Building a Saxophone web site

Drummer Matti Oiling died suddenly
Published first on October 6, 2009 by YLE; the Finnish Broadcasting Company. A versatile drummer and band leader Kaj-Matti Oiling is dead. Mr. Oiling, born in 1942, died suddenly in Fuengirola, Spain. Matti became known during the decades of Oiling Boiling Rhytm'n Blues Band which he founded in 1969. He began playing professionally when twenty years old in Onni Gideon's band. Although Matti had a strong jazz background, pop music generally belonged to

Improvisation Basics 4: Psyching Out Improv Demons
I participated in mid-1990s in Jazz Studio class taught Roger Freundlich in Espoo, Finland. Roger later published an article in Down Beat Magazine (1998) about his teaching methods. Here is a summary of it: Look the demons of jazz improvisation straight in the eyes and say, "I'm going to improvise - deal with it!"

Jon R. Smith: White Trash, Michael Brecker, Philip Glass
"I used to occasionally hang out with Mike Brecker in NYC. We would both be sitting in with Paula Lockhart who had Howie Wyeth playing drums…Brecker told me that two of his favorite players were Jim Pepper and Jon Smith." John Firmin (aka Johnny Nocturne) “Jon’s sound is instantaneously recognized, something only a handful of players have, with a tone that’s as big as a house, and a big vibrato that’s characteristic of a gospel singers…If I were putting together a horn section, Jon would be my absolute first choice.”

Tim Price on How To Find Your Saxophone Sound
My good friend, Tim Price authored a comprehensive set of Jazz Lessons and Etudes for my web site, Sax on the Web. Tim is a Selmer Clinician, professional musician, jazz journalist and author. He teaches in New York City and Pennsylvania. While at Berklee, he studied with Charlie Mariano, as well as with Andy McGhee, Joe Viola, and Nick Ciazza. After Berklee he studied saxophone and improvisatio

Bar Mendocino, Tall Ships, and Horses in the Lobby
What does this blog title mean? You figure it out, but it was another exhilarating Monday night (October 12, 2009) in the premier Helsinki roots/blues jam venue; Bar Mendocino. There were two reasons for a special celebration. The multi-instrumentalist and, blues/jazz talent Markku  "Rene" Reinikainen was in town. We had an important gig for following night for BTA (Bob's Take Away) and Markku agreed to fill in for bass for this gig.