There are two sections to this page. First is the photo gallery starting from as far back as Drozdoff’s road experiences on Maynard Ferguson’s band to recent clinics and concerts. Just follow the link below!
Online Recital
This next segment is essentially a series of clips that could constitute a free recital offered to the world. I want to share music with folks who would listen. The folks who watch my video clips or listen to my tracks CHOSE to come here and do so. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. I can only hope that I have lifted your spirits in some way and brought some “aural healing” into you life, even if only for a few moments!
Enjoy!
Funky One
This is a one minute long improvised piece. On this, rhythm tracks were assembled from the royalty free tracks available through Sony/Sonic Foundry - ACID software. You can see the CakeWalk window on the PC. Also the room audio was faded out and then back in.
Puzzlement
This is a very mellow piece for Felix Vayser’s cornet. I played absolutely no hight notes on this. I’ve got plenty of clips with egregious high notes (Sining Exercises up to F over DHC, Funky One, Basement Blowage, Hi Gear Low Gear 1 & 2, to name a few). I was in the mood for a completely peaceful and pensive piece for tonights sharing. I do hope you enjoy this bit of contrast for me. –>>Peace!
Door County Meditation
This is another short jazz/fusion piece. I created the synth/loop quasi ambient background track late last summer after coming back from Door County. I didn’t get around to improvising the cornet part till Dec. 28, 2007. I used Felix Vayser’s new Stage 1 GS Cornet with a Lead mouthpiece in it, striving for a ore Nat Adderly sort of sound (as opposed to a brass band sound). This a kind of peaceful tune with a bit of a burn going on in the middle. I was going for a semi-free-jazz feel on it.
Basement Blowage
This gives a brief demonstration of the overdub process. First, rhythm tracks were assembled from the royalty free tracks available through Sony/Sonic Foundry - ACID software. Then horn parts were improvised together as background and solos. Shown in the video are the solo overdubs.
Goedicke Etude
This was recorded the Concert Etude by Alexander Goedicke after a grueling Dixieland parade gig on July 1, 2007.
Goedicke Etude - Altered
On this version of the Goedicke etude, the room sound (recorded simultaneously with the mics on the camera) was left up in spots to emphasize the overdubbing process.
Badinage by Bozza
This is a piece that featured Felix Vayser’s Stage 1 California C trumpet in context. I love this gentle little piece - not overly complex - just beautiful music. I’m using the Stage 1 C and a John Lynch Asymmetrical 3c mouthpiece. This is one take here.
HORN DEMOS/AUDITIONS
What follows are a series of short demos demonstrating what I play on each horn. In addition to having them here on my media page, these are sent out to folks who don’t know me as an audition or, in some cases, a pre-audition.
Bass Trumpet Demo
This is a short etude by Phil Snedcor played on my Getzen bass trumpet with a Yamaha 42B trombone mouthpiece.
Bass Trumpet Demo 2 - A Little Bit Funky
First I made some drum samples to create a funky groove to blow over. Then I just improvised a bunch of ideas that popped into my head. I ran it a few times and then did a couple of takes. This is the second one. I wanted to show the bass trumpet in a slightly different light. Again this is played on my Getzen bass trumpet with a Yamaha 42B trombone mouthpiece.
Cornet Demo - Legit and Jazz
After much experimentation I found that the sound I get on my Arban Courtois model cornet and my New York Trumpet Company Stage 1 Model GS cornet is virtually identical on both. I just find the GS more fun to play and easier to blow.
Flugel Horn Demo - Legit and Jazz
I did this as a pre-audition project for something I was looking into. There are six segments. The first four are excerpts from brass band literature. I’m not sure what instrument they are written for (cornet, euphonium in treble clef or flugel horn) but they were on a list. The instructions said to play the instrument of your choice, so I chose flugel as a challenge. After those four I did the first entrance of the post horn solo from Mahler’s 3rd. Phil Smith recommends a C cornet as the most agreeable and playable instrument for this. He specifically cites flugel as NOT being a good choice even though the part calls for flugel in Bb. It is a tough horn to do this on, but, again, I liked the challenge. Finally I blew two choruses of Hello Young Lovers. On the second chorus, I add some blowage for the AB parts and then come back with the melody and an improvised tag. The details are in the text displayed in the video.
