No Country for Old Saxophones
Douglas as Music
Feb|28|2008
Every couple of weeks I play at a jam session in town. Usually the music is laid-back alt-country, with some Stones and Neil Young thrown in as well. Last night this jazz cat sat in. Now when I say David Sanborn, at least in my mind, images of shrieky alto players start appearing. This is what happened. I left the room to let the other piano player play a few numbers, and suddenly I hear Mercy, Mercy, Mercy being wailed while the drummer for that evening, who brought his mid-80’s power toms with him, starts laying down a beat that belongs on a Tommy Lee instructional video. I couldn’t help but think that the saxophone and country music just don’t get along, but then Google informs me that there is (was) such a thing as a Nashville Saxophone.
Rehabing a Ludwig
Douglas as Music
Feb|26|2008
Continuing with my latest fascination for snare drums, I worked on the bearing edge of my ‘65 Ludwig Pioneer. This drum is a sleeper, being a six-lug version of the Ludwig Jazzfest. (The drum a certain Ringo played) The 3-ply shell is identical and because the demand is less they can be had for half the price of a keystone Jazzfest. Read the rest of this entry »
Desktop Tower Defence
Douglas as Games
Feb|26|2008
OK, so I am really addicted to this game. I mean really addicted. I can’t work on a computer for more than a half-hour without playing a game.
Read the rest of this entry »
Snare happy
Douglas as Music
Feb|17|2008
There is something about a vintage Ludwig Black Beauty that inspires a nostalgia for the jazz age. It may be the black chrome engraving or the tubular lugs or even the old calfskin drum heads but it evokes a time when instruments were divided into student models and professional models. If you bought an instrument, it was by default, a “professional” model. Read the rest of this entry »
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Douglas as Music
Feb|8|2008
Radiohead’s seventh full-length album is titled In Rainbows. While the biggest buzz around the album was due to the unconventional way in which the band initially released the album on the internet as a “pay what you want” release, the bigger revelation may stem from the title. In Rainbows shows that Radiohead may believe in beauty at the end of darkness. Read the rest of this entry »
400 Miles for a Beer
Douglas as Uncategorized
Feb|6|2008
I spent Sunday driving through a blizzard in the four corners. I was going to play some youth concerts with the San Juan Symphony. Knowing a big storm was moving in, I had some reservations about leaving. It was really the first time I’ve had to take my Subaru Read the rest of this entry »