Jazz legend Artie Shaw achieved much in his lifetime, but was not satisfied with any of it. Known by most as a brilliant jazz clarinetist and bandleader, he formed and broke up at least five successful ensembles, was married eight times (to Hollywood icons like Lana Turner and Ava Gardner, among others), survived a stint […]
How to Name Your New Ensemble
It’s not as easy as you might think, especially if you’re serious about the future of your group. I formed a new brass quintet earlier this year, and here we are, many months later, still winding our way through the forest of indecision. Don’t get me wrong – we’re dedicated to becoming an excellent group, […]
The Epic Story of the Airmail Brass
Since starting this blog, I’ve focused mostly on the larger groups when talking about community ensembles. For whatever reason, my love of small ensemble gigs has taken a backseat for months, but today I’m here to rectify such an egregious oversight! Now and then a small ensemble will be asked to perform for an unusual […]