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The fascinating success story of Herb Alpert


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Lionel
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 3:41 am    Post subject: The fascinating success story of Herb Alpert Reply with quote

I'm going to work off my memory. So any errors will hopefully be minor. It isn't my purpose to provide a dead perfect historical account of the man, his music and career. Instead would like to point out several features of the man, what made him unusually successful. That and perhaps how we might gain from applying some if his ideas to our own paths behind the trumpet.

What I know about Herb can mostly be found in various websites although some of the details come from a trombonist friend of mine. He an oldtimer who first met Herb in the Army band. I'll leave my friend's name out of it if only because I don't have his permission to put this account together with his (my friend's) name attached. Nothing in this account is of a personal nature so I'm certainly not violating any secrets or trust. As stated, a quick internet search ought to document most all of my words.

Basically Herb was/is a self starter. A multi-instrumentalist who built his own recording studio in his own SoCal garage. After trying several names for his studio enterprise he and his partner Jerry Moss formed "A & M Records" in the early 1960's.

In addition to promoting Herb's incredibly successful ensemble "Herb Alpert & ThevTijuana Brass" A & M went on for several decades to develop, promote and sell quite a number of the hottest pop groups in the late 20th century. And that is probably an understatement.

In his few years before attaining stardom Herb did put together his home recording studio as mentioned previously. And having returned from a trip from Mexico he became enthralled with the possibility of using his trumpet and a small ensemble to duplicate the exciting drama of the bullfight. The natural result was Herb's powerful and dramatic "The Lonely Bull".

On his first album Herb initially played all the instruments hiself. Each channel being dubbed over the next. Then when the production was complete he took his records directly to radio deejays and record store owners for promotion. After certain radio stations began playing his records these same local deejays soon were bombarded with call ins from listeners. Each demanding to know who the trumpet player was, what his band's name was. That and where to go huy thevrecords. The rest of course is history. As Alpert's music sold like hotcakes. In fact despite the near concurrent success of the British Invasion Herb's Tijuana Brass albums actually outsold the Beatles in 1966. An extraordinary feat.

Herb's next problem was kinda funny: since he had recorded all of his own instruments on his demo album? He needed now to assemble a real band. In order to meet his expected club dates.

It probably helped greatly that Herb was also a good looking nan. As for his trumpet sound? He preferred to write and arrange his songs in the same range or tessitura as the human voice. I've always liked his tone. And while some of my own peers have tried to put him down I never joined that chorus. While Herb was never known for playing high notes? That and according to his own statements I have heard? Herb did have to endure a rebuilding period for his embouchure. That's right,

Herb once lost his chops. I consider him all that more respectable for sticking with his horn and coming out the other side. I do have my own opinions about why Alpert had chop difficulties but it isn't my main purpose here to analyze his method. That said it is still almost impossible for me to not write at least one comment on this matter. And only one. I will state it and then conclude my thoughts on his career. Just the following brief statement re his temporary chop problems.

No doubt Herb was eventually able to work his chop problems out. As mentioned however his chop setting reminds me of my own. A distinctly receded lower jaw and with the fine resonance generally associated with this setting. So my concern for Herb relates mostly to mouthpiece choice. Granted he put his chops together fine. However his chops started to give out on him while he was playing many gigs a year. That and after a spell of several demanding years always playing. It is I think quite advisable for such trumpet players to have a mouthpiece rim made as comfortable as possible. This due to the fact that a receded jaw trumpet player's upper lip tends to develop an acute sensitivity to the inner rim edge of the mouthpiece. As the mouthpiece generally hangs at a lower angle, his upper lip gets the sharpest edge of the rim exposed.

Now just add tons of professional gigs? And you have a recipe for disaster. As the sharp, inner rim "bite" wears and wears into that ring. Anyone who has this same problem? Should,

A. Realize that some trumpet players are much more sensitive to the relationship of the inner rim edge of the mouthpiece and their upper lip. They should soften this edge either through customization or changing pieces. And,

B. Getting a little help with endurance by choosing a shallower first cup. Then mitigating the typical tonal issues concurrent with shallower mouthpiece choice by THEN either making a deeper "second cup" and or switching to a more open back bore combination such as Warburton provides. There is simply no longer any need to choose those really sharp and overly deep mouthpieves in order to achieve a sweet tone. Not and sacrficing both comfort, endurance and tone.

