Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
ARTURO SANDOVAL'S TRUMPET HAS A BLACK BELL--IS NOTHING SACRED?
Browsing YouTube for examples of Arturo Sandoval’s magical
trumpet playing, I came across this spectacular nine minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm6F8G0iD4E
Sandoval, the subject of Andy Garcia’s inspiring film, For Love of Country, is a Cuban-American
who is widely recognized as the preeminent trumpet player of our time. As
someone who at one time had planned to be a classical trumpet player, I was
struck by the instrument he is now playing—a combination of brass and carbon
fiber.
I was totally unaware that carbon fiber had replaced any
part of a trumpet and was interested to learn that Sandoval is now playing one
manufactured by daCarbo, a Swiss manufacturer. The world has certainly changed
from the time when Schilke and Bach Stradivarius were the most sought-after
horns. Part of the pizzazz of trumpets was always their gleaming brass or
silver bells that reflected the lights. Sadly, carbon fiber bells, like stealth
fighters, reflect nothing.
The glitz may be gone, but the sound is magnificent. I hope
you enjoy Arturo’s magic.
p.s. Many thanks to those of you who have called or written
about the Honorable Mention Award from the New York Book Festival.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Island of the White Rose Ties for Third and Receives Honorable Mention at this Year's New York Book Festival
Received word from the New York Book Festival Fiction
Competition today that Island of the White Rose
won honorable mention, tying for third place. The festival takes place June
21-22 in New York City. I hope this is a harbinger of good things to come for Island.
It’s hard getting back to work after attending Book Expo
America, a dazzling book fair at the Javits Center, a huge complex. I spent so
many hours walking its length repeatedly that there was no danger of gaining an
ounce from any of the many meals taken at a variety of New York restaurants.
The highlight of the week was having dinner at the Cosmopolitan Club with my editor
and publisher, Barbara and Warren Phillips. Although I have worked with them
for nearly a year, we had never met. Barbara shared her recent photos of Cuba,
and Warren informed me that Publishers
Weekly had agreed to review Island. They
were very gracious hosts, and I enjoyed our dinner at that historic building, a
center of literature since the early 20th Century.
It was fun visiting with my boyhood friends, Paul and Carl,
as well as my cousins, Al, Sussie, Carol and Steve. Paul and Ronni Ginsberg
were fantastic hosts at their lovely home on Huckleberry Hollow in Stamford and
made us feel very much at home. I always learn of something new that Costco
sells whenever I look in Ronni's refrigerator. This visit was no exception—the
tzatziki is wonderful and with the paleo diet being the order of the day, a
relatively safe cheat on top of a mushroom omelet.
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