December 5, 2006
NEW MANNY LAUREANO AND DAVE BAMONTE ORCHESTRAL VIDEO CLIPS ARE ON THE WAY!
We called Manny Laureano a few weeks ago to tell him we had a few new shop sample lightweight C trumpets ready to play-test, and he graciously got on a plane and came out to try them out for us. These new C trumpets have all the latest improvements, including the new valve drilling pattern and all-new valve casings and pistons. With Manny's help, we made back-to-back comparisons of our three lightest C trumpets made with the old style valve casings, and the exact same models with all the new high-tech tooling and design improvements. We really, really like the new horns... and so does Manny!
By popular demand, we will soon be posting our informal video takes of Manny play-testing the various C trumpets, both with the camera up close and also with the camera further away. The results of the different weight instruments recorded at different distances are consistent with what we have experienced for almost 30 years now... and we hope these results are fun and informative for our clients and friends to check out.
In the mean time, here is a short video teaser from Manny's recent visit. Manny was joined by Oregon Symphony trumpeter Dave Bamonte. Among other things, they played some Copland for the camera. Manny is using the all-new PRANA LT C trumpet with his C1-4 S6 'SLAP' mouthpiece, while Dave is using the all-new, mid shank PRANA 1 C and the new C1-1 S1 'SLAP' mouthpiece. Please write us a note and tell us what you think. More video clips and horn comparisons will follow in the coming weeks... stay tuned!
October 16, 2006
THARA MEMORY... "I'M BACK... I'M BACK!!"
Our long-time client and good friend Thara Memory has just been released from the hospital after an extended stay. Thara has diabetes, and has recently had his left foot and part of this right hand third valve finger amputated. As anyone who knows Thara would expect, these medical setbacks have not slowed him down one bit!
Thara is a student of Bill Fielder, the legendary trumpet teacher from Rutgers University. Two of Bill's other well known students include Wynton Marsalis and Terence Blanchard. Just like "Prof" (as Professor Fielder is affectionately called by his students) always says, if your air is working, your chops will be fine. Thara had not played for about a month when he visited the shop today, but one would never know it from how he sounded... his air was good, his chops were fine and he sounded GREAT!
Thara will be a featured soloist at the IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) convention in New York in January. He will be using his new, "Next Generation" PRANA LTJ Bb, which he just took delivery on during his visit to the shop. We made up a special third valve finger button for Thara, which Thara says we should call the "Memory Facilitator!" With this special finger button, one can play either second valve or second/third combination easily with just the middle (second valve) finger. As Thara gets used to the finger mechanics of playing with this setup, we will no doubt learn more about how to adapt instruments to the needs of players with diabetes-related challenges. If anyone reading this has any experience or useful suggestions for us, please share your thoughts and send us an E-mail: stc@monette.net
September 6, 2006
Maynard Ferguson 1928 - 2006
A FEW PERSONAL THOUGHTS FROM DAVE MONETTE...
With Maynard’s passing, I feel the loss of a friend, teacher, mentor and hero.
I first met Maynard, (a line everyone seems to use as a preface when they start to talk about Maynard) back in 1974. And again, like probably everyone else who may read this, it changed my life forever. For me it not only changed my life, but it directly inspired my life’s work. Countless hours I have spent in my shop, working after hours and often pulling all-nighters working on some new project, while listening to Maynard on the shop stereo loud enough to rattle the walls. And if I lost direction and wasn’t sure how to proceed with a new design or idea, I would stop and close my eyes, and Maynard’s sound would tell me what to do. HIS sound - the vitality and sparkle and glimmer in his eyes you can always hear through his horn - what a lesson that is.
Back in 1974 I got my first lesson in how beautiful a trumpet could sound. Years later, as I got to know Maynard personally, he taught me much more. Every time I had the honor and privilege to hang with Boss, I would get another chapter of the continual and ongoing lesson in how to be a better human being. How to love others without judgment or condition, and how to always see the joy in life - even if the band bus has a flat in North Dakota in the winter out in the middle of nowhere at 3:00 AM. This amazing vitality is almost impossible to realize or maintain for most mortals, but it was second nature to Maynard. Maynard’s gig in the larger sense was simply to support others, and make them feel better about themselves so they can hopefully do the same someday for others. His unselfish mission touched millions of listeners Eand me too.
I am humbled to be able to say that Maynard was my friend. Maynard directly helped me realize my life’s dream. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to tell him that, to show him that through the equipment I build, and to call him my friend. Thank you, Boss.
- Dave Monette
August 23, 2006
MAYNARD RECORDS A NEW STUDIO CD!
Maynard and an all-star band recently played a week at the Blue Note in New York, and then took a short drive across the George Washington Bridge to Englewood, New Jersey and Tony Bennett’s recording studio for a week of recording for a new CD. The band was burning! Maynard brought in some alumni as featured guests to augment his exceptional rhythm section. Stockton Helbing, Maynard’s drummer, got to fulfill a lifelong dream as the producer for the session.
Dave Monette was on an East Coast swing at that time, and arrived in NY in time to stop by the Blue Note for the second set Saturday night. The following Tuesday Dave went by the studio for the first day of recording to make sure Maynard’s MF PRANA trumpet was tweeked-up and in A+ playing condition for the recording session.
