And I take this as a chance for a rebirth. gmonady is now Dr GO.

Prior to my retirement from my professorial gig at the medical school this past December, I taught muscle physiology in the first year medical student curriculum. We are at the mercy to the laws of physiology of muscle fiber development. So it takes about 2-6 weeks for muscle to adapt to new stress without damaging fibers. At the end of that 2-6 week span, one can add another 20% duration to the work out. So if 45 minutes is all you can do at this point, continue for several weeks at 45 minutes, than in that new week add 45 x 0.20 or about 10 minutes to the next week (55 minutes) and stay with that for another several weeks. Then advance another 20%. Keep doing this at these intervals until you reach your goal.

Let fatigue be your friend. When you loose control or start leaking air, step away from the horn for the day and start back at it tomorrow.

Let me know how this works out.

I was walking by a brown stone in New York and heard jazz streaming from a window. Door was open so I went in to find a band playing in an open loft. Asked if I could listen to which a band member replied sure then asked if I played. Said yes, was a trumpet player. They asked if I had my horn with me and told them in the building down the block. They asked me to get it and sit in as their second trumpet would not be there. I did. Turned out it was the 9 lives jazz ensemble, Mingus's band just after he passed. Wound up being bands sub and this launched my music career in NYC.

AND to the Chemists out there:

HAPPY EASTER from:

The Ether Bunny

A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a Harley when a heart surgeon walked into his shop. As the surgeon was waiting for the service manager to look at his bike, the mechanic called to him: "Hey Doc, can I ask you a question?" The surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic working on the motorcycle.

The mechanic wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "Doc, look at this engine. Like you, I can open it up, take valves out, fix 'em, put in new parts and when I finish this will work just like a new one. So why do I earn a pittance and you get the really big money, when we are doing basically the same work?"

The surgeon smiled, leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic: “Try doing it while the engine is still running.”

For those wanting to join in on the first session in January, the First Sunday Jazz Jam is featuring Cincinnati's premier trumpet player, Mike Wade. I will be there as well so bring your axe if you are nearby and get the chance to play with Mike:

Maybe not New Years Eve, but close. If you are in Dayton and looking for a relaxing evening to recover from the New Years Eve Partying, come on by tomorrow evening in Dayton's Historic Arcade!

@barliman2001 said in Calicchio trumpets:

Several reasons come to mind...

1. Many professionals have been contracted as Signature Artists - they get paid (sometimes huge sums) to play on a certain manufacturer's horns, and endorse them. Their personal horns are then crafted to whatever specification they prefer. So it may well be that some professionals are playing Committee clones - we just don't know.

True enough. I had the tremendous honor to play a concert with Allen Vizzutti and during rehearsal in which I played my Committee, Allen came over to me to say he really admired that horn and until coming over to being a Yamaha sponsored musician, was playing the Committee.

Till Bronner and I also had the chance to play together and he too shared his admiration for the Committee. He is also a Yamaha sponsored musician.

@flugler said in Calicchio trumpets:

I have played both Martin Committees and Calicchio trumpets. I don't like the Martins. They got their reputation because I think some famous players played them (like Miles). But I find them dead sounding. I play in big bands, and need to project. They don't..

I somewhat cautiously agree with this but rather then call them dead sounding, perhaps the better term is it can produce a rather subdued quality. For this reason, I play my Committee with my performances with small group ensembles that play more from the Miles song book as well as serving more as back up for a rhythm section or for female vocalists (therefore a more subdued sound). I do and rather choose play all my big band performances with my Harrelson that has quite different projection characteristics than the Committee.

However there was this performer some may have heard of, Dizzy Gillespie, that was known as a big band, high range trumpet player that was more associated with the iconic bent-bell trumpet Committee to enhance its projection; however, he did experiment with Martin Committee trumpets for more than a decade in his career before switching to the King silver flair. Mick Gillette of Tower of Power fame was also known for his lead chop performed with that band on the Committee. So I caution be careful when generalizing. The use of this horn is more related to the ability of the owner. It is an amazingly versatile horn.

@Richard-III said in Martin Committee:

I suppose the good news when spending large amounts of cash for a vintage trumpet is that when you have to have the valves rebuilt, the cost seems less?

