Manny Laureano

I've been offering teasers about a few "projects" I've been involved in and am finally ready to 'fess up.

Last year an old student and colleague of mine, Luis Loubriel, came for a visit and was eager to show me the result of ten years wrth of research to complete his doctoral requirements. I was breathless when he showed me what it was.

You all know by now that I have always had great regards for the life work of Arnold Jacobs as an artist and as the greatest pedagogue of wind playing ever. His walk matched his talk up until the day he slipped away into history. Well, Luis, having lived in Chicago as a student and then moving back there later to work shared my same enthusiasm. So, he set to the task of putting together a thesis that would be a compendium of imformation that is thus far unparalleled, in my experience.

Imagine a book that contains the following:

a complete discussion regarding the state of the art of brass teaching and the vast mythologies that accompanied it up until about 1945

a complete discussion regarding the research AJ did to find the bio-mechanics of repiratory function during wind-playing

a complete discussion regarding how to reduce that vast research to simple commands that let one play artistically

a technical discussion which shows how students learn and expand their learning through the various processes of consistent practice

page after page of transripted material from AJ's clinics and masterclasses

transcriptions of lessons with a variety of trumpet students and paths to help sove problems they brought to Jacobs

interviews with John Cvejanovich, Vince Cichowicz, Ron Hasselman, Will Scarlett, and myself regarding our experiences with Jacobs as a performer and teacher, why we went to Jacobs in the first place and how he changed our playing


I was absolutely knocked out by the sheer amount of information Luis had put together. After digesting it all I said to him "There's NO WAY that this should remain on some shelf unread by the trumpet-playing public. The information here is too valuable." On the spot I offered to edit the dissertation to make it more accessible to most players and guide it towards a different format so that it would be a more inviting "read".

If you go to http://luisloubriel.com/index.html and scroll down halfway you'll see the cover of the book as it will be sold shortly. It's called "Lasting Change for Trumpeters" by Luis Loubriel.

The final price will be about 30 bucks and I can't tell you enough what a fabulous thing Luis has done. It's not the type of book you would sit and try to read in one sitting. It's the kind you read over and over until the concepts click for you. For those of you that were fortunate enough to study with Arnold you'll feel like you're back in his studio. If you never studied with him you'll have a very good idea of what it was like, blending complex information with a simplicity of approach that shows how easy brass playing can be.

The most fascinating thing about this book is that there is not one note of music in it! AJ's teaching was like that in the respect that he kept the study of respiratory function and artistic execution separate. He liked keeping thought that was basically informational away from how you expressed yourself. It's not a "method per se. Rather, it's an explanantion of how and why we do the things we do, correctly and incorrectly. Once you have the info you have the opportunity to apply that info to your situation whether you're a player in a great orchestra or you play in your basement as a hobby.

So, if you're looking for a book with exercises, studies, and drills this is not what the book is about. It's about finding your own way to simplifying what you do, and giving you permission to find your own voice on the trumpet.

There'll be more information to follow soon about the release date and exact price and other ordering minutiae.

I hope this teaser excites you as much as reading his work did me!

ML

Clarino

That sounds amazing Manny!

Another one for my wish list!

Solar Bell

Sounds like a "must have"!

-cw-

Veldkamp

Great !

I've become a big fan of AJ since I read 'Song and Wind" and other material available on www.windsongpress.com

Maybe they can also help in distributing the book.

trumpetmike

Sounds good - where can it be obtained from?

Having just finished A Cornet Playing Pilgrim's Progress and having got Magnificent Mendez (both from HME) on the stand now, I will soon be looking for my next inspirational brass read.

One thing that I found wonxderful about the Clark ebook was its spiral bound publication - it sat beautifully on the stand whilst warming up with long notes and scale exercises - a definite case of knowing one's market.

Manny Laureano

Mike,

It's self-published for now and will eventually be available online until we get a suitable distributor. And, yes, it is also spiral bound for ease of reading.

ML

Clarino

You know, for a moment I thought you were going to say it was published online!

Derek Reaban

Both of my instructors worked with Arnold Jacobs. I was getting lessons focusing on many of his breathing concepts years before Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind came out. I knew how important these concepts were, and seeing the results in my instructor's playing validated this information.

I find that my learning style is more suited to a visual presentation and well written books can transport me other places. When Song and Wind came out, I was literally transported back to the Curtis Institute and was inspired by stories of Marcel Tabuteau (who I had never heard of prior to reading this book). The interviews with colleagues of Arnold Jacobs were simply amazing, and seeing the concepts in print that I had learned in lessons allowed me to explore them in more detail and apply them more deeply in my playing.

Something that I really enjoy is finding similar concepts as described by many different authors, and then comparing the words that they use in relating the idea to the reader. If this book has excited you as you describe Manny, then we all need to include it in our libraries. Having studied with Mr. Jacobs, you have your unique perspective. Having never studied with Mr. Jacobs, but having read about him in great detail, I can honestly say that his message can reach a player in a way that few other's can.

Thank you so much for participating in this project. I know that we will all be better players for it.


Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

camelbrass

Sounds great Manny.

Song and Wind put a lot of what I naturally took for granted as a brass player (I started as a tuba player) into context and put a framework around it. It's only after I read that book, having never had actual contact with the man, that I realised how influential he was, even on the other side of the world. It will be interesting to see a more trumpetcentric look at Mr Jacob's research and phylosophies.

Can't wait.


Regards,


Trevor

gzent

Awesome! I'll take 2!