2019 NMA Reunion Wrap-up: Final Edition

As we resume our lives at home, we'll think occasionally about the 2019 reunion, the old friends we shared the week with, the new friendships we forged, the music we played.

For me, reunion memories never totally disappear. I spend six months thinking about the last reunion and when Christmas is over, I start looking forward to June again. If you've been to a reunion you understand; if you haven't, well, all I can say is: Come to a reunion, and, pal, you'll understand.

As time goes by, I'll edit and post recordings of our 2019 performances, rehearsals and a visit from Navy Band Great Lakes. Until then, I leave you with this:

We're musical professionals and part-timers. We're on active duty or we took off our dress blues decades ago. We perform for a living or just for the fun of being in a municipal band. We play every day or dust off the horn case once a year.

But when you put us together on the bandstand, we play like we pulled into a foreign port this morning, performed an afternoon concert in a packed town square and now we're at the embassy ball, halfway through the third set, arguing under our breaths about who's gonna drive the bus to colors tomorrow morning. 

We used to call it "work." Now, it's something we voluntarily fly halfway across the country to do every June.

And here's a little bit of it:

2019 NMA Reunion Wrap-up #2: Big Band

The Friday Nite Saxes: Jim Hayward, John Polites,
Ray Ascione, John Clemmer and Dennis Bear.

Friday night is a musical blowout at an NMA reunion. Our concert band's performance opens the evening, we break to enjoy the buffet and then our dance band finishes the evening.

I count 3 generations of MUs in the
trumpet section. Your count may vary.

Triple threat, pianist Tom Wholley anchored rhythm
sections in the lounge, concert band and dance band.

2019 NMA Reunion Wrap-up #1: Lounging Around

David and Willean Blakeley join Sherry Church in the lounge
 for a few moments of temperate, responsible behavior.

Big band, concert band music, straight-ahead jazz and even some Dixieland. This year's NMA reunion had it all.

Party animals Rick Jebavy, Deb Holl, Dennis 
Allard, Leon Harris and John Polites.

But the music is only part of a reunion. We gather together, old friends and new friends, telling old stories and sharing the news of the last year.

 Woodwind doublers Dennis Bear and Ray Ascione recuperate 
from an afternoon spent juggling clarinets and saxophones.

We find the lounge a convenient spot for such socializing. This has certainly be true for me. My bandmasters always knew: If you can't find Frank Mullen in his office, go look in the bar lounge.