Leon Merian in Sarasota, FL

_Don Herman · Posted: Tue May 28, 2002 7:59 am Post subject:

Here's the info -- wish I could go!

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: LEON MERIAN
>
> OPENING AT KAY'S BBQ RESTAURANT JULY 14 from 1 to 4pm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>BIG BAND BRUNCH FEATURING THE LEON MERIAN BIG BAND !!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> DON'T MISS THIS GREAT EVENT!!!!!!!!
>
> Located at Desoto Rd and 301 Sarasota {next to gas station}

City of Sarasota, Florida. Wish you could come hear this FINE, swinging big
band Don. We'll be at Kay's BBQ Rest. July 14/ 21/ 28 Sundays from 1pm to
4pm. It's at state rd 301 and Desoto Rd in Sarasota. What is your address
Don ? I'll see if I can book the band closer to your town !!! All the best my friend, LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEON
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

Mark Heuer · Veteran Member Joined: 23 Nov 2001 Posts: 232

You're a personal friend of LM? He's in his 70's, right? How is he playing these days?

_Don Herman · Posted: Tue May 28, 2002 12:08 pm Post subject:

Personal friends? No, not really, doggone it! I meant to edit that last part to just leave directions, but the site was slow this morn and I guess I clicked "Submit" too soon.

Leon and I have exchanged emails and some written (snail mail) notes in the last year or two. He's very nice to everybody, so far as I can tell. A local horn repairman was cleaning up an old cornet (for my son, who decided to try French Horn instead, but I've got the summer to work on him) a year or two ago and was playing one of Leon's tapes while I was hanging around. There was some awfully impressive playing on that old cassette! Turns out they had met, long ago, and I tried to hook them up again. Leon had made quite an impression (a good one, mind you!) on the repairman as a young man, when they were playing, and it was exciting to be able to put them in touch with each other again.

Leon has a new CD, a "method" book (Trumpet Isometrics) I've seen but not yet bought (it's coming), and a biography, The Man Behind the Horn, which is quite a look at his life and career. He has some new mouthpieces out, made by JetTone, and I'm saving a bit to get his personal model (not a screamer mpc, a deeper V, though he can certainly do it on it!) I think he was having some health issues not too long ago, but is back and playing strongly. I'd love to meet just to chat, and to take a lesson from him. He's a great guy, and (still) a fantastic player!

FWIW - Don

p.s. Leon has become a pretty regular contributor to TPIN lately.
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[ This Message was edited by: Don Herman on 2002-05-28 15:23 ]