A blast

What a night. What a blast. What a reunion.

We've just wrapped up the dance. I'm changing clothes and running back downstairs to the lounge. We said official goodbyes in the ballroom, but it's not over until it's over. And it ends in the lounge.
I'm spending an extra day--Sunday--here at the Holiday Inn, to wrap things up and catch my breath. So I'll have more time for after action reports, photos, maybe some video.

But right now, I think I hear a quartet playing "The Party's Over."

Gotta go.....

Hanging Out

Free time. We haven't had a lot of it since Wednesday. But Saturday afternoon is traditionally a liberty period for MUs at an NMA reunion. We've had our morning all-hands meeting. The night's events--cocktail hour, visit from Fleet Forces Band, dinner and dancing--begin at six. So, until then...

We're Goin' to Kansas City

And so are you, if you attend next year's Navy Musicians Association reunion.

At today's General Membership meeting, Executive Vice-president Bob Lekata announced plans to hold the 2016 reunion in Kansas City, Missouri. The details have yet to be worked out; Bob will travel to KC to line up the most appropriate hotel for our needs. This will take some negotiating, but that's what Bob does. When the details--which hotel, which dates--are worked out, they'll be posted here and at the NMA's website.

Kansas City sounds good to me. We've spent a few years in Virginia Beach and it's time to travel. Kansas City is a more-convenient location for members who usually have to travel long distances for our reunions.

Personally, I love this. I live in western Illinois and it'll be nice to drive to a reunion in one day. Take a look at the online roster on the NMA website, and you'll see the Midwest is full of MUs.

And, to me, Kansas City equals Count Basie.

So you can count me in.

 is cen

A Late Night

After the concert last night, the dance band played.




Then we moved to the lounge. Our new active duty members joined in the jam session. They're younger than I am and stayed later than I did.

Did I mention that among other things, an NMA reunion is a party?

Coffeeeeee

Good morning, or whatever this is. It's happened to me before, so I know I'll survive it.

Especially because I know where the coffee is: we're having a light breakfast in the ballroom prior to the General Membership Meeting.

This is a members-only meeting. We'll elect officers, hear reports, solicit questions and suggestions.

And we'll find out where we'll hold our reunion next year. We've been discussing holding a reunion more accessible to members who, like me, live in the middle of the country, perhaps the Midwest. Maybe 2016 will be the year I can drive to the reunion in one day.

Well, I'll know more soon. Meanwhile:

Coffeeeeeeee.

Friday Night Thoughts

Friday is the most frantic, busy and rewarding day of an NMA reunion.

We start the day with an excursion. This year, we were guests at a Naval School of Music Basic Course graduation ceremony. The speaker was our president, Terry Chesson. Following graduation, we toured the newly-renovated school.

After lunch, the concert band had a long, productive rehearsal. After a bit of down time we returned for the concert. I was amazed at how well it turned out. I'll have more to say later, but right now, I think it's safe to say this was the band's finest hour.

Then dance band. Then a jam session.

And now it's the bedtime hour.

What is an NMA reunion?

Yes, an NMA reunion is a chance to renew old acquaintances and meet new friends.












 And, yes, an NMA reunion is an occasion to remember our heritage of service.











But an NMA reunion is much more. It's also, well, a party,

It's Showtime

I'm just about dressed for the Friday night concert.

Nervous? A little. I have a small part in the show, a few introductions and narrations. But it's important that I do it right.

The band has worked harder than ever to prepare this concert. The long, productive rehearsals will result, I'm sure, in an outstanding performance. So if I'm going to stand in front of this band, I need to match their level.

This means I have a few more lines to memorize. I can to that while I'm tying my tie.

I hope.

Free Parking for Frank

As we toured the School of Music this morning, I took a moment to recall fond memories of my parking space. It's been taken over by someone else, the first sergeant, perhaps, but for years it was mine.

In 1980, I was chosen Staff Member of the Quarter, and deservedly so, I believe. The prize was a parking spot right in front of the building. It was a great perk for those of us who screeched into the staff parking lot ten seconds before morning colors.

Later in the year, I was upgraded to Staff Member of the Year, and again, deservedly so. The signage on my parking spot was upgraded to reflect my elevated status.

Then, the powers that be forgot about the this-and-that of the year, and the award was discontinued. Therefore, until I transferred a few years later, I kept parking in my royal parking spot, to the great chagrin of the Navy, Marine and Army staff that resented my glory.

What they didn't understand was obvious only to me: the Staff Member of the Year's parking spot was right outside the XO's office. The brass weren't honoring me--

They were keeping their eyes on me.

Doing What We Do Best

We got back from our trip to the School of Music in time for lunch before concert band rehearsal.










