And the winner is........ (365 day challenge and our consumer culture)

 Hi readers. It's been a long time since I've been here. Truth be told I don't see all that much point but then I ran into some folks that said they like what I write here. They also said something alarming....

"When I read your blogs, (this one or my tube amp repair blog) I usually want to buy whatever it is you are writing about."

Scary. I never knew I had a career in advertising. I don't think I wish to participate in this. 

And that is what I am going to talk about today. It might get a little cathartic. 

Consumerism is a disease. It's been a monkey on my back since I was a teenager. I'm going through what I guess is a breakup today, I'm gutted... I do not like what I am feeling one bit. I will miss her dearly. I spent the day before yesterday in bed, weeping, and doing the best practicing I could to prepare for my gig tonight at Tubby's (11/12/2023) here in Kingston, NY.

There's a big difference to my experience today. I don't actually feel like buying anything. I can look at literally every breakup I've had since I was a young man and see a purchase I made to blow off the feelings of heartbreak. The day my dad died two years ago.... I bought a beautiful $2500 classical guitar that I hated. Someone loves it now thank goodness......

Back in 2010 I wrote a list of tenor saxophones I had purchased. I couldn't remember past 40.

Forty..... at that point I had been playing for about 13 years. That is insane. That is counterproductive. That is pretty stupid. That is sickness. 

I have one tenor as of November 1st 2023 and three mouthpieces, only one of which I'm exploring now. Neither are particularly valuable but the combination sparks joy every time I pick it up. For once I'm not comparing this to that and I'm just...... playing. 

As of November 2nd 2023 I'm no longer paying off anything on PayPal Credit (that no interest over $100 for purchases over $99 is a killer for wasting my energy!!) and I'm no longer paying off a purchase I made at a shop I work for. I think I can get to like this. That purchase I made from the shop? Beautiful, amazing and I don't need it. What I do need is more gigs and my own band again. 

So what has happened? Honestly I do not know. I think I just literally got bored of paying things off and wasting my time messing around with excess. The man who taught me how to play bought his tenor in 1948 and played it until he died in 2008. He had two more over the years... one was a backup that got stolen and the other was a horn he bought cause it was a great deal and it was pretty. 

So, no pictures here of what I'm enjoying. I don't wish to participate in this consumer culture by writing about how great my instruments are. And I will be okay when I will be okay. Breakups are hard even if they are the "eff you, go away" variety which this is not. This is merely a life path thing so it's much harder. I'll heal one hour at a time.... and I'll play what I have one day at a time... and I'll use what I have to continue to make my next record one day at a time.

And I'll do my best not to buy anything I don't actually want or need these next 365 days despite being constantly bombarded with Reverb and eBay ads one day at a time. I'll continue to value the space I have more than the clutter one day at a time. After all, the space between the notes is just as important and the notes themselves.

-Jef

Gloger neck for my 10M, now lives on my Buescher Aristocrat. Why buy a new neck anyway?

 

During the pandemic, which currently is still on, I bought myself a Gloger neck for my ugly old 1941 Conn 10M. I purchased it from JW Sax in Boston and had Kim at KB Sax in Long Island City install it properly (expand the tenon.) 

Kim as you may know makes fine necks for saxophones as well.

So, first of all, why buy a new neck? Doesn't the original work? Didn't all of those players back in the day just practice and get what they wanted out of their equipment? 

Well, yes. Of course they did. And I find myself agreeing with a lot of that wholeheartedly. Today we live in a world of hype, everything is pornified and there's more ways to empty your wallet and avoid doing the hard work of making good music showing up every day. It is what it is.

So what was I trying to solve with this purchase? 

First I was simply curious. I've spent a good deal of time with Kim at KB Sax, even rebuilt a Selmer amp for him once with the Varitone unit. I've tried a bunch of his necks and, well, they're problem solvers if used rightly. I played a couple of Tenor Madness horns there and found them typical of horns today: tanky and a bit, um neutral (bland, dull as dishwater....)..... But with some of his necks, changed everything. More color, excitement. The difference in not even considering making a purchase and possibly making that purchase. 

