Humbled...

... beyond belief!

That's how I feel right now.. coming back from my classes today.

I had a private lesson with AH, and ensemble class slightly later in the evening. That was the moment I could get to see the cats around me play, and boy, can they play!! More on that later.

Private instruction was really good... but I realized how truly weak a saxophone player I was, just from this first lesson. I felt like I couldn't play at all, in front of AH! There's a lot of work to be done... A LOT! My lack of commitment to practicing has shown. This was my first humbling experience for today.

Jazz ensemble... well, we played a few big band arrangements. Among them were two familiar tunes, Mambo Inn and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. And before you could say, ".. easy song wuttt...", man... the arrangements were kick ass to play! I had some problems sight-reading it (ie. I'm slow), and the other sax players beside me were reading it like it was nothing! Not only that, they could solo so well!! And they weren't easy parts too. 16th notes, with loads of accidentals, etc. Man.. some of them were pretty sick bebop-ish lines to play! Man.. I'm probably one of the weakest members in the group... no, I probably am! The arrangement for Smoke, Mr. Mossman did it for the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band.. oh man.. what a killer arrangement. Gotta work on that..

To say I am humbled, is a severe understatement. Trashed is more like it!

I can understand why some people will give up halfway.. and some even went nuts, too, I heard.

I must... no, I will find the strength in me to pull through. I didn't come all this way to NYC to give in so easily!

.... help!

LOL!

Wish me luck..