We clean up well

I'm sitting in the lounge with my wife and the Holls. It's almost time for the evening festivities.

You see MUs and spouses wandering the hotel in their Saturday evening best, and we look pretty good.

Which is appropriate. I've just found out we're having a visit from Navy Band Mid-South this evening. Last year's performance by the CINCLANT band--or whatever it's called now--was the screaming, hollering highlight of the week, and we're expecting no less from this group.

It's good to be dressed for the occasion.

Sorry to blog in advance here, it will be a busy night. No doubt we'll wind up back in the lounge for late-night farewells.

And I'll be on the spot with the poop, the scoop and the skinny.

If I can stay awake that long.

A short note on shipmates.

I just spent some time talking with Dennis Bear. I look forward to seeing this shipmate every year.

I also look forward to Ralph Hasty's dry sense of humor throughout the year.

I never knew either of these gentlemen during my Navy days. I met them both at NMA reunions of the past.

Membership in the Navy Musicians Association has done more than reunite me with old friends; it's given me a boatload of new friends.

And it doesn't stop. This year I've met John Branam, Bob Powers, Jim Richards, O.J. Casoli. While we never served together, we share the common experience of past service and present camaraderie.

All the more reason to look forward to next year in Virginia Beach.

NMA Reunion 2010: San Antonio

The NMA annual meeting is concluded and it's official: the 2010 reunion will be in San Antonio in June of 2010. The exact date is not yet set, but there's no doubt that the eyes of Texas will be upon us.

At last night's concert, Mel Leketa performed Hoagie Carmichael's "Memphis is June." I suppose in 2010, we'll have a vocal group doing the Mills Brothers' "Across the Alley from the Alamo."

A.M Scuttlebutt

The business meeting will begin shortly, so I have time only for some quick stories.

-- It is said that at the trip to Graceland, an NMA spouse prostrated herself on Elvis's grave.

-- The veracity of this story however, is contradicted by Tex Waldron's claim to have seen Elvis at a local 7-11.

-- As yet, there is no explanation for the unplanned conglomeration of simultaneous saxophone solos during the Seven O'clock Band's performance last night. It was an intriguing moment for performers and audience alike .

Concert Band: Bravo Zulu

It was a busy day in dreamland. After a few days of nonstop activity, I finally crashed.

Which refreshed me for the Friday night Concert Band performance. This group gets better every year, and they were darn good the first time I heard them a few years ago.

More about this later. The action will continue in a few minutes with Big Band performances, in which I'll play. And then, well, I suspect one or two or a hundred of us will head to the lounge to keep things going.

Later.

Big Band Rehearsal at 0700

Director: "Get up 263, the Ellington medley."

Drummer: "I don't have a part."

3rd trombone: "It wouldn't do you any good."

Piano: "My third page is missing."

3rd Trombone: "So play the second page twice."

Bari Sax: "I gotta go to the bathroom."

4th Trumpet: "Who's got the solo at 'D'?"

1st Tenor: "I can't play at seven in the morning."

2nd Alto: "You can't play at seven at night."

Drums: "Where'd you get that coffee?."

4th Trombone: "None of your damn business."

1st Trombone: "I feel like someone dropped an anvil on my head."

1st Alto: "Is this straight or in swing?"

Bass: "What's the difference?"

Director: "One, two, one, two, three, four."

Frank Mullen: OMBC

Actually, this is all I ever wanted out of joining the NMA: a Navy ball cap.

Old men in ball caps (OMBCs) would come up to you after a concert in the park and tell you they were in the Navy in the Spanish American War, so maybe you knew his friend, Ebeneezer Smith. And you'd smile and be polite because that was your job.

And now, I'm gonna be one of those guys. Every time a military band comes to my town I'll put on my ball cap and drive the bandmaster crazy with my incessant questions.

He'll be polite to me and call me sir and say he's enjoyed talking to me; that's his job.

Excuse 43: "I haven't played in years."

"But I haven't played in decades."

