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Category Archives: Instrument Repair
NOWfest Japan
Imagine yourself sitting in an Asian oasis…which turns out to be the home of the Japanese ambassador to the United States. You are sipping a glass of saki and dining on sushi and tempura amongst the well-dressed and well-funded benefactors … Continue reading
Posted in Concerts, Instrument Repair, Music, Uncategorized
Tagged Arts Walk, brass repair, DC Chamber Orchestra, DC Concert Orchestra, DCCO, instrument modification, instrument repair, Monroe Street Market, New Orchestra of Washington, NOW, Randy J Mueller, Robert Schroyer, Saxophone repair, trombone repair, trombones, trumpet repair, woodwind repair
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Winning Science Fair Project
Remember this? Well, I have been experimenting with the removal of the green crystalized funk off and on for a while now, seeking the perfect stripper to come to my aid. I finally found the right one: Aircraft Stripper! You … Continue reading
Terell Stafford Strikes the Right Note
After a difficult and divisive week for our country, it was a comforting respite to spend Veteran’s Day with one of the top big bands on the planet, the Airmen of Note. This was the third of their Heritage Series, … Continue reading
The Redskins’ Sousas
Not long ago I got a call from Santo, who plays Sousaphone in a local band called Crush Funk. It turns out he also plays in the Redskins marching band, one of only two professional marching bands in the country. … Continue reading
From C to Shining C
Jonathan Johnson, a fine symphonic trumpet player in Portland, OR, has been bringing his horns to me for 20 years. Now that I’m in DC, he sent his Bach C 229 bell 25H leadpipe horn across the country for a … Continue reading
Roy Hargrove’s Carbon Fiber Trumpet
Roy Hargrove’s Carbon Fiber Trumpet Last week I got a surprise call from Larry, the band manager for Roy Hargrove, trumpet player extraordinaire. Roy is a world famous jazz trumpet player, arranger and band leader for small ensembles and big … Continue reading
Posted in Concerts, Instrument Repair, Jazz Band, Music
Tagged Blues Alley, brass repair, Jazz, Jazz band, Roy Hargrove, trumpet repair
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Good Bones
Tim Dugen dropped by my shop about a week ago with a broken bone. Tim plays a Shires large bore trombone in The President’s Own US Marine Band. He came in to have a bell dent removed, but when I … Continue reading
Posted in Instrument Repair, Uncategorized
Tagged brass repair, instrument repair, trombone repair, trombones
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Fluting with the Smithsonian
Back in October Yolanda and I attended a concert at the National Museum of American History to hear the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (see previous post). To our amazement, the band featured Dr. David Skorton, the brand new Secretary of … Continue reading
Posted in Concerts, Instrument Repair, Jazz Band, Music
Tagged David Skorton, flute repair, Jazz flute, Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Smithsonian
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Trumpet Mash-up
Marcus brought this unfortunate horn into the shop, sheepishly explaining that he fell onto his trumpet while horsing around in the band room. This reinforces a couple of my repair tech principles: gig bags are dent bags and humans can … Continue reading
Posted in Instrument Repair, Uncategorized
Tagged brass repair, instrument repair, Randy J Mueller, trumpet repair
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Highway of Horns
A couple of weeks ago I visited the Potomac Arts Academy, a community arts organization at George Mason University that provides instruments for underprivileged kids in schools in Virgina. They wanted me to take a look at 84! horns in … Continue reading
Randy J Mueller 