Hang out with Tubists in the NYC/NJ area for the Evening

[Matt Walters]

Hey Gang,
On Saturday March 4th, Gerhard Meinl Will be here at Dillon Music. At 3:00 PM when the store closes to the regular customers, we are going to bring out soft beverages for our tuba-euphonium friends, then hang out with HOWARD JOHNSON and check out his new Meinl Weston tuba.

At 5 PM we will close the store and head over to JJ Bittings (It's a Micro Brew Pub that is walking distance from the store.). Grab a table, order a drink and dinner (No, Steve Dillon is not buying everone's dinner. I mean, how much free food and drink can a tubist consume?)

After 6PM Howard Johnson is going to play a couple of sets for us on his new Meinl Weston tuba. There will be a rhythm section to accompany him.

Good friends. Good music. Good food. Please join us.

[tubatooter1940]

If I had my own plane, I'd be there.

[Joe Baker]

... how much free food and drink can a tubist consume?

The answer, my friend,
Is blowin' in the wind....



Wish I could be there. Sounds like a fantastic time!
______________________
Joe Baker, whose other answer was "The world may never know."

[poomshanka]

(No, Steve Dillon is not buying everone's dinner. I mean, how much free food and drink can a tubist consume?)

If he could just SELL the d*mn thing, I'm sure he'd buy everyone a round of steaks... or pay off their mortgages...

http://www.dillonmusic.com/Arthur_pryor ... ombone.htm



...D

[MartyNeilan]

(No, Steve Dillon is not buying everone's dinner. I mean, how much free food and drink can a tubist consume?)

If he could just SELL the d*mn thing, I'm sure he'd buy everyone a round of steaks... or pay off their mortgages...
http://www.dillonmusic.com/Arthur_pryor ... ombone.htm

Since we ARE talking tuba players, it would probably be cheaper to pay off their mortgages than feed them

Marty "who thinks the AP horn would make a great lead bone in a big band" Neilan

[Alex F]

Sounds like Woodbridge will feel the full weight of Tubadom tommorow. Sorry that I can't be there.

I would like to see how the MW folks would expound on this clip from their web announcement:

==========
2011TA (in the original version)
as a top action piston model with the relatively small bore of 17mm to have the true turbo effect.

This instrument is ideal for playing Jazz and as a doubling instrument for bass trombone players.
==========

Is that anything like iiipopes Besson with tuned exhaust, or was something lost in translation??

[Allen]

Word definitions: Turbo, Turbine

1) Refers to a motor operated via fluid flow, or a rotary compressor that causes fluid flow. The fluid can be a gas or a liquid.

OR (marketing-speak)

2) We hope you'll buy it.

I don't think we need one of those TubeNet polls to choose which of the two definitions apply here!

Cheers,
Allen

[Alex F]

It's been a few days so I thought I'd bump this up, especially since it's no longer an "Upcoming Event".

Does anyone want to comment? Did you have a chance to fondle or blow on this tuba? Did you hear HJ's set? How did the tuba sound (I'm sure he sounded fine). How was the beer? Were Matt or Steve stuck with the bill?

[tubajoe]

It was a very nice day. Matt and his cohorts at Dillon did a fantastic job.

HoJo sounded great and the new horn played well. It's very light for a BBb and HoJo sounded clear as a bell on it. Where the horn seemed to really accel was in the high registers that HoJo likes to use. It was lighter and sweeter than a typical BBb in that range.

He played un-mic'ed -- and you could hear the definition really well and it was not covered up acoustically by the rhythm section at all... it worked as a pure solo instrument nicely -- which is rare for a BBb.

Kudos to Matt, HoJo, Gerhard and all involved!!

It was a nice hang -- I think we overwhelmed the brew pub. Had some nice food, good beer, and great conversation with many other tubists!

[Alex F]

If anyone who was there cares to comment, what might be the utility of this new tuba in the following settings:

1. quintet and similar?
2. orchestra?
3. concert band?
4. brass band?
5. general purpose?

Also, are any more "tweaks" planned prior to production runs being made?

[Matt Walters]

You asked about the Meinl Weston 2011TA (HoJo) tuba.
It's smaller than the King 2341, but bigger than a Conn 5J. It's a small 4/4 that sounds like a small 5/4 in warmth and breadth of sound.

It's light for it's size. That means the biggest segments of buyers will be very interested. Retired Baby Boomers who want a lighter horn that doesn't sound like a big baritone, will love this tuba.

It's just right for quintets, community bands, brass bands, orchestras, trombone doublers, and school programs that want a quality horn in a trimmed down package.

Let's see what the first production horns (June/July delivery) sound like. If they are even 90% of what Howard's horn is, Meinl Weston has a winner.