Nope, the excuse didn't work."

"But I haven't played with a big band since the school."

That one didn't work either. John Johnson isn't the first former MU to be dragged kicking and screaming onto the bandstand.

And to make it easy for John, the director called up a Buddy Rich chart; you know, one of those easy-listening affairs with alternating bars of 3, 7, and 13 1/2.

No problem. We're not here to cut each other down. We're the best audience a rusty MU can play for; a room full of MUs.

Putting together an NMA reunion

NMA Executive Vice-President Bob Leketa's efforts are visible at every reunion; he's been organizing them since the last century.

Over breakfast Bob told me what goes into selecting the hotel for an NMA reunion.

Once the board of directors has settled on a geographic region for a coming reunion, Bob goes to work. He contacts prospective hotels and examines their informational packages. He weeds out the "impossibles" and creates the shortlist.

As the process narrows down, the negotiations begin. Bob gained his expertise by OJT--on the job training--and has learned to spot the b.s.

"I'll tell them, 'I'm not a rookie,'" he says. "'Just give me the bottom line.'"

Bob's double-secret weapon: nightly NMA jam sessions in the hotel lounge.

Management often balks at the unique requirement that the NMA take over the lounge for the duration of the reunion. But Bob knows how to overcome this resistance. "I tell them they'll break records on bar sales. That's all they need to hear."

This all happens months and years in advance. The board has made its decision on the region for the 2010 reunion, and Bob will soon go to work.

And that reunion will be held in . . . well, I'm not at liberty to say. The region will be officially announced on Saturday at the business meeting. As soon as that happens, you'll read it here.

Along with the regular b.s.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

NMA concert band begins

Revised Change 19.b.12e scheduled concert band rehearsal for 7PM last night, and there were concerns.

Would members get the word of the change?? Would they show up, after a long, busy day? Would the quality be sufficient to perform a concert in only a few days?

Yes, yes, and hell, yes.

Conductor Wilbur Smith had wondered how many players would come, but the rehearsal room was packed. Even those sections that are often shorthanded were full, including a luxurious four man--and--woman french horn section.

Like any first rehearsal, there were rough spots. But after the players were warmed up, things started to click.

Sure, I love the jazz, the jamming, the jive of these reunions. We all do.

But the concert band's performance always lifts us in a different way.

The audience sits back and enjoys movie themes, marches and medleys. But a point comes when things get serious. Those vital components of Navy band concerts--"The Navy Hymn," "America the Beautiful," "Anchors Aweigh"--mean more to us now.

As the recruiting posters used to say, it's more than just a job.

Hooting with the owls

Oy, I was up late last night.

Yowza, Yowza.

This place is jumping. The combo is jamming. Terry Chesson just took a solo. Bill Hocke, an old shipmate just arrived--haven't seen him since forever.

This is the last chorus of "Lady is a Tramp." There's the stinger. It's over. Applause.

You can hear Tex Waldron's voice over a four-horn front line. There it is again.

Lee Hudson is tuning his bass. Good, Lee. We all thank you. (Lee is my arch-enemy. I've forgiven him--sort of--for the duration of this reunion. Let's just say he's on probation.)

Now it's "Night and Day" as a Latin. Seems to work.

I'll be back later.

Plan of the Day

Something new this year: the rehearsal board, always up-to-the-minute, always accurate, always comprehensive.

Until Change 1. And then Change 1.B. And Revised Change 13 vice Change 11.C.a. which replaces Supernumerary Change 14.F.d.3.

Just like the old days.

Director: "There's something wrong at the end. Let's take the last four bars."

2nd Trombone: "Could you back it up to letter 'M' so we can try those triplets again?"

1st Tenor: "How about that unison section at 'G'?"

Lead Trumpet: "Man, we gotta nail that double-forte line at 'C.'"

Director: "Take it from the top."

Breaking in the new rehearsal director

You remember what it's like when a new man takes over. The band needs to assert itself, to let the new guy know how it's done.