I prefer old American made horns myself. My favorites are the Art Deco Buescher Aristocrat and the early model Conn 10M. Some days it's Buescher, others it's Conn, but I overall prefer the richness of the Buescher over the size of the Conn. 

So I bought this neck to get the Conn to sound more like the Buescher. I can say that was largely achieved. I used it on some blues gigs with a Berg Bronze piece I recently acquired (selling! UGLY sound....).

What did it do for the Conn? Better tuning first of all. They have a tendency to play sharp. In fact both horns do. I'm used to them but anything to make life easier I'll gladly take. 

I did a recording session this September and could not get what I wanted out of the Conn. I switched to the Buescher and voila. Heaven. But then I put this Gloger neck on the Buescher.... totally different horn. 

First off, everything speaks easier. No, it's more "free blowing", which is something I don't care for. It still has that good Buescher 'back pressure" or resistance. But the notes speak more clearly. Pitch is better, there's just more horn there. It's now my current setup. 

I've switched from my expensive old Otto Link STM 7 to a New Vintage Slant #6. I have yet to get a more enjoyable setup than this. 

As for the Conn, since I switched mouthpieces I'm happy with the original neck. It's currently my second tenor and I'm happy with that as well. 

So like anything, try it and see for yourself. Mileage varies. I'm not one to believe hype myself but I am one to keep and open mind and try new things. Would my old heroes buy one? I imagine they would. Like my teacher, he never stopped experimenting, trying new sounds, finding new ways to play over a tune. I see it as one thing altogether. 

I also like pretty things. This neck is a work of art.... So if you are curious and can swing the price, give it a go. I should leave off with, no it didn't turn either horn into a Selmer which is something I wouldn't have wanted. It just brings out the best qualities of what is already there. That's what I was after and I think it was a success.

J

Okay, ain't gonna lie, I'm shallow! And furious about Mozart in the Jungle being cancelled.

I don't have Amazon Prime and have no intentions around signing up. But I came awfully close when I found "Mozart in the Jungle" one day while cat sitting in Park Slope.

Ain't gonna lie here. That comedy may have changed my life. It's portrayal of an orchestra, it's players and the occasional guest like Joshua Bell and many New York players from the street to the stage, for a musician in mid life was a breath of fresh air!

By the time I was through season 1 I was back on a better practicing routine and writing more. I got to ask what do I want to leave behind when I'm done with this life? Anyone who plays in an orchestra has worked hard to get there and I love a hard worker.

Funny how that can come from a goofball comedy show about sex, drugs and classical music but whatever, it doesn't matter what can be a life changing inspiration. And ya know what? I can say I'm happier now with my path. Will I ever get to the promised land through writing music and performing it? I don't really care. I'm digging this journey, meeting new people making compelling art and challenging myself in new ways.

Ya, I kinda needed that show to push me over the cliff. So thank you Amazon for airing it. And %^%@ you for cancelling!


It's funny. I'm reminded of David Sanborns' "Night Music" which aired in the late 1980's. I religiously watched that show every Sunday night. That's where I met Sun Ra, Lounge Lizards, Sonic Youth, Charlie Haden's orchestra and many other artist. And much like any good shows about music, poof! Gone!!! That show did the same for me, inspired me to do something else. The messenger comes in many forms.

J 4/18/2020

The young pianist and the young guitarist in the band room, 1984

I'm a hippy. I grew up on hippy music and, well, jazz. You know, hipster music. I love it all. It's been a blessed life of never ending discovery. I've learned to appreciate music from all over this planet.