Maynard received a NEW MOUTHPIECE on the trip, which he immediately used the last few nights at the Blue Note and also for the recording session. It’s the NEXT GENERATION, CNC version of his MF III mouthpiece, the first design of our new “S-Series” or “SLAP” line of mouthpieces. Ed Sargent said Maynard took to the new mouthpiece immediately, and sounded so good on it he kept it in the horn for the week in the studio.
Band personnel for the recording include Maynard’s lead player and Monette client Patrick Hession, and also MF alumni and L.A. studio star Wayne Bergeron, who split the lead book with Patrick.
Ed Sargent, Stockton Helbing and Phil Bulla from the studio were the perfect team to produce this album – and Ed told us earlier today that Maynard had a great week of playing and blowing solos over the band.
Thanks to Maynard, Ed, Stockton, Patrick and the entire band for showing Dave so much hospitality both at the Blue Note and in the studio. The New CD should be released sometime later this year.
DAVE MONETTE IN NEW YORK...
Dave Monette had a very full schedule on the East Coast a few weeks ago, and he got to hear LOTS of good music from some of our best friends and clients.
In addition to the work with Maynard Ferguson and the band mentioned elsewhere, Dave also brought a new, “Next Generation” PRANA 3 TRUMPET out to Wynton Marsalis, along with a new MF PRANA for several other friends to check out.
Wynton’s new PRANA 3 Bb, serial number 2070, has all the latest improvements that we have been incorporating in our “Next Generation” PRANA instruments delivered so far this year. Dave also brought a few prototype mouthpieces for Wynton to try. The new PRANA B2S3 is the winner, which Wynton has been playing all year. This is quickly becoming a VERY popular mouthpiece, as it does everthing our B2 does, but better and easier!
Patrick Hession tried the new, “Next Generation” version of his MF PRANA for the second set at the Blue Note Saturday night, and came off the band stand saying “This horn does everything better – I have to have one of these new horns!” We look forward to making him one.
Dave met with several other friends on the trip, who all wanted to try the new MF PRANA. NY freelance and Broadway player Barry Danaelian sounded great on the horn – which he played with his regular mouthpiece and a new prototype lead mouthpiece we designed for him which we delivered on the trip. Ravi Best met Patrick and Dave down in the Village after a casual gig at 1:30 AM Saturday (Sunday) night, and proceeded to show off the new horn while we sat around an ouotdoor café on Bleeker Street. John Chudoba and Joe Giorgianni are both getting mouthpiece upgrades which Dave is currently working on, and they both sounded great on the new horn.
Dave also met up with his old friend CHRIS BOTTI, who came through New York on his way up to the Bethel Woods Jazz Festival up in Woodstock, New York. Dave rode Chris’ band bus up to the gig, catching up with Chris on all the developments in his amazing career. He also got to talk at length with jazz Piano legend Billy Childs, who had many, many Freddy Hubbard stories to tell from his years touring with Freddie. Dave really enjoyed the “hang” with the band.
Chris performed for the late afternoon crowd first, then Chris and Dave sat out front in the audience while Wynton showed the evening audience how a small group can swing REALLY, REALLY HARD. Wynton had several players sit in, including Cyro Baptista and the amazing Dianne Reeves. This was an amazing performance, with Wynton playing incredible lines up to double C.
After Wynton finished up, Dave had a relaxing late dinner with Wynton and the band, and then caught a ride back to the city sitting next to Wynton on the band bus. They got in about 3:00 AM – which made for a very long but memorable day of music.
July, 2006
WYNTON HAS A NEW MOUTHPIECE... THE B2S3 "SLAP!"
Wynton Marsalis just spent two days in the studio last week recording a new small group jazz CD for Blue Note. The new CD will not only show off our very first "Next Generation" PRANA 3 Bb TRUMPET, which is made with our all-new valve casing design, but also his NEW B2S3 "SLAP" MOUTHPIECE. This is Wynton's first mouthpiece change in 20 years!
Dave Monette worked for almost a year on this project, tweeking the computer design and making prototypes. The idea was to come up with an upgrade that is an improvement in every way to our most popular mouthpiece, the B2. This new model is VERY fun to play, and it is now available from our shop directly and from most Monette mouthpiece dealers.
The response to this new model and to all our soon-to-be-announced S-Series (SLAP!) Mouthpieces has been unanimously enthusiastic, not only from jazz players, but from classical and symphonic players as well. More information is coming very soon... watch our main page for the biggest announcement of new trumpet and mouthpiece models in the history of the company!
May, 2006
MAYNARD'S NEW CD FEATURES MONETTE TRUMPETS!
Maynard Ferguson has just released a new CD, recorded ?live? at Ronnie Scotts in London. Maynard, Patrick Hession (lead trumpet) and Ernie Hammes (jazz chair) all played their Monette instruments on the recording. Maynard and Patrick play MF PRANA trumpets with their PRANA MF III and PRANA BL4 S6 mouthpieces. Ernie uses our larger, heavier B993 Bb with a STC-2 weight B4LD mouthpiece.