And the new guy needs to make it clear who the boss is and how he's gonna do it. It can be a battle royale.

But not this morning. At 0915 our new director, John Branam, stood in front of the big band for the first time, surveyed the situation and made the right decision.

"Number 151 in the book," he said. "'Li'l Darlin.'"

A cheery good morning.

I remember this. You wake up in a motel bed, clean up, grab some coffee and ask yourself the important questions: where's the gig today and, more importantly, what did I do last night.

The gig today starts with 0900 rehearsal, right here in the hotel, of course. Because this is the first day of the reunion, we'll have to set up first: fronts, drums, piano, amps, cords, bari saxes, cases. All this accomplished by half-asleep MUs bitching about the hour, complaining about the room, the lights, the rug and the state of the Brazilian economy. Sound familiar?

As far as last night is concerned: we rocked the lounge. Lee Hudson, my former arch-enemy, now NMA buddy, brought his tuba and joined us in a few rounds of dixieland. We did swing tunes and a bumping-grinding version of "Girl Talk" that almost made me start stripping behind the piano.

Because there are no admirals looking over our shoulders, we took rather long breaks. When the MU audience wanted more music, they banged on the tables until the next set started.

I've played a few gigs in my life and I have to say--that was the first time the table-banging was a request for more music.

I'm goin' to check out the fun

I'm in my room on the 14th floor, getting ready to head down to the lounge. Members have been off to dinner--those who have tried it say Memphis barbecue is unlike any other, meaning hot hot hot.

They'll return to the hotel soon and start drifting into the lounge. We'll put a rhythm section together, they'll start playing and, before the first chorus of "A Foggy Day" is done, horns will come out of cases.

Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe we'll all have a glass of ginger ale, wish each other nitey-nite and be in our beddie-beds before the sun goes down.

And maybe pigs will fly.

A broken man

My old nemesis, bassist Lee Hudson, sits at the bar alone, pondering his mistakes and planning his repentance. When he finishes, he will join the festivities.

And I will welcome him, for I have learned to let bygones be bygones.

That, and we need a bass player tonight.

He tried to shoot me in the back

I'll say this for Wilbur Smith: He was fast.

I was talking with Kim Holl at the bar. It was only mid-afternoon, but the MUs had discovered the lounge.

Smitty must have thought he could outshoot me. But you don't live as long as I have without knowing what's going on behind you. I figured he'd be gunning for me, and was on my toes. Something told me it was time; I turned and, before he could draw a bead on me, nailed him with my Canon 510.

Yes, Smitty was fast.

Fast, but not the fastest.

NMA Cookbook

I got hungry just looking through this new publication, available at the NMA ship's store.

It's got everything except Frank Mullen's Sunday Morning Hangover Remedy. My famous recipe is a lifesaver when unexpected guests arrive and all you've got is a jar of pickled pigs feet, a stick of butter and of couple of raw eggs.

Early Check-in

Yep, MUs are checking aboard. Debbie Holl has opened the registration room. The ship's store is here, too, featuring new shirts and windbreakers. I've got my eyes on the shipment of new NMA ball caps.

The rhythm section equipment is now set up, ready for the early jamming that is likely to begin in a few hours.

The tide is coming in.

A quick word with the rehearsal director

These reunions aren't just about old friends. They're about new friends, too.

In the lobby I spotted John Branam. I've seen him at reunions before, but never met him. He was stationed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. That led to stories of that era, of course, but we quickly came back to the present.

John is taking over as rehearsal director this year, a job that Terry Chesson handled before his election to the NMA presidency. He says he's looking forward to the job of organizing Big Band rehearsals, and won't wait too long to begin. If we have enough players, we'll start tomorrow morning.

That's ambitious; it' s hard to predict who will be here, what instrumentation will be on board.

But our sessions are not only about musical excellence.

"It's about the camaraderie," John told me.

As I talk to the officers and volunteers, I hear that word a lot.

