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David "Red" Lehr & the Jazz Incredibles absolutely rocked a packed house Saturday in Buntrock Hall part of the CSO Orchestra Hall complex. Does anybody play a better bass line in traditional jazz? He goes so effortlessly back and forth taking the lead. All on a beat up old Eb Sousaphone and age 70 sure isn't slowing him down.

I bet he would laugh at all the fussing about equipment that takes place on Tubenet. This was part of Macy's free music day and the audience was made up of a wide variety of folks including a lot of kids and you could just tell how flat out wowed they were by this guy. He was no longer a guy playing that big funny instrument, but a guy making great music. The two 5 year olds sitting next to me didn't fidget for the entire 75 minutes. Thanks to Gene Pokorny for bringing them to town. It was great and hope you can do it again next year!

Last month heard the Buck Creek Jazz Band in Dekalb,IL with tubenet's own Tom Holtz playing Helicon. They sounded great and Tom too expanded the traditional bass line role in the group. Now if Tom could only learn to dress a deer as well as Red Lehr he might be able to give up that USMC gig!

It is really nice to hear traditional jazz being played as well as these two groups do with a real emphasis on the tuba player.

Red plays a really small York BBb, I think...maybe a Besson, but that doesn't sound right. Small bore, but BBb definitely.

He actually has 2 matching, one is usually in the shop while the other is being played.

I remember Red telling me he'd had a fiberglass horn at one time. He didn't like the sound...duh!

I coaxed him to hoist my Monster King 4valve once....just once. His line -- "I was 6'3 5 minutes ago...now I'm 6'1"

Thanks for the kind words Mike, and thanks again for the use of the helicon. I'll have to stay in the Corps, because Red has forgotten more about venison than I'll ever, ever know.