Years ago, I mean, many years ago when I was in high school there was another student who was a pretty amazing classical pianist. We went to Centennial High School, a public school which is a part of Ellicott City Maryland and this kid was as much of an oddball as I. He went to a bi-weekly lesson in Philadelphia to study with a guy who studied with a guy who studied with a guy who studied with Franz Liszt or Chopin or one of those cats. This kid wore nice clothes, the kind of clothes that gets you ridiculed by other kids, suits and bow ties. I had my hush puppies, jean jackets, a funny mustache and a big afro. Not exactly dressed in the current fashion and I got ridiculed plenty for it too.  He came off as a bit stiff, maybe arrogant, removed from the rest. Kinda like me in my own way. I wasn't stiff, but I was scared, and certainly my arrogance showed cause it was my way of being safe and ugh, "superior."

I can't say that was his experience but can say that we probably had a lot more in common than I could see then.

I did my four years there, he vanished after about a year hopefully to move into a safer setting. You know, one of those gifted and talented schools. I may have been gifted or talented but the thought of going into a program like that was "uncool" to a kid like me.

One day we were in the music room during our lunch break. Probably just a good place for us to hide out from the bully ways of many of our peers. He was practicing his concert pieces and I was quietly playing some acoustic guitar on one of the schools cheap Yamaha gut string instruments. We actually had a guitar program led by Ms. Ruckert thank god.

He asked me what was I playing and I told him "oh I'm just making stuff up." He then asked "How do you do that?"

I replied "I don't really know, I just learned some scales and I just kinda do it." I then asked him "How the hell do you do what you do?"

The kid had chops.... Whether I liked his musical choices or not I was amazed by his ability!

I don't remember his reply. We weren't friends, just 2 misfits escaping school life for forty minutes.

Now, don't get me wrong. I would not have wanted his life which was undoubtedly headed towards winning competitions and maybe, at least in my young point of view, restrictive. I liked the illusion of being 'free' that I hung on to in those days. I was also hellbent on the ridiculous idea of being "self taught" like Jimi Hendrix as if that's any real virtue. And no, I do not believe in that any longer, I don't even think Jimi was "self taught." It's more likely that he was just brilliant, talented, imaginative and learned guitar from cats who learned something on guitar last week. Any of the old jazz players I knew, that's how they learned, on the bandstand from folks that were better than they were. And that's still gaining instruction. In today's life, ask me anything and I'll share. I love to help another!

So anyway, back to the subject. I went on about my life with all that pride that I could just make stuff up and all, and it served me well. And I have zero regrets. It's fun to jam. It's even more fun to invent.

And now I find joy in composing. I'm really no different than the young guitarist in that band room and I'm probably more like the young pianist now too. Composing is writing down an improvisation to me. And oddly enough I'm finding a new quality of freedom in the process. I can write a melody and when I get tired of it I can choose any note to start another direction. It's fun to find my way back home, and overwhelming cause, there's so much freedom it becomes daunting to make choices. Sometimes I'll limit myself to a few notes, other times explore whatever comes to mind.

It's a way slower process. I like that most days and some days I don't. I'm learning a new level of patience. It takes weeks to get something under my fingers and sometimes months for it to become music to my ears.

The young pianist in the music room. Something I didn't understand about the life of a classical musician was the choice to be an interpreter. I didn't understand much beyond the notes on a written page. I couldn't understand what made someone like Sonnenberg or Horowitz or Segovia so compelling. And having been surrounded by the free improvisation scene much of my life, who could be really critical of the classical musician calling them 'cover bands' or 'craftspeople, not artist', that never resonated with me. Few spoke of discipline, interpretation and some of the things I really admire. If there's one wish I had for my young self, it would be to keep an open mind. I lost out on melody big time. Something I'm obsessed with today. And actively composing, learning other pieces, my improvising has become far more melodic, I take more risk and feel I have a more solid foundation to build on.

It feels good to admit this at my age, and to start over again. I'll never stop improvising whether in the moment or with pencil and paper. I'll just always choose growth and curiosity over fear from here on.

