For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for February 22, 2012

well I’d say she’s pretty rude… (and ignorant)

Okay, I understand that not every genre of music appeals to everyone, but she doesn’t have to be rude about it. Find something that you can say positive, like “it’s not my taste, but I really like that part in the middle where you really played your heart out”.

Agree with those who think El could have been a little more encouraging. I remember being chased down outside a Dippin’ Dots place on the outskirts of Nashville by the guy who’d been playing there (yep, in an ice cream store) in the middle of the morning. Reason he chased me down was to thank me for the note I’d left with my tip: “It may not be my kind of music, but I gotta tip my hat to a gigging musician.”

Jazz is most appreciated by those who play it.. because of that, Jazz will never go away, because it is really fun to play

Maybe Elly could appreciate his music more if she had a chair to sit on instead of the floor.

I agree with Nab. It depends on the Jazz. Some is absolutely wonderful. Some of it is just “discordant noise”.

Elly is entitled to her opinion, just like the rest of us. Plus this is her BROTHER she’s talking to. Sibling rivalry never really goes away, it just gets buried under several layers of being “grown up”. The jabs get gentler, but they’re still there.

Nebuq: A valve trombone is nothing but a skinny baritone, and I don’t mean an early Sinatra.

It’s possible, Phil, that you and Elle are not really related.

I lost interest in music when Homer and Jethro shut down. Their slogan was “You name ’em, we maim ’em” They had the #1 comedy of 1959 – Battle Of Kukomonga – which was a parody of Battle of New Orleans.In those days, the benchmark of a hit song wasn’t if it sold a million – a song was considered a hit when Homer and Jethro made a version of it, ie Yellow Rose of Texas = Yaller rose of Texas.El Paso = El Paso numero Dos (Velveetas Cafe instead of Roses Cantina)How much is that doggie in the window = How much is that hound dog in the winder (the one with the long mangey tail)etc etc

I don’t really care for jazz all that much, but I can certainly appreciate it when it’s done well.

As Bob Seeger put it; “Just gimme that old time Rock-N-Roll!”

That’s my genre!

Boy, talk about old technology! A reel-to-reel recorder?

LOL!! Ellie’s a sister after my own heart.

I have enjoyed most types of music at some time or other, but agree that most amateur jazz I’ve heard and Rap are never what I want to hear. I like some music for dancing, some for extra working out, some for romance and some as a background for dinner. As I’m alone much of the time, TV is my preference.

The only valve you need on a trombone is a spit valve. And maybe an F-trigger.

briatollah: It is not spit, it is condensation from the breath hitting cold metal. Back in 1937 when mine was made, only bass trombones had the extra plumbing, not the more common tenors.

Back in 1951, when I first played in the Paris (TX) Municipal Band (the oldest continuously operating one in the country), the first chair played a valve trombone. I said it was a skinny baritone then too. However, he could get a fair glissando out of it. But then so did Russ Gorman on the opening clarinet passage of Rhapsody in Blue, and it has been there ever since.

This tangent about trombones was fun. Non-band nerds are reading this and thinking we’re nuts, I betcha.