I sat in the other week with my friend Cindy “Chilani” at the “Burlesque” party at Lucky 13 in Singapore, and somebody took a bootleg video. Here’s her version of “Why Don’t You Do Right” with me in a bow tie playing a few notes.
I’m listening this Sunday morning in Singapore to a radio broadcast from St Louis of the Four Last Songs by Strauss with the SLSO and my favorite living female opera singer, Christine Brewer. She’s from southern Illionois, near Saint Louis, and got her start with the St Louis Symphony Chorus. These days, she’s the best of the best in the opera world. Not only is she an amazing musician with a once-in-a-generation quality voice, she’s also super cool and down to earth. Every time she sings with us in St. Louis, she brings an elementary class from Marissa, Illinois, where she used to teach school. She’s genuinely nice and truly a real person, which is rare in the opera world of superdivas.
One of my favorite moments in 9 years playing with the St Louis Symphony was a performance of the Britten War Requiem, when Christine was placed in the front of the chorus, right behind the trumpet section. It was a little bit like the old Memorex ad.
I had the good fortune while I was in Singapore this week playing with the Singapore Symphony to meet and hear the guys of the Australian Brass Quintet. The elite young brass players of Australia, these guys are great players as well as very nice cool guys. Check out this video of them playing Rhapsody in Blue arranged by Paul Terrancini, with pianist Timothy Young. Special shoutout here to the two excellent trumpeters of the group, international soloist Tristam Williams and the new principal trumpeter in Sydney, Dave Elton.
Here’s a cool Youtube commercial for the Saint Louis Symphony with Carmina Burana in the back. It’s nice to see my friends and colleagues say what they say about music. They believe what they’re saying, the musicians in SLSO really do love music. Too bad there’s no shot of the trumpet section in the commercial!
We got a last minute call last October to go play the national anthem for a crucial NLDS Game 4 versus Philly. The Cardinals were down 2-1 at that point, and so it was a must win. We played, and the Cardinals won, and then went on a tear culminating in a World Series win. It all started with this performance we like to think.
In the video I’m playing with Mike Walk and the legendary Susan Slaughter, who is a huge Cardinals fan. This is also her very classy and stirring arrangement. It was great how the crowd cheered as we finished. Go Cardinals!