I often wonder about that piano kid. He's grown up now of course. I do not remember his name so I can't cyberstalk him (social media creeps me out!!!). I wonder if he ever learned to "just make things up"? I wonder if that little insignificant moment in a high school band room has had an impact on him at all? Or did he just move on and become a fine concert pianist? Did he do like many and give up playing to do something one can make six figures at doing? Is he composing or performing brain surgery or working retail somewhere? What's his take on musical freedom? What's mine?

-J  4/18/2020

What have I been doing for the past year?

It's been over a year since I last wrote here, and now that the world has stopped I have time to reflect and share again.

Over the last 4-5 years I've had a return to my roots. As a teenager I studied a bit of classical guitar and really loved it. I especially loved the weaving of 2 melodies together in counterpoint. I studied with a good local teacher named Bruce Casteel in Columbia Maryland. He had some great classical students, some who went on to prestigious conservatories, then he had fellows like me. I don't think he saw me as particularly disciplined, and he was probably right, so he never put me on a method book or anything like that. And truth be told I would probably have fled if he did. Being a young, frightened, egotistical teenager I was 'better than everyone' while at the same time was 'the bottom of the worst.' Neither of which was true but that's what a good dose of fear does to the mind.

Bruce had a house full of fine classical guitars. Ramirez, Dauphin, Marzal and some ones I don't remember. They were expensive. Minimum $2000 in the 80's. A vintage Stratocaster was about five hundred bucks and I was a Jimi head. So, I'll let you figure out what I decided.

But Bruce put up with me. He had a wild side too and taught me how to improvise. Scales, modes etc. My brother and I would make up songs in whatever mode was presented just to learn the mode and not be bored playing the 'blues box.'

I also got into composing. I wrote 2 or 3 pieces and figured I'm no Bach so I gave it up. Much like I did with drawing and writing stories. I was so hard on myself then. In fact if playing blues rock, psychedelic music didn't come relatively easy to me I may not have pursued music at all and I wouldn't be writing this blog post.

So fast forward. Not writing my biography today here....

After years of playing in bands and having limited success, a good personal economic meltdown in 2010 which led me to re-examine every choice in my life, I found a Carcassi guitar method book at Sam Ash on 34th street. I had glued my moms busted Silvertone "Classic Folk" guitar back together and found myself just doing the exercises in there daily with the same energy as when I was a teenager. See, I used to practice my scales hours daily. It was obsession. I was waaaaay too lazy to play video games, too much work, but practicing scales and songs, that was just fun for me.

So I started learning pieces out of that Carcassi book. The Stratocaster doesn't really interest me any more so I started seeking out good guitars which I find to be completely fascinating. The Torres design, the Hauser spin on it and all that followed. In short I fell in love with making music again. I fell in love with the instrument again.And I've fallen in love with composing again except this time I don't really care if my pieces are genius or even any good at all. I just enjoy writing and  enjoy practicing.

When I hit that 'self taught' wall I found a great teacher for me on Craigslist named Carlos Pavan. So happens he's a composer so I see him weekly to discuss and perform my new works with him. It's so worth it to invest in oneself and I'm so grateful he's around.

So for the last year I've been working on my second solo LP. I was hoping to record it this summer and have it out in the fall but the world is on pause today so I have no idea what to do. I am taking advantage of this time to make my compositions better, challenge myself and practice. I'm taking the gentle approach, no hard deadlines, little self criticism, and a lot of help and support from loved ones.

When it will be ready I have no idea. There may not even be a vinyl record maker left standing when we get through this sad and brutal time. Right now it's just about one day at a time and love thy neighbor. That's enough for me. But stay posted, I'll be here writing music and pages like this.

Take care everyone. Let's ride this out and re-build when we can.

-J

Photo: Matt Licari
Guitar: John Vergara

Down to 3 tenors!

Down to 3 tenors....

My 10M went to a good friend.