Get rid of that upper lip ring man! Wish I could show you a picture of a friend of mine playing 3rd cornet charts. All while in the same concert band as myself where I played that "scream chair" the E flat soprano cornet.

After a mere 2 concert my peer on the 3rd part had a nasty ring on his upper lip! Even though his highest note was a mere G top of staff. While my own tessitura seemed to average a perfect fourth ABOVE his highest note! Instead my own chops had no marks on them at all. Him? He was cooked. I felt sorry for him.

My own embouchure looks damn near identical to H. Alpert's. I have even been told that I sound like the guy. Which is a compliment that I find highly flattering as Ive always thought he had a great sound despite the various putdowns he used to receive. And when someone says they like my tone? I'm far more pleased than when they notice my upper register. Which I think is pretty strong. Well at least it is experienced anyway.

Self promotion aside what I think we can gain from Herb is this,

1. He's a musician. A true musician or he certainly wouldn't have been able to produce and sell so many millions of other artists records. And for so many years!

2. He believes in himself. Herb put together not only his own brass band but several more even as everyone had declared that "the big bands were dead".

3. He had the persistence to struggle through much adversity. That not even the temporary loss of his embouchure, an horrendously disturbing matter. Did not defeat him.

What I see in Herb's life and career is a positive role midel. Of a man who believed in himself, was willing to stick it out through hard times and against much criticism. A fellow not content just to follow but actually lead.

And on a practical level? Whenever I hear that someone wants to make music a career? That instead of becoming an irdinary sideman? Each should consider starting a band instead. Taking the "bull" by the horn. Pun intended.
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trickg
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regarding Herb's playing, my wedding band covers "Tijuana Taxi" as a first set time killer kind of tune. It's fun and upbeat, and it works well as a tune we can play while people are coming into the room to dinner from the cocktail hour.

In any case, I can tell you that "Tijuana Taxi" is not nearly as easy to play as Herb made it sound. It's not terribly high - it goes to a 2nd ledger C - but Herb made it sound easy, and added a ton of inflection into the line. I gained a lot of respect for him as a player when we started covering that tune.
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Robert P
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Herb once lost his chops. I consider him all that more respectable for sticking with his horn and coming out the other side. I do have my own opinions about why Alpert had chop difficulties

I remember some years back watching an interview on some tv show, what I recall is that he said he went through a bad period psychologically - depression or the like, not so much a physical chops issue, he just wasn't motivated to play.

Yeah, not someone you'd hire to play the lead book, but he has a sound and style. I think he's a better musician than he is a trumpet player. All that TJB stuff was his concept.

Herb also belongs to an odd club - people who are famous primarily as a trumpet player, who appeared in a movie as a trumpet player, but someone else did the playing. He appeared in Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I grew up on Herb Alpert. My dad bought - and played the hell out of - every record Herb did from the beginning, right through to Rise, which he also played the hell out of.

Herb's music is, to a great extent, the soundtrack of some very happy times in my childhood.

I've read all I can get my hands on about him, and one thing was, he had a supportive family and parents who could send him to lessons with a good player/teacher.

He indeed went into the Army band and he wrote somewhere that here he was, and everyone was better than him, and everyone could play the standard pieces better than him, so he knew he could not compete, so he worked on coming up with things of his own, that he'd invent and whistle to himself, as a kid.

He was selling records out of the trunk of his car and I like to imagine my dad buying one that way but dear ol' Dad probably bought his Alperts out of a record store like so many millions of others.

Herb's even in one of the front pages in my Mitchell Method Book 1, and mentions that it was a sort of psychological/existential crisis he had, and got over, perhaps with the help of Mitchell's son; I'm not clear on that.

Long live Herb Alpert!
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gstump
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Herb went to Carmine Caruso and credits him for improving his playing. He was very generous to Mr. Caruso after that. He published his book and funded an annual jazz competition.

I believe he recorded a song called Rise which somewhat showcased his improved sound and range.

He also surrounded himself with LAs best musicians for his bands.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 5:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robert P wrote:
He appeared in Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation.

