Met my tuba hero today

[bloke]

I’m much more shy in person than on the Internet, and I really tend to avoid “bothering“ people. (With the Internet, anyone/everyone can scroll past my words, but - when others are confronted in real time - I am forcing them to spend moments of their life with me.)
Back in the 1980s - when I was able to hear Mr. Bobo and the LA trombones play some excerpts in a small venue, some friends of mine and I walked up afterwards. Several of my friends spoke up, but I remained silent - and just listened - as I had done during the program.
I’ve played behind and worked for/with quite a few so-called “superstars“, but it just doesn’t seem right to bug them, or ask them for a picture or autograph, because – after all – we don’t know each other or know anything about each other… and – really – who would I be fooling, were such pictures posted by me on Facebook, etc.?

I don’t chat up the stage hands (who have their work to do), so why should I chat those people up (who are also there to work) ?

Back around 1982 or so – when I was doing a lot of touring and festivals with a jazz band – our band was playing at a large venue (the largest venue – which was an outdoor venue at the intersection of 4th and J St., as an old building has been scraped, and a new one had not yet been constructed) at the Sacramento Dixieland Jubilee. We were up next, and Don Goldie and his band were up after us. Being backstage sitting around a table, it was a legitimate time to “chat people up“. Don (jazz trumpet virtuoso) and Red Hawley (drummer) – had both been musicians on the Gleason Show, and I was in awe of both of them.
In particular, I was focusing more on Red (who - by then - was white haired), due to his Audio Fidelity recordings with the original Dukes of Dixieland - during the late 1950s through the early 1960s, as his bebop-ish traditional jazz style was absolutely awesome. Needless to say, I was also in awe of Goldie, who played trumpet like an angel.
What really amazed me was that – at a subsequent festival (where both of our bands were appearing again) – both of them called me by name - before I had a chance to remind them of who I was and where we had previously met.
It’s instructive how many really exceptional people are also really personable people.

[the elephant]

I talked to Arnold Jacobs one time. Called his house and he answered his own phone. I don't know know why, but I wasn't expecting that. To a guy fresh out of college, it was like calling God and having his pick up the phone

I was calling to see if I could have a lesson while my wife and I were in Chicago for our honeymoon. He was surprised but said yes.


Then... We were gifted airline tickets to Chicago, and I didn't have a hard case for my tuba. I wasn't going to show up for a lesson without a tuba, so it never happened. Missed opportunity (still had a great time in Chicago)

[the elephant]

I talked to Arnold Jacobs one time. Called his house and he answered his own phone. I don't know know why, but I wasn't expecting that. To a guy fresh out of college, it was like calling God and having his pick up the phone

I was calling to see if I could have a lesson while my wife and I were in Chicago for our honeymoon. He was surprised but said yes.


Then... We were gifted airline tickets to Chicago, and I didn't have a hard case for my tuba. I wasn't going to show up for a lesson without a tuba, so it never happened. Missed opportunity (still had a great time in Chicago)

That. Is. Fantastic.

[bort2.0]

My best advice -- in life, love, tuba, career, etc -- meeting famous people -- act like you've been there before.

Many years ago, I played an audition in front of Mike Bunn. I was like 15, and super nervous. He said "if you sweat any more, you're gonna start sweating blood." It made me laugh, but also humanized the audition process, and I never looked back.

[bloke]

I dialed up Mr. Jacobs at home on the telephone myself - once - as well.

He was very polite/personable/willing to talk.

After building up/chopping down an old 3-valve ($80 - pawn shop) Holton BB-340 to a C instrument, (and it had featured these same intonation stumbling blocks prior to shortening it) it featured the typical flat-lower-G/high-upper-F (as do so many of the York-alikes). Being naive, I was hoping to ask him if his genuine York instrument featured the same characteristics. What I got (again, though cheerfully delivered, very polite, and very respectful) was that the York instrument "plays perfectly in tune", which wasn't particularly helpful (nor believed - and I was cheerful/polite as well...even congratulatory).

Later, the subsequent player of the (by then: CSO-owned) instrument confirmed that the instrument features most all of the same work-arounds as those instruments (either closely or sort-of) patterned after it.

bloke "As a sidebar, I've found that the Yamaha instruments are much easier with which to cope, yet I've no desire to own one."

[Inkin]

Here's the pic from my first meeting with Chuck. Oh I wish I was this weight again.

[Three Valves]

So I take it the check was good??

Did he try to pay in CN$??

[bloke]

I would trust him to pay tomorrow, as long as his name isn’t Wimpy.

[bort2.0]

So I take it the check was good??

Did he try to pay in CN$??

No check, just a 40 pound sack of Toonies.

[Three Valves]

GOSH!!

I hope he didn't have his account frozen/confiscated up there.

Why not buy it back, then advertise "once owned by renown tuba player, Chuck D??"

[bloke]

I find it interesting that - back earlier in his career - people who avoided foreign wars were considered to be “leftists”, whereas now people who are in favor of avoiding foreign wars are considered to be “right wing“.
‘ no further comments/thoughts on this...OTHER THAN this:

The older I become, the more nonsensical things that I see occur over-and-over, and the more I see large groups of people manipulated in the very same ways over-and-over, the more I realize that most people prefer to not think for themselves - preferring the false-safety of group-think - EVEN WHEN the only two overwhelming-in-size think-groups BOTH mostly think circular/stupid-if-not-suicidal thoughts.

(To CD, I offer an e-handshake.)

[Doc]

I would trust him to pay tomorrow, as long as his name isn’t Wimpy.

Well... it IS Tuesday...

[sweaty]

It's Two's Day- 2/22/22.