Navy Band Southwest on Prairie Home Companion

I'm listening to Navy Band Southwest, a featured musical guest on "Prairie Home Companion." They're being well-received; the broadcast is from San Diego.

The band, under the direction of LT Mark K. Corbliss, has already performed a few marches, a service medley and a sing-along version of "America, the Beautiful."

And the show isn't over yet.

You can probably catch a rebroadcast of the show tomorrow, Sunday, 27FEB11, on a local National Public Radio station, or streaming on the web. Details at Prairie Home Companion's website.

And if you do, don't tune out too soon. The band and its trumpet soloist,
Stephanie Robinson, appear throughout the two-hour show.

UPDATE: The show is ending, and the band is playing another march while Garrison Keillor announces the band members' names!

Mike Burch-Pesses: Leadership by Example

My ongoing search for performance videos of members of the Navy Musicians Association has unleashed a lot of laughter.

Today, I've found a clip of NMA member Mike Burch-Pesses, Director of Bands at Pacific University, delivering closing remarks at the "Music In May" high school music festival and conducting the combined orchestra, band and chorus.

But this time, I'm not laughing. Rather, I'm standing at attention in front of my computer, saluting my old bandmaster.

I never met a finer commissioned officer than Mike Burch-Pesses. He brought to the 7th Fleet Band a daring and risky management technique--leadership by example--that pushed the band to new levels of musical performance and personal behavior.

In this video clip from the conclusion of last year's festival, Mike's inspiring, challenging address to the audience, his conducting of the massed ensembles--and his surprise transformation that leads up to that show-stopper--demonstrate that Commander Burch-Pesses's leadership style hasn't changed.

Happy 100th, Great Lakes

According to this story in the Chicago Tribune, the Great Lakes Naval Station is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.

All I can say is, something's wrong with the math. I spent 100 years there in 1974 alone.

Max Murray uncovered

So far, in my quest to shame members of the Navy Musicians Association who are engaging in unauthorized musical performances between reunions, I've outed Rabbit Simmons and Bob Marquart.

Their actions are, of course, disgraceful, but at least I can distance myself from their scandalous behavior. But now I've uncovered evidence of another NMA gigger, and can't so easily disassociate myself.

You see, bassist Max Murray and I were shipmates in Newport and at the School of Music. A couple of years ago, I thought it would be great to see him again, so I helped recruit him into joining the NMA.

Apparently, our annual reunions are not enough for Max. Here's the footage; like Simmons and Marquart, he's been moonlighting between reunions. Not with an obscure trio or no-name cocktail duo. No, leave it to Max Murray to perform regularly as a member of the Grammy-winning Afro Bop Alliance.

Max Murray, have you no shame?

Another NMA member caught gigging.

I recently posted about the shocking discovery that certain members of the Navy Musicians Association are actually performing in public during the 51 weeks of the year between reunions. I have vowed to "out" those members who practice, perform or lead ensembles.

Now, it is my sad duty to inform you that I've caught NMA member Bob Marquart in the act of performing in, of all places, New Orleans.

I could understand it if he were gigging in East Peoria or downtown Moose Crossing, Idaho, somewhere where his scandalous behavior would go unnoticed. But no, Marquart has the effrontery to do it in front of the cameras in Jazz City, USA.

For years, Bobby was one of the most active on-call trumpet and banjo players in Virginia Beach. I guess he thought this background, combined with his talent, would open doors for him in New Orleans.

And I guess he was right.

It's no wonder NMA bands are so good

During the last Navy Musicians Association reunion, I began to suspect that some members have been practicing their instruments during the year.

I had no proof of this, as many musicians are loathe to confess to such chicanery. I decided to search for evidence.

The situation turns out to be far more serious than I thought. I have found proof that certain NMA members are actually performing, both professionally and as members of academic and volunteer musical organizations. I suspect, but cannot yet prove, that some NMA members even lead these musical ensembles.

I submit, for example, this video of NMA member Rabbit Simmons performing with a jazz group in Cocoa Beach, Fla. last August.

Rest assured, friends, any time I find conclusive evidence of between-reunion performing by NMA members, I will post it here. Perhaps a little old-fashioned shame will keep these guys in line.