I know you are extremely busy writing, arranging, rehearsing, performing, and taking care of all the other aspects of your work. But is there any chance you would be a guest on Ralph’s blog if he’s willing to do an episode on the road this summer?
Wow! What tone! I believe he could’ve made almost any music sound exciting. What sticks with me right now is the discussion of efficiency. There is some effort at the super extreme range, other than that, extremely relaxed. Ralph , it seems that is where you have arrived, especially with the most recent jump in your own chops over the past year. It’s very encouraging! Thanks Nick, for taking the time for a long reply- much appreciated. Ralph; any chance you would do an episode of this blog with Perrico as a guest when you’re in L.V.?
Chops are moving in the right direction. I’m pretty solid to F above high C. I can get higher but it is not right yet. My range up to high C is very, very easy. And of course with that my tone, power, range, and endurance have gone up dramatically. Also articulation as well. Sometimes of course I wish things could come more quickly, but since , apparently, I refuse to give up, I will get there. This might be my year for the DHC.
I'm late to the Johnny Madrid party, but I wanted to point out that on one of KO's videos he did on the Stomvi channel, he recalls how he picked up a copy of Jerry's "Trumpet Yoga" book in a music shop, thinking it was a stupid book and wanted to show it to Madrid later that day and see what he thought of it. Madrid sees the book and tells KO that it was a fantastic book, and that what he liked was that Jerry tried something new to sound better on the trumpet and found a good way to teach it to others, and that KO should give the book a try. It wasn't clear if KO followed up on that, or if Madrid did any of Jerry's method.
@@truepowertrumpet7151 ...referring to KO Skisnes, the guy who did the video on Johnny Madrid, and who designs horns for Stomvi. He used to work for Bob Reeves too! Chops are good! Sorry I couldn't see you when you were up in Maine visiting your mom. Looking forward to our next lesson soon though, might be down your way.
OK, I'll start. I have heard of Johnny Madrid, but like you said, I'd only heard of him. I did hear some of those crazy recordings online of those astonishing high note solos. Here are some notes: Watch his fingering when he goes up over DHC. He DOESN'T finger anything. This is clear evidence that the TRUMPET wind column isn't resonating at all. There ARE NO SLOTS UP THERE. THAT is physical acoustics. I'll spare you the references to verify that mathematically, but that's just physics. The TRUMPET goes megaphone somewhere around high A to DHC. Any slots you feel up there are the "bugle notes" of the mouthpiece coupled with the first inch or two of the leadpipe. The MOUTHPIECE is CRUCIAL to being able to do what you want to do on the horn way up there. EDIT: I would add that the tongue position is also crucial if not more so than the mouthpiece. I can play DHC on my flugelhorn and the mouthpiece is much deeper than the 1SB. Next, I find it very compelling that he played JAZZ so well. I wouldn't put him up against Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, Clark Terry or even Chet Baker when it comes to solos one might transcribe and imitate, but he was an excellent jazz player. KO commented on the fact that he was surprised JM didn't become better known as a JAZZ player than he did. I would agree. I think that fact goes to the parallel fact that he was a journeyman SIDEMAN - never a front man and I don't know of his ever leading combos and staying below high C on a whole gig. I find the life of these excellent sidemen sort of melancholy. These guys have a lot to say and want to be known for what they can say, but their playing is ALWAYS subordinate to some act or bandleader. Granted, guys like Wayne Newton gave him due respect, but it's not the same as having your own voice for what it is. This is just my opinion and a feeling I get watching things like this. I mean, aside from trumpet geeks, who has ever heard of Johnny Madrid, Al Longo or even Lynn Nicholson, for that matter? Heck, most young people will give you a blank stare even if you mention Maynard! Next, I wonder about his chops. When he goes up to that cray cray range, he SAYS UP THERE. You never really hear him come back down smoothly and continue a solo in the meat and potato range without a break. On one solo, I THOUGHT I thought I heard him go up there seamlessly, but there was some band stuff going on. And on the solo where you could watch his chops pretty well when he did it, he seemed to go on up to DHC seamlessly, and then something seemed to happen as he went over DHC and then he never came down. Walt Johnson teaches a two set method (something I used to use before going over to True Power). Arturo DEFINITELY uses two sets. You can see it plain as day. I can't quite tell with Madrid, but I suspect a falsetto embouchure up there. Finally , a non trumpet thing: the whole food thing actually kind of creeps me out now. Since I swore off junk food and meat and eat tons of fruit and vegetables, when I hear of food addiction like this, I get a little bummed out. It's OK to enjoy a sumptuous repast NOW AND THEN, but he sounded a bit over the top. Maynard used to insist on having a big steak provided for him by promoters before gigs (I found this a bit odd due to his adherence to Indian faith), and the last time I saw him personally (in London at Ronnie Scotts) I did't recognize him when he got out of the cab, due to his weight. In the pictures of Madrid, he did look out of shape, but not HUGE. Given his proclivity for monster meals, that is a little surprising. Again, I find a combination of joy and melancholy in this video. I'm glad someone is preserving his memory. EVERYONE deserves that.
Ralph, Thank you for sharing!! The t shirt looks great too! The video was produced by K. O Skinsnes ( Stomvi Trumpet designer).
I know you are extremely busy writing, arranging, rehearsing, performing, and taking care of all the other aspects of your work. But is there any chance you would be a guest on Ralph’s blog if he’s willing to do an episode on the road this summer?
