The Brass Junkies Episode 180: Matt Neff of the North Carolina Symphony

As you will hear, Matt is a really good friend. We used to teach together and played next to each other in the American Festival Pops Orchestra for years.

We had so much back there that I’m not sure how we never got in any trouble!

Matt is a killer classical player and a killer jazz player! Both of them sound like his home base and that’s not easy to do.

I loved hearing him talk about taking lessons after he already had a major gig and crediting that with winning the North Carolina Symphony audition upon his retirement from the United States Air Force Band.

You can watch the episode on YouTube below or head over to Pedal Note Media for all of the links to where to find it.

Enjoy!

---

On This Episode of The Brass Junkies:

• His brand new awarding of tenure with the North Carolina Symphony!

• The North Carolina Symphony’s significant outreach across the state

• Getting a lesson with Jim Nova to overcome nerves with auditions

• The negative self-talk he experienced in his Pittsburgh Symphony audition and how he dealt with it moving forward

• How he used taking 20-25 professional auditions during his time in the Navy Band to “check himself” as a musician

• Changing his pants while driving down I-95

• The different kind of practicing you do when you are preparing for auditions

• Matt’s 17-year run in the Navy Concert Band in Washington, DC

• The Ashley Alexander recording Matt heard as a kid featuring Commodores bass trombonist Lee Goss (the loudest bass trombonist to ever live according to Matt)

• His 2-hour audition for The Commodores including playing with the band, the trombone section and playing tunes with the rhythm section

• The variety he’s experienced in his career and why it’s so important to him

• Throwing Matt Niess under the bus

---

The Brass Junkies 102: Joe Jackson

For episode 102 of The Brass Junkies we were joined by the former leader of the Airmen of Note, Joe Jackson. In addition to being one of the best trombone players in the world, Joe is also a prolific arranger.

He talked with us about leaving the University of North Texas in order to tour the world with the Maynard Ferguson Band, playing in the Airmen of Note for 20 years and producing the award-winning Jazz Heritage Series that was heard on 112 radio stations around the world. The dude has done everything!

I’ve gotten to play a number of gigs with Joe here in the DC area and he is just a treat to play with. Ears for days!

Get the full show notes and links to everywhere you can find this episode of The Brass Junkies here.

Strength Is Not the Answer

"Strength is not the answer.  I guarantee you that everyone in this room has the strength to play a high G."

—Jim Thompson, Former Principal Trumpet of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra

Preach, Jim!

Watch this video of the incredible Brian MacDonald of the Airmen of Note and tell me that strength is needed to rip in the high register.

One of my last Boston Brass big band Christmas gigs featured Brian on trumpet. I was knocked out at how ridiculously relaxed he looked while soaring above the whole band. It was a call to action to take a lot of not just unneeded, but counterproductive physicality out of my playing.

And that's why the mirror is your friend. Watch the greats on YouTube and then watch yourself. Can you be doing anything more efficiently? The answer is pretty much always yes no matter who the hell you are.