Dorothy, Footprints and Skirting

Good title. Poor content. Story of my life! Actually I decided that a story of my life would be called "Operational but at risk!". That sums up my Trumpet playing, it really does!

Dorothy

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My music arrived this morning (The Wizard of Oz) at about 10am or so, and after going to bed at 6.30am I thought it was wise to get up and learn the show. The first thing that hit me was "there is an awful lot of music here", and there is, about 60 tunes or so. The parts are really nice, from the Royal Shakespeare Company, but it has a bit of a demand on endurance. It should be o.k. I hope! My schedule is quite busy for this now;

Wed - Rehearsal, Sound check - 5.30 - 9pm

Thurs - Rehearsal - 12pm, Show 7.30pm

Friday - Show - 3.30pm, Show - 7.30pm (I think)

Sat - Show - 7.30pm, Elvis Show, Empire @ 9pm (TBC) - can maybe do both, in any case, I have permission to miss this production if needs be.

Sunday - Show - 5.30pm

Monday to Saturday - Shows at 7.30pm, perhaps with a matinée performance on the Friday as well.

Saturday 15th also has me out with my brass band (3rd Carrickfergus Silver) - I hope that my times don't clash, and secondly that my lips hold out!

Footprints

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I have chosen the set for the demo recording:

Stella By Starlight

Footprints

I Remember You

Killer Joe

I spent last night, from 10pm to 5am agonising over the tracks, specifically the ballad; each ballad I chose, I liked initially then I decided that it was a bit cliché and started to dislike it. I liked 'Infant Eyes' - lovely harmony, but the form is odd - three 9 bar phrases, that is fine, and the melody is a little boring. I also liked 'Naima', lovely harmony, quite dissonant, but it seemed a bit too much for the demo, probably wouldn't have sat nicely. I am going to play 'I Remember You' as a ballad, probably on the Flugelhorn, and hopefully sans fromage!

There is a nice arrangement of Stella on an Aebersold volume "Tunes You Thought You Knew" - it has been re-arranged and re-harmonised. I wouldn't mind doing this, it is cool, and is a bit different. It is such a classic tune though, I would hate to ruin it.

Skirting

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Touch-up gloss painting on the skirting boards in the front room is all that remains in there - I got the emulsion painting done yesterday, floor cleaned, tables asembled, life pondered etc... My highlight was lifting the washer/dryer in from the rain (under a tarpaulin), up a step and fitting it. It was very heavy. I did not enjoy that.

That is all for now, paint to do, lips to mourn... practising till 6am will leave you with a fairly un-fresh start as I just found. I have band to do in 2 hours, and I have put in a serious bit of practise today... here goes nothing. Maybe I will play more quietly tonight, maybe take it easy!

Mike