@@johnfoster2590 Yes of course! That would fun
Wow! What tone! I believe he could’ve made almost any music sound exciting. What sticks with me right now is the discussion of efficiency. There is some effort at the super extreme range, other than that, extremely relaxed. Ralph , it seems that is where you have arrived, especially with the most recent jump in your own chops over the past year. It’s very encouraging! Thanks Nick, for taking the time for a long reply- much appreciated. Ralph; any chance you would do an episode of this blog with Perrico as a guest when you’re in L.V.?
John, We'll see! Dave is SUPER busy ESPECIALLY that week of performance! Thanks for the comments! Ralph
PS How ae your chops? R
Chops are moving in the right direction. I’m pretty solid to F above high C. I can get higher but it is not right yet. My range up to high C is very, very easy. And of course with that my tone, power, range, and endurance have gone up dramatically. Also articulation as well. Sometimes of course I wish things could come more quickly, but since , apparently, I refuse to give up, I will get there. This might be my year for the DHC.
I'm late to the Johnny Madrid party, but I wanted to point out that on one of KO's videos he did on the Stomvi channel, he recalls how he picked up a copy of Jerry's "Trumpet Yoga" book in a music shop, thinking it was a stupid book and wanted to show it to Madrid later that day and see what he thought of it. Madrid sees the book and tells KO that it was a fantastic book, and that what he liked was that Jerry tried something new to sound better on the trumpet and found a good way to teach it to others, and that KO should give the book a try. It wasn't clear if KO followed up on that, or if Madrid did any of Jerry's method.
Mark, GREAT stuff!! How are your chops? Alll good? Keep in touch, Ralph PS Just to be clear, KO is? R
@@truepowertrumpet7151 ...referring to KO Skisnes, the guy who did the video on Johnny Madrid, and who designs horns for Stomvi. He used to work for Bob Reeves too!
Chops are good! Sorry I couldn't see you when you were up in Maine visiting your mom. Looking forward to our next lesson soon though, might be down your way.
Got it! THNX! R
OK, I'll start. I have heard of Johnny Madrid, but like you said, I'd only heard of him. I did hear some of those crazy recordings online of those astonishing high note solos. Here are some notes:
Watch his fingering when he goes up over DHC. He DOESN'T finger anything. This is clear evidence that the TRUMPET wind column isn't resonating at all. There ARE NO SLOTS UP THERE. THAT is physical acoustics. I'll spare you the references to verify that mathematically, but that's just physics. The TRUMPET goes megaphone somewhere around high A to DHC. Any slots you feel up there are the "bugle notes" of the mouthpiece coupled with the first inch or two of the leadpipe. The MOUTHPIECE is CRUCIAL to being able to do what you want to do on the horn way up there. EDIT: I would add that the tongue position is also crucial if not more so than the mouthpiece. I can play DHC on my flugelhorn and the mouthpiece is much deeper than the 1SB.
Next, I find it very compelling that he played JAZZ so well. I wouldn't put him up against Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, Clark Terry or even Chet Baker when it comes to solos one might transcribe and imitate, but he was an excellent jazz player. KO commented on the fact that he was surprised JM didn't become better known as a JAZZ player than he did. I would agree. I think that fact goes to the parallel fact that he was a journeyman SIDEMAN - never a front man and I don't know of his ever leading combos and staying below high C on a whole gig. I find the life of these excellent sidemen sort of melancholy. These guys have a lot to say and want to be known for what they can say, but their playing is ALWAYS subordinate to some act or bandleader. Granted, guys like Wayne Newton gave him due respect, but it's not the same as having your own voice for what it is. This is just my opinion and a feeling I get watching things like this. I mean, aside from trumpet geeks, who has ever heard of Johnny Madrid, Al Longo or even Lynn Nicholson, for that matter? Heck, most young people will give you a blank stare even if you mention Maynard!
Next, I wonder about his chops. When he goes up to that cray cray range, he SAYS UP THERE. You never really hear him come back down smoothly and continue a solo in the meat and potato range without a break. On one solo, I THOUGHT I thought I heard him go up there seamlessly, but there was some band stuff going on. And on the solo where you could watch his chops pretty well when he did it, he seemed to go on up to DHC seamlessly, and then something seemed to happen as he went over DHC and then he never came down. Walt Johnson teaches a two set method (something I used to use before going over to True Power). Arturo DEFINITELY uses two sets. You can see it plain as day. I can't quite tell with Madrid, but I suspect a falsetto embouchure up there.
Finally , a non trumpet thing: the whole food thing actually kind of creeps me out now. Since I swore off junk food and meat and eat tons of fruit and vegetables, when I hear of food addiction like this, I get a little bummed out. It's OK to enjoy a sumptuous repast NOW AND THEN, but he sounded a bit over the top. Maynard used to insist on having a big steak provided for him by promoters before gigs (I found this a bit odd due to his adherence to Indian faith), and the last time I saw him personally (in London at Ronnie Scotts) I did't recognize him when he got out of the cab, due to his weight. In the pictures of Madrid, he did look out of shape, but not HUGE. Given his proclivity for monster meals, that is a little surprising.
Again, I find a combination of joy and melancholy in this video. I'm glad someone is preserving his memory. EVERYONE deserves that.
Nicely Done Nick! Thanks! Ralph
@@stunod9459 stu, Good stuff! Thanks for the thoughts & memories! Ralph
Link? Am I not seeing something?
There you go!!! Ralph
The Mod Squad???😉
Nick, LOL You're showing your age!!! LOL!!! R