Klarinet Archive - Posting 000232.txt from 2007/09

From: "Ted" <tedcasher@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] old breakfast --or????
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:18:03 -0400

Yo! Ted Casher here, with some inputs from the world of jazz clarinet!

Out in the world of jazz and commercial music, there is much opportunity
given the player to ingest hor's d'ouvres. Back when I was playing
functions with the late Al Tobias orchestra, we all developed the ability to
decimate a tray full of snatch 'n grabs with one swipe of the arm!

Anyhow, I was playing a #1 restaurant, Cappricio, in Providence, with a
trio, playing in back of a piano bar. Every Friday, at 11:30, many trays of
pizza bites were brought out, for the benefit of the patrons. This was very
good pizza, made from scratch in the kitchen, with a fine grade of
mozzarella/gorgenzola on top of the marinara sauce.

This restaurant was a favorite of the former mayor of Providence, Buddy
Cianci. He loved live music, knew it, and supported it. One of his
favorite tunes was a tune recorded by Benny Goodman in "Hollywood Canteen"
in the Forties, called "I'm Making Believe."

So, one night, it was 11:30, Buddy was sitting at the piano bar, I am
playing my clarinet, playing his favorite tune, having made it my business
to learn it after Buddy had admonished me for playing a wrong melody! I
played some more BG hits, the pizza came out, and Buddy and I commandeered a
whole tray! I would play a chorus, play some jazz, and eat some pizza while
the piano was soloing. This went on until the end of the night!

The next day, I had a call for a noon wedding. They wanted a Dixieland
version of "Here Comes The Bride," to accompany the newly-married couple as
they entered the hall. I was playing screaming clarinet above the trumpet
melody, when I noticed that my clarinet seemed to be playing in a peculiar
manner!

After we finished, I proceeded to take the reed off the mouthpiece, only to
find a piece of pizza trapped inside! For the record, it was a Pomarico
Diamond Mello crystal mouthpiece! I took the pizza out of the mouthpiece
and exhibited it to my fellow band members, for their edification!

Also---how about being on an outside gig during the summer, playing Dixie or
Klezmer on your weather-beater, and sipping a carbonated beverage to keep
your whistle wet, then burping through your clarinet! The average burp will
make the sound go down one-half tone, then come back up!

Such fun! Such food! Such a business!

Also, for the record, Kell's clarinets all smelled like pipe tobacco!

Cheers---Ted Casher
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lora Crighton" <lcrighton@-----.com>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 9:42 AM
Subject: Re: [kl] old breakfast --or????

> On 9/26/07, kurtheisig@-----.net> wrote:
>> I just cleaned a customers sax that nearly made me retch! Really gross
>> smell. Upon questioning him I found out he drinks coffee just before he
>> plays................
>>
>> Ugh.
>>
>
> I will never forget my grade 10 music teacher yelling at a
> clarinettist who was eating lunch durring band class - I don't even
> want to imagine what shape that boy's instrument was in.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>

------------------------------------------------------------------