I never noticed that before. One of my wife's favorite movies. I'll have to watch out for Mr. Alpert the next time she plays it.

Thanks for the write up, Lionel.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"It's not what you know, it's how you use what you know". Words which have stuck with me over many years. And this personifies Herb Alpert.

His trumpet playing is admittedly somewhat limited. His production and marketing skills are on a par with the best and I have tremendous respect for his success in promoting various projects. But I don't believe that success should be confused with quality music, vis-vis the Tijuana Brass.

When I was first in the service, one big macho interest was how big and qualitative a stereo unit you could have (because we could also get it relatively cheaply). And yet one specific joke coming from the members of the band I was in was that these other guys would go out and buy great stereo equipment and "then play the Tijuana Brass on it". To some, at least, as popular as it was, a little bit went a long way.
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Last edited by kehaulani on Mon May 15, 2017 7:25 am; edited 2 times in total
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RandyTX
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1jazzyalex wrote:
I grew up on Herb Alpert. My dad bought - and played the hell out of - every record Herb did from the beginning, right through to Rise, which he also played the hell out of.

I had a similar experience in my early years, though my father was really a huge fan of trumpet players in general (he played cornet himself, but his brother and my uncle was a trumpet player).

He had some of the Herb Alpert records, and as a kid I loved staring at the cover of that whipped cream album, imagining I could see more than was actually there.

By the time Rise came out, he wasn't really into that sort of music, buy I bought that album anyway instead.

At any rate, the bulk of his collection was Rafael Mendez (who he once performed with live), along with Doc, Al Hirt, Red Nichols, and a slew of others. Somewhere in their house is a huge collection of vinyl records, most of which would be of interest to trumpet players.

I never really thought Herb's stuff was that 'amazing', as in I couldn't stop listening to it over and over, like for example with the Mendez and Severinsen recordings. But, the TJB tunes were catchy and listenable for the most part.
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting look into Herb Alpert. I'm presently reading a book about the relationship of a jazz drummer and Chet Baker. He says that Chet - you can fill in the why - on the day of his "comeback" gig after a recuperation period from getting his chops destroyed by several thugs, was discovered to be trumpet-less, having hocked his horn for "pain killers" due to his painful chops.

At the last minute he called up Herb Alpert who immediately provided him with a horn. Classy.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gstump wrote:

I believe he recorded a song called Rise which somewhat showcased his improved sound and range.


Man, I marinated in Rise my senior year of high school.

My understanding is that Alpert did the Rise album because A&M Records was in financial trouble so ... "better come up with a hit". And he did.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kehaulani wrote:
Interesting look into Herb Alpert. I'm presently reading a book about the relationship of a jazz drummer and Chet Baker.


Can you share the title of the book? Sounds interesting.
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sure. It's Chet Baker: The Missing Years by Artt (sic) Frank. It'll set you back only about $25.00. Enjoy.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks!
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No negative remarks from me. No "but...". The man sounded great on his horn. He made music to which a LOT of people loved to listen. I'm one of his fans. I bought his albums and I played them until there were worn out.

In my younger years, there were two trumpet players whose sound and style I tried to copy. One was Maurice André and the other was Herb Alpert (Maynard was another idol, but imitating him was out of the question).

Inspired by this thread, I put on some Herb Alpert to listen to. After all these years, I still enjoy listening to him.

Warm Regards,
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grits Burgh wrote:
No negative remarks from me. No "but...". The man sounded great on his horn. He made music to which a LOT of people loved to listen. I'm one of his fans. I bought his albums and I played them until there were worn out.

In my younger years, there were two trumpet players whose sound and style I tried to copy. One was Maurice André and the other was Herb Alpert (Maynard was another idol, but imitating him was out of the question).

Inspired by this thread, I put on some Herb Alpert to listen to. After all these years, I still enjoy listening to him.

Warm Regards,
Grits

In that era I also enjoyed Al Hirt.
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 2:13 am    Post subject: Re: The fascinating success story of Herb Alpert Reply with quote

Lionel wrote:
I'm going to work off my memory. So any errors will hopefully be minor. It isn't my purpose to provide a dead perfect historical account of the man, his music and career. Instead would like to point out several features of the man, what made him unusually successful. That and perhaps how we might gain from applying some if his ideas to our own paths behind the trumpet.

