman was born May 30, 1909 and died June 13, 1986 at the age of 77.

May 30th...A Significant Date!

Okay, so May 30th might seem to be just like any other day for everyone, but to me it's significant for two very special reasons: one is because, according to the Catholic Calendar, today is my Name Day, and the other more relevant one, it's Benny Goodman's birthday.
King Fernando III, King of Castile, died on May 30, 1252, and was the son of Rodrigo Diaz, better known as El Cid. He was known as "the Saint" during his lifetime.
Benny Goodman, on the other hand, was no saint but his music was the most swinging this side of heaven. He was born on May 30, 1909 and was known as the "King of Swing".  His career spanned more than 60 years, remaining active until 1986. His records consistently made the best seller lists during the 30s and 40s and his Concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938 became legendary.
So, today I remember King Fernando III and the King of Swing, Benny Goodman!

It's FRANK SINATRA's world. We just live in it!

FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA
Born December 12, 1915
Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.