RAY VEGA..Lesson to the BADBOY!

[BADBOY-DON]

What an experience to watch RAY VEGA work!
We arrived there (with a couple of Boeing buds..Rob Linn, met up with Bruce K another long time Boeingite'lip...We met Ray just before he went on the stage at 9:pm..in fact he saw us before we spotted him. Like the night owl that he is...his sharp eyes can see in the dark better than most us mortals. Perhaps years of playing in DARK CLUBS..has given his special night vision.
Anyway...he took our Boeing Test Flight Director's captain hat..and wore it all eve. long.
First lesson that we were impressed with was that Ray took time (went to school, so to speak) listened and almost like a tape recorder...tuned into Marc Seales and Jeff Johnson on bass for about 5 minutes...and then Ray picks up that beautiful little B&S Bflat silver beauty and gives us some nice long tones and ocative improv. that built slowing and by the end of the first number..he was blowin fire!!!! Talk about clarity, cadenza with snappy slotting and notching of notes. Hands flying under that single spot light added to the preciseness of the piece of art being sent directly to our EARBALLS...GREAT BALLS OF FIRE.
He then for the next number grabbed a scruffy huge oversized horn that looked like my old Besson cornet on Steroids...and gave the sweetest butta-n'velvet...I have ever heard. But Bruce leaned over and said...Hey Don, That ain't no Cornet bud...THAT'S AN OLD BACH FLUGEL...FROM THE PITTS OF ELKHART?
I laughed and said, FUNNY, DUDE..laughed..but I should have known. Yes, after the first break, Ray put that old beauty in my shakey hands...and yes, I should have guessed it. An old 70's vintage Bach Flugel...that in fact...was cut really close to a cornet...and as we know...(like Tom Turner) Ray loves to start a gig with a horn that is close to his ears and head but still lets him hear his colleagues Marc and Jeff better than when he uses the trumpet. It gives his that quality of lyrical softness that was lending itself to his new host of colleagues on the stand with him that night. Jeff, the bass player held a bow and used both hands in the most unusal fashion. Marc on piano..would often hit the beginning of a phrase. and Jeff would blend it off (almost like you would SWEAR THAT THE PIANO AND BASS WERE ONE UNIT. and not two different souls.
Marc the master of this duo...I SWEAR HAS A SIXTH SENSE...and felt both RAY AND JEFF'S music and after such a very short period of time...where playing off each other...and the intensity and workmanship was amazing...
NOT UNLIKE 3 SEPERATE ARTIST...ALL PAINTING ON THE SAME TECHINCOLOR CANVAS...A PICTURE IN MUSICAL SOUND...that is sooooooo rare indeed.
Although the room was far from crowded..with less that 35 fans listening near bye...ONE COULD SWEAR THAT THEY PLAYED LIKE THEY WERE PLAYING IN A PACKED CONCERT HALL...and they were smiling and working soo beautifully together...
I felt like crying like a baby!!Perhaps it was the $3.00 beers and for only $15.00 cover..AND TO LEAVE THERE THAT NIGHT WITH AN AMAZING CD by this amazingly gifted MUSICAN'S MUSICIAN...
This night played was unearthly...almost like getting a special glimpse of what heaven must be like with all those musicians that have gone on before. IF IN HEAVEN...I could play as beautifully and easily with fellow musicians as the display that we saw last friday night..Well then...SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT AND TAKE ME IN ALMOST ANYTIME.
As old as I am...I have seen many many performances that were special..but last friday...seeing those 3 outstanding musicians working sooo completely at ease with each other and producing such amazing music that seemed as if it was bEING PLAYED BY JUST ONE AMAZING INSTRUMENT!!! Well this was it.
Ray took these other colleagues and guided them through an evening to be forever remembered by this old toot.

Although I have a wonderful CD from the event...NOTHING BEATS THE SOUL AND SPIRIT OF LIVE MUSICIANS THAT LOVE THE LORD...AND THEIR FELLOWMAN...like Ray.
YES, this was a GIFT NOT OF THIS WORLD...
CONGRATS...VEGA AND UW CAMP! THIS WAS TRULY A BLESSING! THANKS...
GOD BLESS!!!
And yes...Ray Gave me a bad time about his beloved NYYANKEEES...but made up for it by wearing my FLIGHT TEST HAT!!!and giving us compliments about our beautiful extended range 767 and new 777 Long range comfortable airplanes...
One could tell even though Ray was very very tired from his Europe trip and his gig in Spain the week before...ONE WOULD NEVER BELIEVE HOW TIRELESSLY AND PROFOUND HE PLAYED....THIS TOO WAS NOT A MORTAL THING FROM THIS EARTH...
BLOWN AWAY IN SEATTLE BADBOY...

HEY NICK AND KEVIN...
MAC HAD YOUR NAMES IN THE RESERVATION BOOK..AND WE KEPT LOOKING FOR YOU...Bruce, Rob and I drank your brews for you, however...and all that jazz.

[ This Message was edited by: BADBOY-DON on 2002-06-09 23:25 ]

[Emb_Enh]

Nice one Mr.BBD!! --I felt like I was there with ya!
_________________
Regards, Roddy o-iii RoddyTpt@aol.com

"E M B O U C H U R E___E N H A N C E M E N T"
BOOK 1 also... BOOK 2 + demo CD

[Self Analysis and Diagnostic Trumpet Method]

[Nicholas Dyson]

Nice post, Badboy!
I forgot to cancel my res... hopefully Mac isn't pissed at me, I suppose I'll find out tomorrow...

Consider me committed to the next time, hopefully it's not too long.
_________________
Nicholas Dyson
Ottawa, Canada

[BADBOY-DON]

[Nicholas Dyson]