[Dixielandjazz] Bios

[Russ Guarino]

Bio of Russ Guarino

Not much to tell.

Born Christmas Day, 1935 in West Hollywood, California, [ before it was a gay
community ].

Raised in Burbank, California, where I played clarinet and alto sax from 6th
grade through high school.  Big band & concert bands mostly. Admired Dixieland,
but spent most of my time with big band performing.

Graduated from L.A. State with a degree in Music Education.  As a mid-semester
grad, I could not get a teaching job and found myself, within a few months,
selling Life Insurance for New York Life.

Stayed with NYLIC for 20 years and then formed a partnership with a good friend
and we did real estate syndications for 12 more years.  Retired and went back
to teaching, but did mostly substitute work in many subject fields including,
of course, music and bands.

Decided to start playing again.  Spent a couple of years getting my chops back
during the down time and after school during  teaching assignments.

Could not jam [ improv ] in any way shape or form.  But could sing and whistle
great licks and melodic lines.  So, I decided to take a jazz improv class at
Monterey Peninsula College, which I have done for five semesters. And there,
staring with the most god awful choice of notes you could imagine, I began to
learn.

I know scale and chord structures from my college education, but could not
"think" fast enough to use the knowledge, nor, could I figure out how such
knowledge was put to practical use.  The college class I took would discuss
"modes" and I first attempted to  solo using a modal approach, but, alas, it
did not really click for me.

I began to rely on my inborn "ear" to solo, staying within the scale of the key
of the tune and this worked better.  Gradually I was able to go outside the
tune's scale using half step passing notes and auxiliary notes as suggested by
Jimmy Dorsey's book.

Now, I am the greatest!!!!!

Well, at least a little better than four years ago.

Russ Guarino

PS:

Two years ago I had 12 gigs.  Last year I did 76 gigs.  This year, so far, I
have had 53 gigs.  So it is getting better.  The one element that has really
helped me with my "Monterey Lighthouse Jazz Band" group has been the music
resource published by Louis Brown called "Firehouse Jazz Band, Commercial
Dixieland".  From this source I have been able to build within just a few weeks
a full set of tunes my guys can play without my needing to transpose parts.
The resource is in both C and Bb.  This resource has been a god-send.  I could
not have done it without it.  May Louis rest in peace, bless him.

Finally, with myself on clarinet, I have the world's greatest gang of musicians
which includes,  Don Irving on Bass Sax, Lewis Keizer on cornet, Dave Norris on
Banjo and Debera McKinney on Drums.

Rag



"Robert S. Ringwald" wrote:

> Listmates,
>
> The Bios that have been posted so far were very interesting.  I'd guess
> we've had about 20 of them.
>
> Since there are over 375 members, allot of you have not sent in your bio.
>
> If you are one, please do so.  It is really great to learn about whom we've
> been communicating with these past few years.
>
> I'm off to Pismo Beach, CA to play gigs this weekend.  Behave yourselves...
>
> Bob
> mr.wonderful at ringwald.com
> Placerville, CA, USA, Earth, Sol's System, Milky Way
> Amateur (ham) Radio Station K6YBV
> Fulton Street Jazz Band
> See: http://www.ringwald.com
> Boondockers Jazz & Comedy Band
> See: http://www.theboondockers.com
>
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