Ashley Alexander Big Band Plays Frank Mantooth 05 Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

[@jazzbones1]

I heard this in high school and fell instantly in love. It was love at first Listen. Ashley Alexander and Frank Mantooth touched me on a deep level. I love them both. Their music made me feel amazing. Thank you for your hard work and for contributing such great art to the world.

[@stewartsmith1265]

I had the good fortune to play both euphonium and trombone with Ashley in various ensembles at the summer music camp in Canada where he taught for many years. Frank Mantooth directed the big band for much of that time and we played many of those charts in manuscript form before they were published. Even thirty-plus years later the influence of those experiences shapes my own playing and that of my students.

[@schiffdigital]

Many fond memories of Ashley @ Mt. SAC. He taught me a lot. Drums & percussion 1980-81.

[@Jimbawoba]

I had the privilege and honor to have played at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California. I was there from 1983 to 1986. Played lead trombone, and was so fortunate to have took private lessons from. Made great friends in band a several friends are great friends now. Ashley was getting ready and recording PowerSlide Album at that time. Great Musician, teacher and most of all a wonderful person. God bless him and his family.

[@GutpileCharlie]

I received a degree in music education from Oklahoma State University in 1963. I did my student teaching under Ashley Alexander at his home town of Perry Oklahoma. Ashley was a special guy. I also was acquainted with his father who worked at OSU.

[@noopieflace]

This band had some of the best arrangers and players working today. Matt Catingub, Frank Mantooth and Gordon Goodwin for God's sake are legendary now in their own right!. And God bless Nick Ceroli....we and music lost the best big band drummer ever. Thanks for posting these treasures. I'm in heaven.

[@marcschaffer8466]

I was privileged to have him as a teacher ,at a summer band camp in Canada. Real musician and a really cool guy. He had a gift for teaching and motivation that very few have or had.

[@parkjammer]

Right there with you. He was fantastic. And it was stunning that such a talent came to the little camp that I was at up in the Great White. I still have is tunes on rotation. In a large mix, they come up from time to time and it always makes me smile.

[@PapadeElena]

That's amazing! Lucky you. What an incredible musician. He must have been a fabulous teacher. Died way too young.

[@jimflys2]

One of the best big band albums out there. Great writing and Frank's arranging is stellar. What a nice guy Tooth he was. Glad I knew him. Having played with Ashley and him telling me how much he loved Louie Bellson and how Louie would "get up under him" with real support and drive, taught me a lot about how to drive a big band and interact with a soloist. I loved Louie too, so it was not lost on me of that kind of feel he was wanting. The double bell Euph and the Superbone, were just magic in his hands. Glad to have shared a moment, a concert, an exquisite memory of the man. And meeting and talking with Nick Ceroli taught me so much too. What feel! I still remember one of his jokes - 40 years later! LOL!

[@chazinmo58]

I was very very fortunate to spend a year playing in the college band he directed. An amazing musician and very inspirational leader. Also a great sense of humor. He owned a converted bus that he used for long road trips. One day our trombone section was having difficulty staying in tune. He asked if he could hire us to sit on top of his bus to serve as his horn to clear traffic!

[@markvela4109]

I rode that "Silver Sider" to an away game in San Diego one weekend. It was Halloween and the pep-band was decked out various costume, including Ashley. We were lost and pulled over to get directions from an older lady walking alongside the street. Well, when the doors swung open and Ashley stepped out in a full Darth Vader outfit, you might have thought she was about to be kidnapped. Good times, won $50 for my ballerina get up, and wasn't called a "lizard-gizzard" once.

[@jcmacman]

I played Lead and split lead in his bands ay Mt Sac in the late 70's early 80's. I loved that bus! His BBQ's were Legendary! And Yes, He had a great sense of humor. I was very sad to hear about his passing. He was a Monster player and teacher.

[@parkjammer]

Sometimes, people cross your path who REALLY make a difference. There are many instructors. A few great ones. And then a rare few who magically impart the joy of learning and discovery. He could have stuck to teaching the best of the best but he always made time for beginners. In so doing he imparted incredible, fun, wide-ranging musical joy-in-learning. He was power-house of a personality, a teacher, and a talent. As another writer notes: Gone... but never forgotten!.

[@fredosachoff]

I grew up with this music - Fort San shaped my life and Ashley was a big part of it - amazing man, generous and inspirational

[@parkjammer]

Right there with you. Glad to have crossed his path. As an unaccomplished student at the time, I received more motivation from Ashley than any other teacher. He was a power-house educator!

[@nibiruman]

Wow. So many players on this album that I've had the luck to work with... Amazing.