Now in order:

#1 Buescher Aristocrat
#2 Selmer Balanced Action for my 'sick days' or backup horn
#3 Conn New Wonder for fun in the street.

The Buescher still wins. It just has the most color and most guts. I've fallen for that horn. It's all good I went through so many as that one is the best I've had hands down. Even with the stencil neck from any one of many Elkhart Band Instrument Company horns, and with the snaps removed, this horn out does the nicer ones I've had. Curiously enough, I've always liked that neck. It looks like a 10M neck. I find they give me a bit more fatness than the stock neck.

The Selmer, I'm keeping for now. I've come to like that horn and I bought it at a good price. I'll take my time getting it on the bandstand. No hurry. And I've figured out the tuning for the most part. Low C can still be a bit sharp, but that's one note out of the rest. Okay to just lip it down. And I did adjust the low end B and Bb key heights so it's better.

The New Wonder, I just like having it around. Good reference to where I came from. There are so many out there that are good. This one has a great sound.

Why did the 10m go?

That was a great live horn. Probably worked best with my band. I generally don't use a mic unless it's absolutely necessary. The Selmer projects in a similar fashion. Since I've never owned one before I figure I'll give it a try and see why folks like my Uncle  and Dexter Gordon, both of whom played 10M horns, both of whom bought Selmers after their 10Ms were stolen and went with the new 9at the time). So in a year maybe I'll be way into this Selmer, or maybe I'll be selling it. Lots of glory days rolled tone hole10Ms out there for under $2k. No Selmers from the glory days for less than $3.5k! So I see this as, maybe it's time for something new.

3 is enough. I like it. Each does inspire a different attitude.

J

So why buy an old saxophone? Why buy a new saxophone?

So why should I buy an old saxophone? Why should I buy a new one?

This question gets asked and debated often. There are pros and cons, or are there? I dunno. Maybe.

First... why buy an old saxophone?

Sound!

Cause old ones sound better. Simple.

But what about new ones? Why?

Sound!

I haven't personally played many new ones that I found my sound particularly exciting on. I much prefer my old horns. I find most new horns which are inspired by Selmer sound rather clean and neutral. Not bad, just not exciting. They lack color. That includes new Selmer and the many Taiwanese horns made, Yanagisawa and Yamaha from Japan. I owned a Yanigisawa from the 70's. Was glad to move that one along. (Buyer loved it I should mention!) But they are consistent.

So yeah, sound is it. Are we done here?

Nope. I played a non high F# Borgani recently that grabbed my attention. Priced at $3k used, if I had the dough I'd have bought it. No it didn't sound like an American classic horn, it had a boldness to it like my Conns for sure, but it really had something special. I also played a Rampone & Cazzani at KB Sax recently. I played 2 of them. The first one knocked me out. The second did little for me. I'm just glad there is inconsistency out there. Another player would have a different experience. The first one reminded me a bit of my beloved Buescher with modern key work. Rich and interesting.

I also played at KB a few Tenor Madness horns with no high F#. Boring.... until I tried one of his necks on it. The whole thing came to live. I didn't like the tanky feel of the Tenor Madness but that was a great sounding horn with his neck. I did however find the Italian horns to be really friendly in the feel department.


So why buy an old horn?

Feel! They feel different. Here's where it gets more fun.

If you were raised on modern keys, if you started on a Yamaha 23, you probably won't want an old American horn. Let's start with my Conn New Wonder.

Mine is early. Notice the Euro coin I glued to the F key for comfort. The left hand is challenging too!



And the G# cluster is rather crude....... Not for everyone!





And the palm keys. They improved these a few years later. The hi Eb is kind of stupid.


And with old Conns the biggest complaint is the neck angle and where the strap hook is placed. Tenor players were expected to sit while they played. Thanks to Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young 90 years ago, we're now liberated! Woo hoo! But really, if you want an old Conn just get a gizmo like mine to lower the strap hook, or pay your tech the measly twenty bucks or so to have it moved!