What I know about Herb can mostly be found in various websites although some of the details come from a trombonist friend of mine. He an oldtimer who first met Herb in the Army band. I'll leave my friend's name out of it if only because I don't have his permission to put this account together with his (my friend's) name attached. Nothing in this account is of a personal nature so I'm certainly not violating any secrets or trust. As stated, a quick internet search ought to document most all of my words.

Basically Herb was/is a self starter. A multi-instrumentalist who built his own recording studio in his own SoCal garage. After trying several names for his studio enterprise he and his partner Jerry Moss formed "A & M Records" in the early 1960's.

In addition to promoting Herb's incredibly successful ensemble "Herb Alpert & ThevTijuana Brass" A & M went on for several decades to develop, promote and sell quite a number of the hottest pop groups in the late 20th century. And that is probably an understatement.

In his few years before attaining stardom Herb did put together his home recording studio as mentioned previously. And having returned from a trip from Mexico he became enthralled with the possibility of using his trumpet and a small ensemble to duplicate the exciting drama of the bullfight. The natural result was Herb's powerful and dramatic "The Lonely Bull".

On his first album Herb initially played all the instruments hiself. Each channel being dubbed over the next. Then when the production was complete he took his records directly to radio deejays and record store owners for promotion. After certain radio stations began playing his records these same local deejays soon were bombarded with call ins from listeners. Each demanding to know who the trumpet player was, what his band's name was. That and where to go huy thevrecords. The rest of course is history. As Alpert's music sold like hotcakes. In fact despite the near concurrent success of the British Invasion Herb's Tijuana Brass albums actually outsold the Beatles in 1966. An extraordinary feat.

Herb's next problem was kinda funny: since he had recorded all of his own instruments on his demo album? He needed now to assemble a real band. In order to meet his expected club dates.

It probably helped greatly that Herb was also a good looking nan. As for his trumpet sound? He preferred to write and arrange his songs in the same range or tessitura as the human voice. I've always liked his tone. And while some of my own peers have tried to put him down I never joined that chorus. While Herb was never known for playing high notes? That and according to his own statements I have heard? Herb did have to endure a rebuilding period for his embouchure. That's right,

Herb once lost his chops. I consider him all that more respectable for sticking with his horn and coming out the other side. I do have my own opinions about why Alpert had chop difficulties but it isn't my main purpose here to analyze his method. That said it is still almost impossible for me to not write at least one comment on this matter. And only one. I will state it and then conclude my thoughts on his career. Just the following brief statement re his temporary chop problems.

No doubt Herb was eventually able to work his chop problems out. As mentioned however his chop setting reminds me of my own. A distinctly receded lower jaw and with the fine resonance generally associated with this setting. So my concern for Herb relates mostly to mouthpiece choice. Granted he put his chops together fine. However his chops started to give out on him while he was playing many gigs a year. That and after a spell of several demanding years always playing. It is I think quite advisable for such trumpet players to have a mouthpiece rim made as comfortable as possible. This due to the fact that a receded jaw trumpet player's upper lip tends to develop an acute sensitivity to the inner rim edge of the mouthpiece. As the mouthpiece generally hangs at a lower angle, his upper lip gets the sharpest edge of the rim exposed.

Now just add tons of professional gigs? And you have a recipe for disaster. As the sharp, inner rim "bite" wears and wears into that ring. Anyone who has this same problem? Should,

A. Realize that some trumpet players are much more sensitive to the relationship of the inner rim edge of the mouthpiece and their upper lip. They should soften this edge either through customization or changing pieces. And,

B. Getting a little help with endurance by choosing a shallower first cup. Then mitigating the typical tonal issues concurrent with shallower mouthpiece choice by THEN either making a deeper "second cup" and or switching to a more open back bore combination such as Warburton provides. There is simply no longer any need to choose those really sharp and overly deep mouthpieves in order to achieve a sweet tone. Not and sacrficing both comfort, endurance and tone.

