The Jazz Half

Cincinnati's Jazz Showcase

jh:  Brent, we’ve seen your performances on two different occasions and your shows are very enjoyable.  Where are you originally from?

BG:  I’m from Kentucky.  Morehead, Kentucky. 

jh:  And how long have you lived in Cincinnati?

BG:  Off and on, since 1988.

jh:  When you moved to Cincinnati, you attended CCM, is that right?

BG:  Yeah.  I graduated with a bachelor’s in what they call Jazz and Studio Music; although there’s not much studio music around here.  That’s what the degree name is; and I think that was in ’94 when I graduated. 

jh:  In your time there, did you encounter a lot of students taking the same thing?

BG:  As far as the number of majors?  It was somewhat small.  I think it’s a little larger now.  I think in my class, we had 6 to 10 majors.  I’m not sure how many they have now, it might be a little more [in the Jazz program].  When I started, I think there were about 100 or so music majors that year, that class.  But the Jazz portion of that class was small. 

jh:  We’ve seen you play Tenor and Soprano Saxophone.  What other instruments do you play?

BG:  I play alto, and I own a clarinet and flute (laughs).  I double on those instruments that I’m not that proficient.  If I have certain parts as far as a double, where I’m playing a saxophone, I can also play a clarinet part.  But I’m not really a clarinetist or flutist.  Although I do teach the instruments.  There are people in the city who play clarinet and flute very well and I’m not one of them (laughs again). 

jh:  After graduating from CCM, how much time went by before you found some action?

BG:  Well I was gigging when I was in college.  Actually after I did 3 years at CCM, I went on the road with the Glen Miller Orchestra for, maybe a year and a half.  That was ’91, and I came back in the summer of ’92 and kind of got fed up with music for awhile.  But I decided to finish up my degree, so I started back in the spring of ’93 and graduated in ’94.  There was a time where I  - kinda needed a break; a lot of musicians go through that.  It was helpful.  I got away from it for awhile.  But as far as the action, I was working a little bit; as much as you can in college.  But mostly what I did after I got my degree, I spent a lot of time practicing, trying to uh, “hone on the craft”, get it together, and stay out of trouble.  I also had day jobs.  As a musician, that’s what you have to do.  I taught for awhile, I had a job in a catering shop, used to sell fine jewelry at one time, even sold computers – although you wouldn’t know it.  My wife, Vanessa is the computer expert in the family.  Now I’m teaching again and have been for the last 5 years.

jh:  Where do you teach?

BG:  I teach at Moeller Music in West Chester.  I have, like, 35 to 40 students, I think.  And I have a student I teach at home.  It keeps me occupied, and it keeps a steady amount of money coming into the bank account.  There are days that I don’t work, and it kinda makes it easier.  Its easier to teach – its more rewarding.  Its more uh, psychologically beneficial.  I enjoy teaching.  It’s a lot easier than, having a real job; you don’t have to work as many hours. 

jh:  How many hours, or days to you teach a week? 

BG:  I teach 4 days a week (usually about 5 hours a day), and a student at home on Fridays.  Its not bad, 21 hours, a week.  You think about it, in the real world, people are working 50 to 70 hours a week, so I’m blessed. 

jh:  Now do you primarily teach Jazz music?

BG:  I teach how to play the instrument correctly; that’s kind of the first focus as Teachers.  Then if a student kinda decides to learn a little about Jazz, I’ll help steer him that way.  But uh, the fundamentals are really the most important for any first-time musician. 

jh:  Let’s talk about the Glen Miller Orchestra.  What was the experience like touring with the Orchestra?

BG:  Well, like many things, as you get older, you tend to – or at least I do – try and remember the good times.  There are rough roads & dues that you pay, but what I remember mostly is the chance to play every day; you know, in front of people.  And the music was, a little challenging at the beginning; but I worked on it and they were very nice to let me stick around; I always thought I was going to get canned after a couple weeks, but I ended up sticking around.  The book was actually pretty extensive; and most people don’t realize that the Glen Miller Orchestra plays more than just shows, they have a lot of dance music.  Probably every other gig was a dance.  The dance book, probably had 200 songs; they were charts that you had to know pretty well – so that took a little work.  Another thing I remember about the experience was the people who listened to it – the WWII generation; how that type of music was beneficial for them at that time. 

jh:  Sounds like a real educating experience with the Glen Miller Orchestra.  I also heard that you were with Tommy Dorsey

BG:  Yeah, that was something I did – I played with them in 1999 through 2001 and that was a different experience.  There actually were a couple original members of the band and there still are; Buddy Morrow runs the band and he actually played for Tommy Dorsey.  Flea Campbell played for Tommy Dorsey and he’s still playing.  I think Buddy now is 88 years old and flea is 81 and they’ve been doing that for, 60 years plus (laughs).  I mean, it was a nice experience, you get to play every day.  Its not like working on, hard jazz routines, but you get to play every day and from what I got off that band, my sound changed – I was, forced to really play a lot louder.  You know, it was a gig.  A chance to see the world, the country, and get paid to do that.  I don’t think I’d do something like that now, but it was fun at the time. 

jh:  Who would you say had the biggest impact on your career as a Jazz Musician? 

BG:  Well, I think it was cumulative.  I mean everyday when you meet somebody you can always learn something new from somebody.  Its really hard for me to say one person had the most influence.  Uh, when I was at the CCM I think obviously my saxophone teacher Rick Van Mater (sp?) was exceptionally important in my development.  But there were a lot of things I learned from other teachers; Pat Harberson (sp?) was there, and he had an influence as well.

jh:  So Brent, what’s in your CD player right now?

BG:  You know, my students are always passing some music my way and one of them gave me a CD of a Cannonball Adderley Bossa Nova compilation. 

jh:  Wow, now that’s different.

BG:  Yeah, some people would think “What was he thinking”, because they’re only used to hearing Cannonball classics like “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”, but this CD is actually pretty good.  I guess he heard about Stan Getz’ success with bossa nova and figured “Hey, I can do it too”. 

jh:  And why not?  Hey Brent, thanks a lot for hanging out and talking with us.  I’m sure we’ll be checking you out again soon somewhere in the city.

BG:  You’re welcome man, no problem.