The Membership Grows

A few weeks ago I went through the NMA roster, separating active email addresses from old, non-functional addresses. I would have sworn I went through four or five hundred names.

My estimate was low, according to Bob Leketa, NMA Executive Vice-president.

"We're up to 620 this year," he tells me. "Our annual growth rate is 11.8 percent."

The Marriott is experienceing its own growth rate today as the MUs file in. I'm headed to the lobby to see who's wandering around.

Morning Report - Tues, 24JUN08

Waves of activity are lapping on the shores of the Memphis Marriott this morning. Navy Musicians Association President Terry Chesson tells me the registration room will open sometime today, the day before the reunion officially begins.

Terry also says a couple of my old bosses will arrive today: Tex Waldron, my old bandmaster, and Jack Dye, my first MCPOW (Master Chief Petty Officer of the World).

Also scheduled to arrive today: my arch-enemy, Lee Hudson. Hudbucket and I have been at war with each other since the Newport Wars of the mid-1980s. Seeing him for the first time in a quarter-century will be a test: can we take the high ground treat each other with dignity and respect, or will our relationship devolve into snipery, slander and barroom backstabbing?

Should things deteriorate, we know whose fault it will be . . .

The Daily Poop - Tues, 23 June

Fancy, schmancy. The lobby of the Marriott is quiet this AM. This will change as the days goes by--30 members will file in today. Four other organizations are meeting here, and scores of other guests will be in attendance.

And the combo will set up in an alcove between the lounge and the lobby. What this means is that the cozy conversation pit in the lobby pictured here will soon be prime seating for the evening jam sessions.

I'm off to see what's what and who's who. NMA President Terry Chesson is here, and I haven't seen him yet.

I'll be back later this morning or early afternoon with more scoop and poop.

Dateline:Memphis

What looks like an eight-hour trip on the map turns into an eleven-hour trek. This will sound familiar from the road-trip days.

But my wife and I are at the Memphis Marriott, safe, sound, and impressed by the facilities. The hotel is visible from the interstate and easy to reach. It's within walking distance of an IHOP, Arby's, Popeyes, Taco Bell, a Chinese restaurant and other fine dining opportunities. The Marriott has a restaurant, of course, but Jo and I went to IHOP for road food.

This old MU doesn't trip the light fantastic with the endurance of his younger days. Bob Leketa and Kim Holl are out on the patio having a drink. I'll join them for a few minutes and then crash.

(Bob says that we've got 30 rooms reserved for tomorrow night. Looks like it's the usual routine--the yakking and jamming will begin the day before the reunion officially begins.)

Hasta la manana, amigos.

Tomorrow: Memphis.

Car is packed.

Departure tomorrow 0530.

Navy Lyres will be dark until arrival in Memphis, est. 1600.

Now Taps.

Taps.

All lights out. Maintain silence about the decks.

Taps.

The Daily Poop - Sun, 22JUN08

• -- Guitar, Electric, 1 each.
  -- Amplifier, portable, 1 each.
  -- Gigbag (Cords, picks, etc.), 1 each.

I'm packing the car today, because I'll be leaving for Memphis tomorrow morning at zero dark thirty.

• -- NMA shirts, polo, two pair.
  -- NMA shirt, tee, 1 each.
  -- Trousers, presentable, 4 pair.

The Mississippi River and it's tributaries are still flooding some roads, so my wife and I may have to alter our route as we drive.

• -- Road atlas, Rand McNally, 1 each.
  -- Weather radio, portable, 1 each.

This site has had about 200 visits in this last week. Many MUs who can't attend the reunion this year have told me they'll get the highlights here at Navy Lyres.

• -- computer, laptop, 1 each.
  -- Camera, digital, 1 each.

I talked to NMA President Terry Chesson yesterday. He's preparing the agenda for the NMA board of directors' meeting at the reunion, so I didn't take too much of his time. We rehashed a bachelor party that took place in Newport in 1977. It was--well, you had to be there.

• -- Sea stories, 20,000.