 And also in time to do what we do so well: Hang out.












 Share sea stories.













In other words, lie to each other.

Our Alma Mater

We spent the morning at the Naval School of Music.












The facility has been entirely renovated, but much is still recognizable.













Marines are, of course, recognizable, and there are plenty of them to go around.

It was a time to watch young musicians begin careers...









...and to remember old friends.

OMG, it's morning.

Poor me.

I'ts 0630 and I'm getting ready to hop on the bus to visit the School of Music--if "hopping" can be used to describe my mobility at this hour.

A lot of former military people have told me that active duty taught them a lifetime lesson in getting up early. I failed this lesson. If I had my way, I'd be in bed every morning until noon broke over the horizon.

But I'm on the 0700 bus; there are two busloads and I got assigned to the early one.

This will make for a long day. The NMA now has an official rock band, which rehearses at 1130. The last concert band rehearsal is in the afternoon, the performance tonight, then more fun in the lounge.

Poor, poor me.

Profiles in Courage

This photo is out of focus, indistinct and my favorite so far.

Work as Well as Play

Wilbur Smith put the concert band to work today; long, detailed, productive work.

We're here for fun and camaraderie, but we take our music seriously. We want to do our best, given the brief time we spend together. So Smitty worked the band hard, along with Ray Ascione and Peter Graves, who are helping with the conducting duties.





 Smitty, of course, knew that only one Friday afternoon rehearsal remains. And there's much more to do; like any Navy band, we have reliable patriotic and military standards that need to be thrown into the mix. But the bulk of the work is done.









As an old MU carried his horn out of the rehearsal hall after rehearsal, I said, "Boy, you had a real workout this afternoon."

"Yeah, he said, "but that's why we came here."

Singers Absolutely Unlimited

Versatility and flexibility are the hallmarks of Navy Musicians. The jobs requires the ability to step into the spotlight without notice, always with confidence and sometimes without preparation. Melanie Leketa and Diane Beegle know this from experience.








That's why there's nothing strange about a quick vocal rehearsal taking place in a hotel lobby.

We're still checking in.

It's the second day of the NMA reunion and members are still filing in. Shortly before noon, Ben McHorney checked in. Ben, a long-time member, is a regular reunion attendee.









At the same time, Andrew Francisco was reporting aboard. This is the first reunion for Andrew, a staff member at the School of Music. So he's not a regular attendee--

Yet.

At the risk of seeming repetitious...

Check the schedule.

The key to Navy success was simple: show up in the right place at the right time in the right uniform. All you had to do was check the scedule.

We're visiting the School of Music tomorrow morning; details of the event will be forthcoming. Meanwhile:

Check the schedule.


But one important detail is already known: we're traveling in two busloads that depart at different times. So:

Check the schedule.

Your bus ticket is numbered. The rehearsal board by the registration room will tell you which bus to take.

Check the schedule.

A Wonderful Problem

A few more words about the concert band.

We're a mixture. We are full-time performers. We're part-timers. We are educators. We are former MUs who who have returned to playing horns that sat in the closet for decades.

So, as you might imagine, the first rehearsal of at an NMA reunion is often, shall we say, tentative. We haven't played together in a year; some are joining us for the first time. We're sight reading new material. We're trying to create a cohesive sound. And we're not all here yet; travel plans and scheduling needs often conspire to give us only half a band on Day One.

Yesterday's first rehearsal was, however, atypical. One thing you didn't see in the rehearsal hall today was empty chairs. Attendance is up for this 20th anniversary reunion, so we had a full house.

And what a difference it made. Our sound was big, sometimes too big. Our conductors were in the unusual position of having to quiet the band down on the first day, rather than try to pull a full sound out of the group.

More players showed up after rehearsal yesterday. So, today we'll face a new problem: where to put them all.

A Concert Band First!

It was something nobody expected to ever see, but there it was: President Terry Chesson playing in the concert band.


There were a lot of worried faces and nervous tittering as he took his seat in the woodwind section. When the truth came out, we realized there was very little danger. One of our numbers requires jazz improvisation and Terry agreed to do the job. Because Terry was playing the alto saxophone, everything was in accordance with the prime consideration of NMA concert band safety:

Concert Band: First Rehearsal

Another volunteer working party pitched in over the lunch hour and the 1330 rehearsal started--get this--early. 

Often our first get-together is shaky due to incomplete attendance; in short, everyone hasn't arrived yet. But today, the rehearsal hall was packed even before downbeat, and more players continued to arrive through the afternoon.

