Oboe: the ill wind that Barbara Levy blows good.

A great advantage to moving our reunions around the country is that it attracts new members from whatever region we may be visiting.

This year, Barbara Levy joined us with her husband, Sheldon--also an MU--and, even better, with her oboe. We don't often get double reed players, so it's been a joy to have her here.

Our first G.F.

In the '70s and '80s, "G.F." was the abbreviated term we used to describe those too-frequent times when it hit the fan, when everything went wrong. ("The bus broke down, we got there late, the gazebo was too small and there were 6 people in the audience; what a massive Goat F***.")

The first G.F. of the NMA reunion showed itself this morning as we were warming up for our final concert band rehearsal. Through a scheduling error, rehearsal was located in the ballroom adjacent next to a conference of the FIAIA.

The manager brought the problem to conductor Wilbur Smith. Smitty didn't waste any time looking for fault; there was no time to waste on assigning blame, so he found the solution. We moved one more room down the hall and started only a few minutes late.

I should add that FIAIA stands for "Florida Internal Affairs Investigators Association." These were cops. Lots of them. They had guns. Lots of them.

Smitty made a great decision.

Calling all pianists

If you have ever held the NEC 3814, piano, your presence at the NMA reunion is requested. I played more yesterday than I've played in the last two years. An afternoon session in the lounge, an evening dance band rehearsal and an evening session in the lounge. The band was hot, the players in tip-top shape, and I'm exhausted.

We're short on pianists this year, so come on down. Think you're not good enough? If you know the changes to "Satin Doll," or, for that matter, if you just know the title to "Satin Doll," you hereby pass the audtion.There's plenty of playing to go around.

"Summertime" in Orlando

This morning's rehearsal is the last before tonightt's performance. It's taking a lot of work to prepare; if you think that our experience as military professionals makes concert preparation a breeze, believe me, it ain't necessarily so.

It's a big bandstand.

On the left, Dennis Bear; on the right, Marty Nau.
Dennis's home is Wisconsin, where he plays in a band sponsored by New Horizons, an organization that gives adults the opportunity to play in musical ensembles.

Marty's home is wherever gigs, tours, recording sessions and music clinics take him.

As Navy musicians, we brought our musical experience to the bandstand and came away with more than we brought. It still works that way in the NMA.

The new Bill Allen.

It appears that Bill Allen finally got tired of hearing his buddies delivering the old Navy line, "Get a haircut."