Committee valves are amazing. My 1946 had no valve work when I received it in the early 2000s. All pistons without any wear pattern. The action is faster than any of my horns, even my newest, a 2017 Harrelson.

I have played several other Committee. Tom Green (a well known trumpet refurbisher) sends me Committee horns to play and review after he refurbishes them prior to releasing them out on the market. There is not a single vintage Committee he has sent me that 1) required valve work; 2) has had any problems what so ever with valve function. I just reviewed a 1947 Committee for him not too long ago. Another consistently great Martin Committee!

A vintage Martin Committee is a great horn. I know. I own one. It is my favorite of all my horns. Why? Because I play it well and it plays me well... better than any horn I have ever played or owned. Is it worth $7.000? You will only know that answer once you play one.

I lucked out on my horn. I bid for it on e-bay. I offered the first bid at a ridiculous underbid ($2,000). After that bid, it was taken down by the seller. I contacted the seller and they said my starting bid scared them. So I told them I would buy it from the seller straight out, no more bidding for $3,000. The seller said yes. So I became a proud owner of a 1946 Martin Committee, with a serial number 7 away of one the Committees Miles played in the '40s.

So yes, I have a mythical horn but I play it well and it plays me well. Was it worth $3,000? Did I mention it is my favorite horn? Oh yeah, I have a Harrelson Summit, brushed silver bell and 24k gold tuning slides, selling for $12,000 the year it was mailed to me in 2017. My Martin Committee still gives me more pleasure than the Harrelson, so yeah, I bought it for $3,000, but it means more to me than a horn that would cost me $12,000 to replace.

Not sure if that answers your question. But if that 1957 plays the same as my 1946 horn, I would pay $7,000 for that horn.

My choice was to play a big band Christmas church performance with 19 others, playing Stan Kenton Christmas charts...

or

Playing a more traditional Lutheran Church service with just me playing descant Hymnal trumpet parts and an Organist.

Not such a tough choice... do I divide the collection plate with 19 individuals, or just 2?.. Hum!

@barliman2001 said in Christmas stand-in...:

Just got a call from a choir conductor... he needs me as second trumpet in Mozart's Piccolomini Mass on Christmas Day...
modern, well-heated church, playing in the organ loft (civvies permitted)... so all the plans of spending Christmas Day with my mother-in-law went overboard - no turkey for me!

Maybe when you return home, there may still be room in the dog house!

Is that a slide instrument? If so, is it easy to learn?

More specifically, here is Ultra-Pure comment on risk specific to valve oil:

Ultra-Pure Professional Valve Oil is made of synthetic oils and is considered to be safe for its intended use as a lubricant for brass instruments. It is colorless and has no noticeable odor. It is non-flammable, non-combustible, and safe to bring on airplanes with other liquids or to ship by airmail without restrictions. Ultra-Pure Oils products do not react with metals, do not cause corrosion and do not form sticky residues.

Ultra-Pure Professional Valve Oil is not intended for any other use and is not intended for extreme high temperature or other unusual environments. Keep it away from heat, sparks, and flame. It should not be ingested or inhaled deeply into the lungs, and it should not be left within reach of young children.

Skin Contact and Eye Contact:

Mild skin irritation and other discomfort may occur after contact if you have sensitive skin. Wash skin thoroughly with water and mild soap to remove the oil from skin. Avoid eye contact, and if exposed, rinse eyes immediately with plenty of clean running water thoroughly and seek medical help.

Ingestion, Inhalation, and Aspiration Hazard:

If the valve oil is accidentally ingested or inhaled, please DO NOT induce vomiting as it may cause the oil to enter into the lungs. If vomiting occurs, the head should be kept low so that vomit will not enter the lungs. Please seek medical help immediately. See additional cautions below.

Any light oil including valve oils, synthetic or petroleum-based, may be harmful or fatal if inhaled into the lungs as it can cause lung damage and can make it hard to breathe. All valve oil manufacturers are required to put these warnings on the bottles in the USA and in Europe.

Here is the direct link to this reference:
https://www.ultrapureoils.com/post/product-health-safety?srsltid=AfmBOoqMxhp2nnN7YWKnaMH2I-nI12m6oaau0V_rPuxu5NgEOnXJDJax