confessions: the most over-the-top tuba playing in your past

[Todd S. Malicoate]

What a superb troll post. Congrats!

[averagejoe]

What a superb troll post. Congrats!

word

[David Richoux]

When I was deployed on the USS Comte de Grasse (DD 974) for UNITAS 38, (a diplomatic cruise around South America) we (US Navy Showband) were asked to play during an "Unrep" (short for "underway replenishment"), which we were not happy about. During an Unrep, another ship comes along side while underway, and supplies are sent over via a line between the two ships. Manuevering and communication between the ships is tricky, and in order to provide motivation and Esprit De Corps, we were sent to the Missile deck (about three decks up from where they were doing the unrep) to provide inspirational music for the evolution.

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Kurt

That's hysterical. My Dad was on USS Roanoke (an unrep oiler, AOR-7) and he never mentioned live entertainment... I would think the distraction would be annoying as hell to the bridge!

I was on the USS San Jose AFS-7 from pre-commissioning (1970) to 1972. We had a 8 piece volunteer rock & soul cover band and I was playing trumpet and t-bone. Most of the band had vital jobs during unreps so we never could do a performance like that. We did play for ship's parties (after months of delivering food and supplies to other ships and bases around Vietnam.) We actually played in a nightclub in the Philippines once (Olongapo - "Sin City!") and did pretty well.

[Lee Stofer]

I may have exhibited some "over the top" playing in my past, particularly while in the Army, generally when my patience had worn quite thin. Stepping over the line all the time shows a lack of maturity, and musicality - But, by the same token, music is communication, and sometimes you have to speak your mind!

I won't bore you with details, but after one field ceremony I received my most unique critique from one of the french horn players, a good-old-boy from Indiana who exclaimed, "Sergeant Stofer, you could jump-start a hot air balloon!"

[Ken Herrick]

Maybe it wasn't so much "over the top" but, still good fun. While in the Aus Army Band in melbourne we did a monthly "parade" at the barracks. The Brigadier commander was quite friendly and after we had done Who'll Stop the Cavalry which featured a nice little tuba solo for the inspection of the troopies, he came to the band. "Musician Herrick, that was a nice solo, but I'd really love to hear Under the Double Eagle".

We just happened to have that on our parade card so the Brigadier's request was duly honoured. At the appropriate spot the rest of the band dropped down to a piano level accompianment while I let rip. Good fun.

Later got invited to one of his official garden parties as a "guest" with the proviso that I bring a tuba and play under the Double Eagle. The "refreshments" at that do were well worth blowing a few notes!

Not long after i came to Oz, I got a call to play 2nd on La Sacre with the Melbourne Symphony. Now Jake had pointed out to me that one particular low F# SHOULD sound UGLY.

In the one rehearsal I had I gave it the full treatment. The entire orchestra stopped, as did the conductor. The 1st player was a "converted" Euph player who's zFFFz on his Boosey Eb would have matched my F on the King. They had never heard anything quite like it. "Aaah", said conductor -a fairly famous European - "THAT is what that note is there for - to bring a halt to what has been going on."

That was rather like a particular G in the Bartok Concerto which also serves that same musical purpose. Gunther Shuller once remarked that I had made it the most important note in the tuba part.

Once in a while, instead of being at the bottom of the heap - "over the top" is where we belong.