Two weeks from today, the Navy Musicians Association reunion will be in full swing.
Though our reunions always begin officially on Wednesday, a handful, like me, come early. I'll arrive in Memphis sometime on Monday, June 23, to schmooze, strut and begin blogging the reunion.
Each year, increasingly more members show up on Tuesday. This means that the night before the reunion has even started, the lounge is jumping with MUs, jamming and jiving.
Wednesday, registration day, is naturally the day that former MUs pour in. But attendees continue to arrive through the week.
At the Friday night bash in the ballroom, we're all together for the first time. The evening's highlight is a performance by the reunion bands for the most appreciative of all audiences: peers, shipmates, brothers and sisters.
And when it's over, many adjourn to the lounge for the jamming and jiving that began the week.
Frank Mullen's very unofficial source of poop, skinny and bitching for present and former U.S. Navy Musicians.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Daily Poop - Thurs, 12JUN08
As the 2008 Navy Musicians Association approaches, NMA members are checking in. Yesterday I heard from:
-- Bob Grindle, who went through the Assistant Bandleader Course while I was on staff at the School of Music won't be at the reunion; his community band is entering its festival week.
-- Everett Crouse, another SOM shipmate, says he's also unable to attend, but his friend, my old rock 'n' roll band leader John Johnson, will make an appearance.
-- B.A. Waltrip, retired for 34 years now, has just found out about this site. He suggests that when NMA members get together, they're a bunch of "Navy Liars."
Also heard from: George Hand, who left the navy in 1961 and Norm Detoy, who retired in 1979.
I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment here at Navy Lyres or email me.
-- Bob Grindle, who went through the Assistant Bandleader Course while I was on staff at the School of Music won't be at the reunion; his community band is entering its festival week.
-- Everett Crouse, another SOM shipmate, says he's also unable to attend, but his friend, my old rock 'n' roll band leader John Johnson, will make an appearance.
-- B.A. Waltrip, retired for 34 years now, has just found out about this site. He suggests that when NMA members get together, they're a bunch of "Navy Liars."
Also heard from: George Hand, who left the navy in 1961 and Norm Detoy, who retired in 1979.
I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment here at Navy Lyres or email me.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Pass the Word
Yesterday I emailed over 500 notices--"FrankGrams"--concerning my plans for Live-Blogging the Navy Musicians Association reunion, June 26-29, 2008.
FrankGrams went to email address on the NMA roster. Many of them bounced back as undeliverable.
This means many shipmates don't know that the highlights of the reunion will appear here at Navy Lyres.
You can help by passing the word. All past and present Navy Musicans, NMA members or not, are welcome.
FrankGrams went to email address on the NMA roster. Many of them bounced back as undeliverable.
This means many shipmates don't know that the highlights of the reunion will appear here at Navy Lyres.
You can help by passing the word. All past and present Navy Musicans, NMA members or not, are welcome.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Live-Blogging the NMA Reunion
The 2008 Navy Musicians Association reunion is just around the corner--June 25-28--and I'm so fired up that my skivvy shirts have gone up in flames.For those who don't know, the NMA is a growing group of former and active duty members of U.S. Navy bands. We are one-hitch sailors and career MUs. We have worn seamens' stripes, petty officers' chevrons, chiefs' anchors and officers' bars.
Once a year, we gather for a few days of camaraderie, sea stories and music--big band, concert band, jazz and rock. At Navy Musicians Association reunions, performance is optional; enjoyment is unavoidable.
If you can't attend this year--or you're not yet a member of the NMA--you can get a taste of the reunion without leaving home.
I'll be "live-blogging" throughout the week of the reunion. This means you'll be able to follow the action here at Navy Lyres.
From Monday, June 23 (two days before the official opening) until Sunday, June 29 (departure day for most attendees), you can come right here, night or day, for:
- highlights of each day's activities
- hi-tech photos
- low-tech videos
- jam sessions
- bull sessions
- assorted reports, rumors and revelations, heavily censored in case your children or grandchildren use your computer
Between now and the reunion, I'll be blogging frequently; stop by any time, check it out, leave a message.
Drop me a line if you have any questions, and please pass the word--forward this URL to any past or present Navy musicians that you're in touch with.
I'll be sending occasional short "FrankGrams"--reminders, notices and dire warnings that will link you to the full story here at Navy Lyres--to NMA members whose email addresses are listed on the membership roster. If you're not a member, you can still get these delightful messages; just send me your email address.
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Magic of the NMA Reunion
The annual Navy Musicians Association reunion is only three weeks away.
Those are the few days of the year when there's an astounding difference between
Those are the few days of the year when there's an astounding difference between
how I look . . .
. . . and how I feel.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Getting Sentimental Over the NMA Reunion
The Orpheum Theatre in Galesburg, Illinois was swinging last night. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra was in town and I enjoyed a two-hour performance by this classic legacy band, trombonist and longtime Dorsey associate Buddy Morrow at the helm.
They played Dorsey standards--"Getting Sentimental," "Opus One, "Song of India, "Marie" (with gang vocal)--with the smooth expertise of seasoned professionals. Buddy is 89 years old, and some of the sax players aren't far behind. And they cooked up some more contemporary entertainment with the unbridled energy of talented youngsters. The rhythm section looked like a trio straight out of "A" school; the pianist was 22, a quarter of Buddy's age.
The players have met the challenge of all full-time professionals who must master their repertoire and still make it fresh night after night. And, as superb as the band was, it made me appreciate the musicianship I encounter at the NMA reunions.
The Navy Musician Association bands meet but once a year. We sit on the bandstand between trombone players we played with forty years ago and drummers we met for the first time at breakfast. We play charts we haven't seen in decades and sight-read arrangements that were copyrighted last week.
We're professionals and amateurs; we're full-timers and part-timers. Some of us don't play as well as we used to, and some of us are playing better than ever.
And we swing. Last year, with the debut of a new band at the Saturday night dinner/dance, we even started to rock.
For a few days, we work, play, woodshed and wail. And just when we're getting the notes under our fingers, it's time to pack the seabags and head back home.
But for those few days, my friends, we're at the top of our game. Believe me, if the NMA Big Band had been onstage in a battle of the bands with the Dorsey organization last night, the outcome would have been in doubt.
After all, they're every bit as good as we are.
They played Dorsey standards--"Getting Sentimental," "Opus One, "Song of India, "Marie" (with gang vocal)--with the smooth expertise of seasoned professionals. Buddy is 89 years old, and some of the sax players aren't far behind. And they cooked up some more contemporary entertainment with the unbridled energy of talented youngsters. The rhythm section looked like a trio straight out of "A" school; the pianist was 22, a quarter of Buddy's age.
The players have met the challenge of all full-time professionals who must master their repertoire and still make it fresh night after night. And, as superb as the band was, it made me appreciate the musicianship I encounter at the NMA reunions.
The Navy Musician Association bands meet but once a year. We sit on the bandstand between trombone players we played with forty years ago and drummers we met for the first time at breakfast. We play charts we haven't seen in decades and sight-read arrangements that were copyrighted last week.
We're professionals and amateurs; we're full-timers and part-timers. Some of us don't play as well as we used to, and some of us are playing better than ever.
And we swing. Last year, with the debut of a new band at the Saturday night dinner/dance, we even started to rock.
For a few days, we work, play, woodshed and wail. And just when we're getting the notes under our fingers, it's time to pack the seabags and head back home.
But for those few days, my friends, we're at the top of our game. Believe me, if the NMA Big Band had been onstage in a battle of the bands with the Dorsey organization last night, the outcome would have been in doubt.
After all, they're every bit as good as we are.
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