bandman

I had a great time. I went down to Playa del Carmen with 85 friends for a big get together we have every year.

There were a bunch of mariachi bands -- anyone want to guess what kind of horn they were all playing??????
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You guessed it -- Bach Strads! Most of the guys I heard were very good. The one Cuban guy who played in the house band really rocked! They had that Afro-Cuban sound going on and he was fantastic! His horn??? You guessed it! Another Bach Strad.

trumpet blower88

Of course... Everyone plays a bach strad...

Mikey

That is not surprising. And it shows how well you can adapt a Bach to any style of playing. Plus, I imagine these guys do not have the luxury of trying every horn on the market like some of us can. They don't get hung up on equipment, but concentrate on making great MUSIC.

Ole'!

Manny Laureano

I don't see why that's so surprising.

Who but Bach has been around as long ( the 30's ) AND been able to establish a mainstream reputation for as long by getting the best layers to play them? Yamaha has only been taken seriously since the the late '70's. Schilke since the early 70's, maybe late '60's in some markets. I might have believed Benge because of the LA connection, though. What does that leave but a handful of makes that are associated with specific artists (Holton/Maynard, Olds/Mendez, that sort of thing)?

Also, Bach mouthpieces are very easy to get everywhere. So, I think there's a brand recognition, they're available in a lightweight model or two for the sound they want, they're not terribly expensive, relatively speaking. You can pick up a used one with no trouble. Like I said, it's not a surprise.

ML

bandman

I had noticed on our trips in the past that many played Bach Strads, but this year something really stuck out. We stayed at the Iberostar Paraiso Lindo in Playa del Carmen where they have several musicians in many parts of the resorts. The trombone player in the Beach Lobby Bar plays a King 606 (a beginner level horn). The sax players in the little 4-piece (two sax, a guitar and a drum) both play on Yamaha YAS23 Altos (beginner level horns). The sax player in the Lindo house band did play a Selmer Mark VI.

I don't know why I was noticing the instruments, but the overall quality of horns, and the percussion equipment was garbage compared to what you would expect a guy to play, when he plays 6-8 hours a day. Only the trumpet players had consistently high-end equipment, and they were ALL Bach Strads.

For some reason I expected to see some old Constellations, and maybe a Kanstul in the hands of the younger guys. Nope -- not going to happen. All were Bach Strads in silver finish, and they were all shined and in good condition. I even noticed them wiping them down between sets.

By the way, the guy who plays trumpet in what they refer to as the Star Band in the Del Mar Theater is a young Cuban. He was there last year as well and I noticed his ability. After playing 6-8 hours a day (and sometimes more than that) this guy has gotten better and better. He could play lead with many bands, but his salsa style ability is wonderful. He probably grew up playing that kind of music and he feels it down to his bones! It was a joy to listen to him play everyday!

silverstar

Welcome back! Sounds like you had fun!

Lara

talcito

You must have seen many Parduba mouthpieces--the guys that play that style(Mariachi) are pretty loyal to that. When they come to NYC I often accompany them to the shops and most do not even want to try anything else--they will usually buy the Parduba without even taking it out of the box. The old Conn Constellation is a favorite trumpet for these players---Perhaps you don't seem them much anymore because the old ones are harder to find nowadays.

Its great to see that you heard the Cuban players over there. Its a common place for Cubans to stay away from Fidel---Mexico offers them the opportunity to play nightly shows etc.(as well as the opportunity to have a couple of meals a day!). These guys play and practise so much--they are very dangerous( I am Cuban also). Cubans love Bach trumpets as they are the last quality horn to be seen in Cuba. After Fidel came in 1959 all they used to get in the island were terrible Russian made horns---but even these horns sounded great when you played 12 hours a day!

bandman

Here are a couple pics I took during the week. The Mariachi player is the best I've ever heard. He had that piercing sound, yet it was quite pleasant to listen to, and that's a hard combination. I heard him warming up outside the restaurant and he was doing lips slurs and long tones.

The second picture is the group they refer to as the Star Band. They are really very good musicians and even better as entertainers. The trumpet player was a very shy/quiet guy who had very limited English skills. I loved the way he always kind of stood at the back and stayed unnoticed until it was solo time -- then everyone knew who he was!!! He was a really fine player! He always fit into the band and looked like he had no gas left, but then he's let a high G or High A scream -- not half way but big, full, and in tune!!!

silverstar

For some reason, after looking at those pictures, I have the third movement from "La Fiesta" stuck in my head.

Lara

trumpet blower88

Haha, have you ever noticed that "La Fiesta Mexicana" sounds all professional and everything, but then if you translate it to english it's just "The Mexican Party"? It dosn't have the same feel to it... It just seems funny...

Sorry about the random comment... I'll go away now...