From The Archives...
This page will include updates from time to time. I am pouring through my old recorded archives and creating slideshow videos to share my work from decades ago.
Mendez Jota from a 1979 Rehearsal
This was a rehearsal. The pianist was sight reading. He would only work this way. Nevertheless, I want to share this blast from the distant past. The recording was done with a little cassette recorder of a primitive sort. At this point in my career I had no formal training in music. I didn't get my music masters till 12 years later.
Flor Peters Sonata from 1979 Rehearsal
This was part of the same rehearsal. The pianist was sight reading. This is the entire sonata performed with no retakes, no breaks and no over dubs. The recording was done on a little cassette recorded sitting on a table in the basement of the church where we rehearsed. Once gain, I had recently left my job as a EE and gone into music weith no formal training.
From The Shores of the Mighty Pacific - 1979 Rehearsal
Yet another piece from the same rehearsal as those above. The is the old Herbert L. Clarke chestnut. The recording/performance issues were the same.
Lovelock Trumpet Concerto - 1979 REhearsal
This is the last piece from the rehearsal tape I discovered. This is by far the most ragged, but it is a lovely piece of music, in spite of the few clams that surfaced. Remember, this was a rehearsal.
Also, I had not learned how to properly prepare this sort of music, yet. I was quite unschooled at this point of my life.
Maynard Ferguson Intro + My 1980 Demo Tape
In the summer of 1980, my then fiance helped me put together a short flashy demo that would sell two of the skills that I wanted to promote. The result was this disco version of Besame Mucho done by Chris Lay. It is dated and a bit corny by today's standards, but it did the trick and landed me a lot of work, including my stint on Maynard Ferguson's band.
Peter Drozdoff Composition demo
Back in the mid 80's to mid 90's there was the remnants of a thriving jingle (studio) scene in Chicago. My brother, Pete, is an excellent composer and arranger. He was seeking to develop a career as a jingle producer. I was seeking to expand my career as a studio trumpeter. I play all of the trumpets on these tracks. However, this clip as all about Pete's music. Yeah, it is a jingle demo, but the music here is just to good to allow it to vanish into the mists of time. So it lives on here and in my YouTube account. If only a few folks give it a listen, that is the step in the right direction!