[Dixielandjazz] Warming up

[Stan Brager]

When Johnny Hodges and Ben Webster used to sit side by side in the Duke
Ellington band, Hodges was amazed that all Webster would do is to play a
single note for his warm up. When questioned, Ben declared that he was
making certain that he and the horn were still working.

Stan
Stan Brager

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Kashishian [mailto:jim at kashprod.com]
> Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 2:33 PM
> To: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
> Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Warming up
> 
> Bob Ringwald wrote:
> >Why can't a horn player go into the restroom, outside, green room, or
> somewhere else to warm up?
> 
> You're entirely correct, Bob.
> 
> Bob continues:
> >And why can't they warm up with a mute in the horn?
> 
> Under extreme circumstances one could warm up with a mute, or even just
> buzzing the mouthpiece.  The mute will give you an incorrect resistance
> to
> the airflow, and does not help in preparing one's chops for a gig. It
> fact
> it will probably be detremental. The mouthpiece alone would be a better
> mode, and blowing warm air through the horn.
> 
> Worse yet, however, is the brass man that doesn't warm up at all.  If
> the
> first tune is a hot one, don't count on hearing any decent notes until
> after
> the first chorus!
> 
> Some bands like to start a set with a "warm up" tune...medium & not too
> stressful.  Teddy Buckner used to always do that, and even announce it
> as
> such at the end of the song.  I find, though, that the first tune can
> sort
> of "set the mood" for the whole set, and prefer going in hot & hard.
> But,
> that's just a personal thing of mine.  May not work for everyone.
> 
> Jim
> 
> Jim
> 
>