All this being said about my Conn New Wonder, I'm so used to the thing none of this bugs me. I was happy to try a modern neck and get the strap hook moved, modern neck that is best is the 16M Mexican Conn from the late 60's into the 70's. But, I'm back on the old neck and I'm happy.

The 16M neck I felt improved intonation a bit, and was more focused. All good things but whatever.



My Buescher is not terribly different from the New Wonder. It does feel better but either is ok with me.










And oh yeah, I like the looks of old horns way better. I love a classy engraving be it art nouveau or art deco!




So the first 2 are really old school key work. For me a non issue but I understand those who have been playing for year on new horns. Probably not worth making the transition.

The next 2 horns were developed about the same time and are slick as can be.

The Conn 10M. I know, I know..... people love to complain about the keys on these horns, but I find them to be by far the fastest in the west. And I'm not alone in this. Check out Sal Nistico here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEW7d-87b48


So piss off to those that like to spread this myth. The 10M was modern and to me still is. And nobody will make this key system ever again which is a shame. So if you like a 10M and want a 10M sound and feel, then you just need to buy a 10M. This may be the exception here on this post. I think these are a great crossover.

Now I can see if you have large hands, the right hand may be tight for you. In that case buy a later 10M or have the keys spread out a bit.





Lightning G# cluster!






And elegant rather industrial American engraving!


I should mention too that the 10M for me is hard to connect with. Why? It's just so easy. Free blowing and fast. I need my horns to fight me a bit. It's an amazing sounding horn live, I just feel like it's not there.

So why buy a new horn? The feel!

So last is my Selmer Balanced Action. This is what most horns gravitated to and eventually copied.





The G# cluster is what most folks like. I never like it on a modern horn, but on an old Selmer Balanced or Super Balanced, or even the King Super 20, I find it easy to get used to. I don't know why I hate it so much on the Mk6 and it's many copies, and love it on this horn, I find it to be so light on these old Selmers:




Palm keys are perfect.



These are beautifully engraved though mine is a re-lacquer so it's a mush pile!




I have to say even my re-lacquered at least twice Balanced Action sounds more lively than any new horn that is doing it's best to mimic it. At least any that I have tried. I have played a few Super Balanced Action horns and I can say I get it. They feel the best of any Selmer or Selmer type horn to me. Though with those like any old horn, sonically I've played at least one I'd pay insane dollars for if I could, and more than a few that made me go "meh, what's the point?"

Why buy an old horn? The weight! None of my horns are neck stressers.

Why are new horns so heavy? Seriously. Neck issues! I owned a couple Buffet tenors what weighed too much for me, and tried some Keilwerth New King and SML horns, so it's not just new horns really, but I have yet to play a new horn with the exception of the Italian horns mentioned here that weren't tanks!!!!! It feels heavy, I play heavy. It's psychological. It feels light I dance.

So why buy a new horn? The weight! Some folks seem to think heavy means serious. Good high quality brass. If that's what you think then you'll probably dig a heavy P. Mauriat or new Selmer Reference 54. Got for it if you find that helpful.

So this article hasn't actually helped me out much at all. I guess the point is, it's a pointless discussion. Get out there and try as many horns as you can and grab the one that speaks to you. It's an investment after all, and investment in you. Financially and time wise. The more you stick to one thing and grow with it, the more it grows with you and the more you'll get out of life.

Ok. New horns generally have better intonation. Though, my 1920's Martin soprano has pissed off more than a few good soprano players cause they had an easier time playing it in tune than their modern Yamaha or other horns. Same as a 1924 New Wonder alto I sold to a friend as a back up to his high end Yamaha. He found the Conn easier and liked the sound better. The Yamaha is his rainy day horn now!

So even that is useless. Oh well. I tried! Just focus on the music you make and grab the best tool for the job. And that's it. Simple right???

J