That's the phrase Maynard Ferguson often used to describe the trumpet, and I wholeheartedly agree. Nobody will ever be able to tell me otherwise. It is a sad day because one of my favorite musicians died, but it has triggered many fond memories from childhood and from my school days.

I remember the first time I heard Maynard Ferguson. That moment I decided that playing the drums would never be adequate for me and I immediately switched over to the trumpet. I couldn't believe how powerful his playing was, and his range was nothing short of stratospheric. I couldn't believe how clean his upper register was. Unless you are a trumpet player, you probably will never understand how difficult it is to develop these skills if you are not naturally blessed with them. I wanted to play like Maynard, and it gave me the motivation to play every day until either my lips were bleeding or I couldn't make any noise out of my horn.

The world has lost one of the greatest jazz musicians in history. This much is not to be debated. When he made his debut with Stan Kenton's orchestra in '50 nobody at that time or at any previous time could play lead like Maynard. He had range and power that no other player possessed. From that moment on, lead playing took a quantum leap forward.

Don't get me wrong, Miles will always be number one for me and for many other trumpet players, he could play through a garden hose and make it sound amazing, but Maynard was in a class of his own when it came to high octane, aggressive soloing and lead playing. I also am constantly amazed when I hear Don Ellis, someone I very much would have liked to see had he not passed away at a young age.

To me Jazz will always be the ultimate form of musical expression. I'm saddened that there aren't too many big bands anymore. There are only so many trios and smaller ensembles I can listen to before wanting to hear something more layered and orchestral in nature. Seeing Maynard was always a special experience for me because his band was always top notch, and I would always get goosebumps and even a little emotional after hearing the first few seconds of heavenly bliss come out from the horns. It's a completely different experience from checking out a rock band.

On the bright side, God's got one whale of a new lead player.

I'll miss you Maynard! RIP!

Yes, your humble and magnificent correspondent got banned from the Hannity forums:

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You have been banned for the following reason:
quoting filter bypass and vulgar abuse.

Date the ban will be lifted: August 25th, 2006

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Now, you might be wondering what could you say that would be so awful that you would get banned?

Nothing. I actually was quoting someone else who was vulgar and abusive. I included their quote in my response.

At least the piece of shit abusive motherfucker got warned.

BAN BAN BAN BAN

DeAnna,

Gramma, bless her heart, she told me you were "Diana." You would love Gramma, she's the best, a little blunt but the best anyway.

The truth of the matter is she left me your info and I lost it somewhere here in my apartment. I lose anything that isn't nailed down. So I launched an online campaign to find out some info, but obviously since I didn't have your name right I wasn't exactly successful.

Then like a week later I found your number. I called it and it was out of service. Obviously you had moved away from Orlando to who knows where. My search came to an end and I was very disappointed.

Anyway why would I not want to talk to you? This is one of the happiest days ever. Imagine not knowing almost anything about half of your family for 28 years! That's a long time. Josh and I know a lot less about you guys than you know about us it seems. I do NOT associate you with Mother or anyone else, only on a surperficial level. I harbor no ill will toward her. She's basically a stranger, so it's hard to have any kind of emotional attachment. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy she didn't abort Josh and I, I'm thankful for that, she's my mom and that won't ever change, I just don't have any contact with her and haven't for my entire life.

Hmm...you know what maybe I do harbor some ill will towards her. She was 18 when she left us but when I heard she up and left MORE kids I was enraged. People are supposed to grow up at some point. Not that I was ever in a position to do anything about it but it does piss me off when I think about it.

Josh may or may not respond to you soon - for his job he travels all over and doesn't always have time to look at MySpace. So if he doesn't get back to you right away don't be upset. I know he and I are just as interested in you as you are in us.

I want you to know that I love you, little Sister, and that I'm happy you got to us. Let the info exchange begin! First of all what are you doing in Little Rock? Let me know what your new number is so I can call you sometime this week. I'm applying for jobs, and planning a barbecue for this weekend (big arts festival here) so it will probably be a night time call.

Talk to you soon!
Jason

Are you angry about Joe Lieberman running for Senate?

Is open voter disenfranchisement better than the underhanded kind?

Discuss.

I just got back home from my walk to the bank. What an awesome day for a walk. I would have taken pictures to show you some things but (e:Joshua) broke the digi, and hasn't replaced it yet. ASSHOLE! Anyway, I saw something interesting today - a HUGE vapor trail that arced all the way across the sky.

It got me thinking, what the hell flew across our sky? No Joshy, I don't think it was a UFO so I'm going to preempt you right now. I stare at the sky enough to know that commercial jets leave smaller vapor trails that dissipate eventually. This thing was solid. The best guess I could make was that the vapor trail was left by a C-130 flying to Niagara Falls. I wish I would have seen it - those things are enormous and make a lot of noise.

I remember one day playing golf at the country club in PA when I saw no less than FIVE of these giant planes flying really low across the sky. It was really impressive. They carry tanks, and very large amounts of cargo in support of our military operations, as well as innumerable international aid missions. The pilots fly insanely long missions, not as long as B2 missions but it is probably an awfully boring job.

I also remember something I read in the book Inside Delta Force by founding member Eric Haney. Well, I vaguely remember it but I can give you the gist. It's been a while since I read the book. Anyway you remember our bungled Iran hostage rescue mission around 25 years ago, yes? Haney and his fellow Deltas, as well as some other troops, fuel and cargo, were in some of these C-130s flying to a classified staging area where the US forces would prepare for and launch the main rescue operation.

The guy in charge of the mission was a Navy Admiral, and so he wanted his branch in particular to shine. Generals and Admirals are like this - they love getting credit and getting promotions. So this Admiral employed Navy choppers to ferry our guys from the staging area to the main operational theater. They were completely inadequate for the job. On the way to the staging area a sandstorm kicked up and some of the Sea Stallions were unable to proceed. It was a failure of planning. The mission was aborted, but not before one of the Navy choppers lost control and collided with a C-130, with Haney and his Deltas inside of it.

The C-130 started to explode, and Haney saw that the pilots and a couple of marines immediately were torched. He was certain that he was going to die. Somehow his base human instinct kicked in and he decided if he was going to die he was going to die trying his ass off to get out. He booked it and miraculously made it out before the entire plane burst into flames. Right out of an action movie. Talk about a bad day at work!

Naturally Eric Haney is no fan of Jimmy Carter, even though both of them are natives of Georgia. I guess I don't blame him.

The bums are out in force today. Keep your heads low.