Blog

I’ve been in contact with Adam Rapa about buying a new instrument from his new Lotus line of trumpets. If you’re not a trumpet player, or if you’re a trumpet player who lives under a rock (I do know a few) Adam is a terrific player; one of the better high registers I’ve seen/heard –…

I’ve been playing a lot of trumpet lately. If you recall an email from last week, I shared how my wife Sana more or less hog-tied me, gagged my mouth and essentially forced me to keep on playing. Well, it wasn’t that dramatic, but her…persuasive words were what I needed to hear in that moment…

One of my commanders in the Army band once told a story about a fellow he was serving with playing a solo in a concert. I guess this person had been around the block a few times, judging by how he described this scene. Apparently this guy played the solo well enough, but made a…

When I was in high school, I won a spot with the Madison Scouts drum and bugle corps. We toured the entire U.S. doing shows the summer after graduation in 1994, and it was one of the highlights of my life. The “corps song” is You’ll Never Walk Alone, from the musical Carousel. The arrangement that…

Up until about 24 hours ago, I had my mind made up. I was going to quit playing trumpet for good. At one point, it was what I lived, breathed and bled. That is no longer the case. I’ve since become involved in the podcasting industry, to the point that I make my living producing shows…

Like everyone else on the planet, I’m asking myself, “When will things get back to normal?” Meaning, when will society not look like a giant hospital? When will people stop wearing face masks on the beach? When will sports events not look like they’re being played in a funeral home? When will we go to…

I’m a bit excited about this. I’ve mentioned before I started a new podcast called The Committed a while back. Well, this morning the first episode with a guest went live, and it got things going the right way. It features Robert Borelli, an ex-mafioso who became a devoted Christian while in prison, and later…

What’s the difference between a “buyer” and a “tryer”? A buyer is someone who means business, and is ready to commit to making a purchase. Sure they may want to test it out before swiping the credit card, but it’s a no-nonsense approach. A tryer is subscribed to dozens of marketers lists, listens to as…

In the summer of 2017, I interviewed Manny Laureano, principal trumpeter with the Minnesota Orchestra (one of the best in the U.S. if you’re not familiar with them). One thing Manny said that has stuck with me years later is when he was describing the mindset it takes to perform at an elite level, as…

Everyone you encounter is worthy of your respect. Your craft is worthy of your respect. But don’t be in awe of another person, nor your craft. By doing so, you make yourself unworthy of the person and/or whatever it is you’re doing. Be respectful of everyone, but don’t allow yourself to be overly impressed with…