Ok, on with the story. If you’ve read parts 1-7 you know I’ve been through quite the ordeal so far. It’s over now. All that is behind me and I can move on. I can start living my life again and not worry about what’s wrong with me or what surgery I need next. This […]
As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 9
Ok, I have my emotions contained again and can go on with my story……. After the neurosurgeon told me I couldn’t play the saxophone ever again, I think I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say or how to feel. After a short while, I started feeling this heavy feeling of sadness coming […]
As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 10
In this next part of the story, we need to skip ahead a few years. Just so you are clear on the time line, I had the brain tumor symptoms from 1993-1995. I had the brain surgery in August of 1995. I had bacterial meningitis in August of 1996 (I actually had bacterial meningitis two […]
As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 11
After the Proton Beam Radiation treatment I quickly jumped back into things. It was about a month later, that I was on a gig playing my sax when I got this excruciating pain in my jaw. I had to stop playing my solo and I just held my jaw for a second and then […]
As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 12
Well, I’ve been putting this off long enough! To be honest, writing this part of the story is not something I feel very excited about. There are a few reasons for this. One, it’s not funny (well maybe a little funny). Two, it brings back some painful memories. Three, it doesn’t paint me in the […]
As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 13
Hello again. No I didn’t die. I’m sorry for the delay with this chapter but every once in awhile I have a problem with tendonitis in my arms and have to take a break from typing for them to get better. I am feeling better now and can continue the story. OK, where was I………….. […]
As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 14
After the events in Part 13, I started feeling like my regular self again. Life went on. We moved a few times and ended up in Southern New Hampshire. I have two more stories to share with you and then we’ll be done. Hopefully, there will be no more to tell in future stories although […]
As Funny as a Brain Tumor! Part 15
The next morning, our last day in Disney, I woke up to my kids talking to each other. I sat up in bed and just looked at them. There voices sounded normal. I couldn’t believe it. Matter of fact, I didn’t believe it. I put on the radio, it sounded normal. I was so excited […]
Drake Ceramic Small Chamber Soprano Mouthpiece
This is a new Drake ceramic soprano mouthpiece that I am trying out. This piece has a .065 tip opening and a small chamber. The mouthpiece plays with a nice focused tone. Much more focused sounding than the Drake large chambered mouthpiece. If you listen to both clips you can hear the difference between a […]
Drake Ceramic Large Chamber Soprano Mouthpiece
This is a another new Drake ceramic soprano mouthpiece that I am trying out. this piece has a .065 tip opening and a larger chamber in it than I have seen in other soprano mouthpieces. This mouthpiece plays with a big fat tone. Much more spread sounding than the Drake small chambered mouthpiece. If you […]
Selmer Super Session J Soprano Saxophone Mouthpiece
This is a sound clip of my main soprano saxophone mouthpiece for the last 6 years. It is a Selmer Super Session J mouthpiece that I bought from WWBW. At the time that I bought this, I also tried an I tip opening. I remember feeling like the I gave me a Kenny G type […]
Aizen LS Tenor Saxophone Mouthpiece
This is the new Aizen LS 7* tenor saxophone mouthpiece. I have one of these for my alto saxophone that I love and am lucky enough to be able to try this tenor sax model. I’ve had it for 2 weeks and played it almost everyday. These are advertised as being copies of a vintage […]
Rick Margitza Solo-“What is this thing called love?”
Here is a great tenor sax solo that I transcribed a couple of years ago. It’s from Jeff Hellmer’s album “Peak Moments”. The tune is a standard called “What is this thing called love?” and features Rick Margitza on the tenor saxophone. “What is This Thing Called Love” a great standard by Cole Porter that […]
Practicing away from your instrument! Part 1
I had a lesson the other day with a student and I realized that he was really having a hard time coming up with melodic ideas and phrases. I asked him “Do you ever sing?” “No!” “How about humming?” “No!” “How about in the shower?” “No!” This really got me thinking about things […]
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