[@peterboroughbigband3443]

I thought I'd lost my vinyl copy of this album so at great expense, imported a 2nd hand copy from the USA. So if any Mantooth fans (I am!) want to own a vinyl copy of this steamin' album............message me. My Big Band have about 12 Mantooth compositions/arrangements. Seems that hardly anyone in England have heard of him. What a musician he was.

[@R911Mom]

His son Dave (my cousin) shares his Daddy's heart for teaching and is the director of the Big Texas Swing School, a music camp for students age 12 to 17.

[@splankytube]

Actually when I first met Ashley back in 1987 at a Jazz-Camp in California, I thought he was quite shallow, because in his motivational speech he talked about how much greater it is to drive a Ferrari than a GMC-Truck in order to give us students a reason to train harder. But after a while I knew, that he was just a great and funny guy to know. And it really was fun going to Venice Beach in his 1975 Eldorado Convertible two weeks after that (probably more than it would have been in a pickup). In my german hometown Ibbenbüren he had quite a lot of fans after he had visited us for another Jazz-Workshop in 1988. Too bad, he died far too soon, I think at the age of 55 back in 1990. Thanks a lot for posting his music as it is not available on CD and brings back very nice memories.

[@bertdil]

I was at the Idylwild Jazz camp in 86 and 87, as well. I think it was one of the best musical experiences I had - Ashley was amazing to watch. You can find Seems Like Old Times on CD on Amazon. www.amazon.com/Seems-Like-Times-Ashley-Alexander/dp/B0000012GE

[@splankytube]

You´ve been to Idlewild in 87? Unbelievable! Which instrument?

[@bertdil]

I started on alto sax, but I seem to remember they moved me to bari in 87 for the big band. Do you remember "Piccolo Meanie?"

[@splankytube]

I sure do. I´ve been trying to sing that forever since. I was the german trombonist, who also took a singing class and tried to perform "body and soul". Are you a woman or a man?

[@bertdil]

I'm a guy. I think we had a jam session with you and some of the guys from Brazil in the dorms. I was there with my buddy who plays piano. Small freakin' world!

[@MrCoolerdave]

Ashley's son Dave Alexander is a country western musician and has a website and Ashley's music can be purchased through it ... just shoot him an e-mail. Ashley passed away some years back now ... He was a music director at a local JC in So Cal ... he played that good live .. was a wonderful person as well

[@Vilibattya2]

Yeye my father (Vilmos Szabo - Tuba) met him in 1984 when they were in a tour in the US with Hungarian Brass Ensemble. He told that Ashley was very cool and friendly, real musician.

[@出島即興]

It's unbelievable that sheet music of this nice arrangement is out of print now. I'm looking for it.

[@AlexMortensenP]

I have the sheet music for this song and a couple of other Ashley Alexander records. Happy to scan and send it to you.

[@asapjawsasianseatingassist869]

@@AlexMortensenP Thank you for your offer. But I have already obtained it through other source. I appreciate your kindness.

[@yiddiemeister3347]

@@asapjawsasianseatingassist869 Where can I find it?

[@yiddiemeister3347]

@@AlexMortensenP Could you send it to me?

[@AlexMortensenP]

@@yiddiemeister3347 Sure - send me your email

[@knicks9899]

I have this LP...somewhere.

[@JoshScalf]

Any way I could get in on that deal? I'd love to have this album, it's fantastic!

[@NCtrombonist]

What is the soloist playing on? I thought valve trombone, but some of his bends and scoops are too smooth to be done on valves. Is it maybe a superbone?

[@deemerta7339]

Yep, superbone, but apparently he preferred to call it the 'double trombone'

[@parkjammer]

Ashley was truly a fantastic teacher. And... the man was surprising on the super-bone. There was nothing... truly nothing... he couldn't play with either valves or slide. That sounds like an overblown statement. But to see him rise to that challenge ('cause it would happen a lot) was simply impressive every time. I had him as an instructor at the Saskatchewan band camp where he eventually died (my brother was at the camp that session). I would love to have all of his stuff in digital form... but I just have a few.

[@Vilibattya2]

Your welcome, my pleasure:)

[@greenreborn5082]

3:33

[@nrex06]

Do you know how to get recordings of this?

[@Vilibattya2]

Hi, if I did not misunderstand you, I send you the whole LP if you write me your mail address. Vili

[@Vilibattya2]

Yeah I love it too. Send me your mail address I'll send the mp3-s.

[@sambroten5513]

Is it just me or does it sound like he is using a valve trombone?

[@andrewrj2123]

Some parts definitely sound like slide and some parts definitely sound like valves. It’s probably a superbone

[@michaelcurtis1956]

Nope

[@squidwardtennisballs9506]

is there any music for this anywhere?

[@dsteinhil]

Here: www.kendormusic.com/store/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=530

[@billengland7420]

It is published... Not sure by whom