This is the NMA's 20th anniversary this year. Our director, Wilbur Smith, has ensured that our program will honor this important event with patriotic favorites as well as new music written for this occasion. And Ray Ascione has again agreed to conduct some of the concert. Ray was the leader of the Naval Academy Band. I heartily endorse this decision; anyone who's good enough to conduct the Naval Academy Band is good enough to lead the NMA concert band.

Underway With the NMA

The registration room--our "quarterdeck"--was bustling all day long. A working party had met at 0800 to set up for rehearsal, so our dance band was in action by 0925, an NMA record. 

The daily routine ran smoothly. After dance band, the rock band rehearsed. 

It's only noon and we've used up
half a legal pad.

In the afternoon, the concert band held a long and productive rehearsal. An 1800 dance band session has begun and the first day of the NMA reunion will end with music and sea stories in the lounge.

As usual.

Just like the old days: check the gig board
and be ready for changes that
may--and will--occur.

Shipmate Frank: the Lobby-Cam

NMA reunion coverage will reach new heights with the implementation of this exciting, new feature.

 

NMA Reunion 2015: Day One

Good morning shipmates wherever you are. The 2015 reunion of the Navy Musicians Association is only minutes away from its official launch.

There's plenty of work yet to be done. A set-up crew is already at work preparing our work spaces for the first Big Band rehearsal at.0900. Registration has begun early in an attempt to handle the early-birds came who came in late yesterday.






A pre-reunion gathering erupted last night in the (surprise, surprise) lounge at the Holiday Inn. A bit of conversation, a bit a jazz and a lot of excitement.

I am now off in search of fellowship, music and coffee. Further reports will come through the day.

Utter Humiliation

During a brief slowdown in the stream of early birds who checked in today, I walked into the registration room and decided to grace the NMA with my Official Presence.

"Deb," I said, "allow me to make your day by signing in."

I didn't exactly make her day. She looked in her computer and said, "You haven't pre-registered."

"Piffle," I said. "Nonsense. I always pre-register."

"You have always registered early,' she said, employing a verb tense that I did not recognize. "But this year, you have not registered early."

I didn't quibble. I decided to let her have her way, pay up and straighten it out later with the cancelled check and receipt that would demonstrate that I'd been right all along--as usual.

A quick e-mail to my wife set the record straight. Jo keeps detailed records of expenditures and quickly found the problem: I, the guy who has spent the last four months rallying troops and encouraging them to register early, forgot to, uh, register early.

I'm known as a creative guy, and as soon as I can spin this into a narrative in which I am the hero, believe me, I'll post it right here.

Another Crisis Averted

Lots of our reunion activities take place in Ashley's Lounge at the Holiday Inn. We'll probably hold an early-bird jam session there tonight. Unfortunately, as the early birds needed a place to congregate this afternoon before Ashley's opened.

Add caption

The storied resourcefulness of the MU came into play. Just as water seeks its own level, MUs seek a place to maintain their level-head approach to life.

In other words, the Blu Bar was open.

Crisis Averted

The timing couldn't have been worse: as members began to check in early, the printer went down. Treasurer Cecil Strange called in the NMA's crack IT Team.

Deb Holl and David Blakeley in conference
moments before somebody notices that the
printer cable is plugged into the wrong hole.

Unlock Your Door Like Shipmate Frank

Your pal Shipmate Frank shows you how to simplify the process of opening your hotel room door with an electronic key card.

 

The Big Question

I'm about to go to lunch with Terry Chesson and David Blakeley. These two gourmets seem to be acquainted with the Tidewater area's Top Ten eating establishments and have already taken me to half of them.

Because it's a late lunch, we won't be back in the mid-afternoon. By that time, the rest of the early birds will be filing in and we'll all be asking the Big Tuesday Question:

"Do we have enough for a jam session tonight? "

It happens every year, and the answer has always been "Yes." It's another advantage of coming early; an extra opportunity to share music and sea stories in the lounge.

Pre-reunion jam session, 2007,
back when I still remembered the changes. 

The Tuesday Morning Shuffle

The trickle of arrivals has become a gentle stream and will today become a minor torrent, if there is such a thing. The day before a reunion is a great time to catch up with old friends. Because the hotel isn't yet jammed with members and guests, you can actually finish an occasional sentence.

I've noted over the years that wherever we hold our reunions, many members who live in the area often take rooms at the hotel during the reunion. The travel-time saved allows fuller participation in the festivities. Nothing is more frustrating than saying to a group of MUs in the lounge, "Did I ever tell you about the time in Naples when--" and being interrupted with the words, "Honey, we have to go; Rex will crap on the floor if he doesn't get a walk by midnight."

Leon Harris and Jim Richards

Stephanie Rowland and Terry Chesson
flank the NMA's secret weapon:
The Debs.