Get rid of that upper lip ring man! Wish I could show you a picture of a friend of mine playing 3rd cornet charts. All while in the same concert band as myself where I played that "scream chair" the E flat soprano cornet.

After a mere 2 concert my peer on the 3rd part had a nasty ring on his upper lip! Even though his highest note was a mere G top of staff. While my own tessitura seemed to average a perfect fourth ABOVE his highest note! Instead my own chops had no marks on them at all. Him? He was cooked. I felt sorry for him.

My own embouchure looks damn near identical to H. Alpert's. I have even been told that I sound like the guy. Which is a compliment that I find highly flattering as Ive always thought he had a great sound despite the various putdowns he used to receive. And when someone says they like my tone? I'm far more pleased than when they notice my upper register. Which I think is pretty strong. Well at least it is experienced anyway.

Self promotion aside what I think we can gain from Herb is this,

1. He's a musician. A true musician or he certainly wouldn't have been able to produce and sell so many millions of other artists records. And for so many years!

2. He believes in himself. Herb put together not only his own brass band but several more even as everyone had declared that "the big bands were dead".

3. He had the persistence to struggle through much adversity. That not even the temporary loss of his embouchure, an horrendously disturbing matter. Did not defeat him.

What I see in Herb's life and career is a positive role midel. Of a man who believed in himself, was willing to stick it out through hard times and against much criticism. A fellow not content just to follow but actually lead.

And on a practical level? Whenever I hear that someone wants to make music a career? That instead of becoming an irdinary sideman? Each should consider starting a band instead. Taking the "bull" by the horn. Pun intended.



Thanks for posting this! So he seems to be a real nice guy! You can still wake me up in the middle of the night and I will play "Spanish flea" "Lonely Bull", "Acapulco 1922," "Tijuana Taxi," "A taste of honey" right away. Catchy songs! Those were the days......but....
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dstdenis wrote:
Robert P wrote:
He appeared in Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation.

I never noticed that before. One of my wife's favorite movies. I'll have to watch out for Mr. Alpert the next time she plays it.

It's the scene where they take their daughter to the dance - I believe there's a couple of long shots of him and a closeup - I think Mrs. Hobbs makes some comment about how handsome he is.

I recall an interview where he said at one time he wanted to be an actor but eventually realized his passion for music was stronger.
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PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robert P wrote:
dstdenis wrote:
Robert P wrote:
He appeared in Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation.

I never noticed that before. One of my wife's favorite movies. I'll have to watch out for Mr. Alpert the next time she plays it.

It's the scene where they take their daughter to the dance - I believe there's a couple of long shots of him and a closeup - I think Mrs. Hobbs makes some comment about how handsome he is.

I recall an interview where he said at one time he wanted to be an actor but eventually realized his passion for music was stronger.


I have a huge respect for those who realize their passion or passions and set out to fulfill them based on their personal goals. Herb is one of many players I enjoy. The world needs more people who know how to stay in their lane(s).
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PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grits Burgh wrote:

In my younger years, there were two trumpet players whose sound and style I tried to copy. One was Maurice André and the other was Herb Alpert...

Warm Regards,
Grits


My dad had every Alpert album that came out, from his very first to Rise, plus I remember he had Maurice Andre' albums, and Dennis Brain (french horn) stuff too.

I guess that's a pretty small collection of brass players, but I lot of people missed out growing up on anything that wasn't played on an electric guitar.
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PostPosted: Mon May 15, 2017 1:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grew up on his stuff, love his sound to this day.

I learned a lot from him, in that as long as you are in tune, in tone, and in time, you can always find a gig with traditional range.

Now guys like Doc, Maynard, Jon, and Diz will always be idols, but I can't play that stuff, those guys have 2 and 3 octaves on me and tons of technique I will never have. Innovators all, the great thing about HA is his music is doable.

And as was mentioned above, he made some pretty tough stuff sound effortless.

And he is the man that gave us Karen Carpenter, if he never recorded a note personally would be all the contribution to music any one person would need to accomplish to be near and dear to my heart.
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Since all other motives—fame, money, power, even honor—are thrown out the window the moment I pick up that instrument..... I play because I love doing it, even when the results are disappointing. In short, I do it to do it.” Wayne Booth
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