I don't know what it was but about a week or two ago, my mood has changed considerably. There's so much to do...but not enough time.
I now know one can go to a concert at the Musikverein at intermission then sneak into the standing room fo free.
I took part into two friends' choir rehearsals today. I'd say they were more than successful.
I also spent some time today with lotsa Austrians. My landlord here is an old Austrian man who loves jazz. I found this out a week or two ago when I was playing the trumpet in our living room. Herbert, the landlord, came into the apartment entranced by my awful playing. He was impressed and surprised that I played the trumpet...eh, he was probably more confused because I hadn't been living in the apartment since the beginning of the semester. Anyway, ever since that day Herbert stops by occasionally to say hello and talk jazz. About a week ago he invited me to sit in with his friend's band at a restaurant.
Today was the day. As I approached the restaurant with my ol' trumpet gig bag slunk over my shoulder, I heard the band. I was more than blown away. I was expecting a dark and dingy bar type establishment with a decent piano player playing an out of tune upright piano, a trumpet player barely getting through tunes, a bass player who complained of callouses, and a drummer who couldn't keep time. What I got was a pretty killin' professional jazz quintet. The pianist was the youngest of the group and he may have been the most impressive. The bassist was great, the drummer was great, the leader of the group, the trumpet player who sported a Dizzy Gillespie-style trumpet as seen here, was also great.
Back to the story, I stood in awe as I watched the band through the window for a few minutes. I considered forgetting the whole thing and running home to my mommy and daddy (Drew and Adam) but I gathered up the courage and waltzed into the restaurant. A wall of beautiful, hip jazz hit me as I entered - it was at that point when I knew I had made the right decision. I clutched my trumpet tightly as I anxiously waited my turn. The jazzmen swung and they swung hard. After a few songs, they took a break. I got a chance to talk to the bandleader for a bit and then badabam - the leader introduced a "Daniel from New York City" (that's about all I got from his fast-paced German. I then timidly counted off the tune whoosh - I was playing with some incredible Viennese jazz musicians in a smoky, cozy restaurant packed with head-bobbing, feet-tapping locals. I'd say that's some gooood juice squeezing. I don't know if it was my not very special trumpet playing, my little-boyish looks, or my New York affiliation but I believe the crowd liked me.
That's all folks. Nighty night.
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