[Dixielandjazz] Favorite Piano Solos & clarinet

[Don Ingle]

My first teacher, also a mentor, was Red Nichols, more as a favor to my dad
than his doing any regular teaching. He lived a few blocks away in Tolucca
Lake. His was mostly lip building, flexibility exercises and breath control.
He later recommended a women teacher, Jane Sager, who I studied with for
several years. Great teacher for technical studies. Frankly, I never studied
long enough and hard enough in those early years what with college, road
trips and all, so I played catch up when I ran into problems later, with
Lenny Mach, top studio guy and great teacher, and also a few sessions with
Lou Maggio, a great master who worked with Conrad Gonzo and others.
He helped build on the low range to build the high range, using pedal tones.
I can do the pedals well enough on trombone but the trumpet/cornet pedals
were the hardest.
These days, playing a half dozen gigs a year of late, I fall back on the
Nichols exercises to get my chops up for a gig -- then the chops go into
hibernation for months at a time. It's getting harder to do every year, but
I somehow
get the job done. Less a problem if I play the valve trombone -- takes about
two days to get chops backup.
Had call a couple years ago to fill in on trombone for Tommy Bartlett with
Chicago Salty Dogs on a Michigan gig -- last minute with two days to get
ready. Made the four-hour gig okay, but would have need at least a week if
the call had been for cornet.
I think the first lessons by Nichols have served me best
over time -- long tones, long tones, and more long tones.
And yes, I remember Elsa. A Fox. But remember, Jean was working there too,
so I didn't ogle as much as you did.(grin).
I also remember the time we both got short paychecks from Ruth, who'd had a
few bad days at the track. But she always made  it up with a little added on
for interest. Lord, did Ruthie love the ponies!
   For those lurkers reading this, I note that Jim Beebe was one of the joys
in my playing days. He played a hard, gutsy, and always perfect ensemble
style that was always "spot on." It was a pleasure for sure.
Don Ingle
----- Original Message -----
From: <JimDBB@aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 1:49 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Favorite Piano Solos & clarinet


> In a message dated 11/13/02 5:22:48 PM Central Standard Time,
> dingle@baldwin-net.com writes:
>
>
> > I was blessed to grow up in the midst of players like this. To this day
I
> > refer to Eddie Miller and Rosie McHargue as "Uncle Eddie" and "Uncle
> > Rosie."
> > What a generation these players were for the type of music we share a
love
> > for! Lucky me...my early inspirations living just next door in the
Valley.
> > Don Ingle
>
>    Indeed, you were lucky, don.   My early inspirations lived 400 and 1000
> miles from me. I know that you have said that you studied music and
arranging
> with Matty Matlock but who did you study trumpet with?   For those of you
who
> may not know, Don Ingle is one of the better trumpet players in the jazz
> world.  I had the pleasure of sharing the bandstand with him for a year or
so
> at the old Jazz Ltd. Club in Chicago...way back in the 60s.  Don...do you
> remember that sleek looking waitress, Elsa?  I wondered what happened to
her.
>  She dropped me a note one night, which said..."when are you going to
speak
> to me?"  I quickly made up for this communiation void.
>
>     Jim Beebe
>