John Simpson - Rhapsody in Blue

1962 recording of my buddy John Simpson playing Rhapsody In Blue on a Getzen G-D Bugle

[@raymondfallon7429]

Best piece of bugle playing in history. Even better when you realize that he was playing a virtually untuneable G-D bugle. This cut convinced the rest of us that we could play better, should stop complaining about our instruments and get to work. Although John was not a member of that 1962 Sky corps, this Portrait in Brass recording by Sky was the high water mark in drum corps recording for decades to come.

[@kylehopkins779]

To add to the story, I remember John saying he did this recording in one take and with no warm-up (he did not regularly warm up during that time of his career). John taught me in public school from 1975-1980 and was my Sky Ryders horn line instructor from 1979-1983. I am a band director now in large part because of John Simpson.

[@ronhir]

That's what John told me as well. Woke him up and had him record. :-)

[@raymondfallon7429]

@@ronhir John and Tommy Martin, both of whom were playing in the USAF D&B Corps, were asked to walk in and play their recordings for the "Portrait in Brass" album cold. One take a piece. The other solo was by Bucky Swan, who was with Sky. Both amazing instructors and teachers, responsible for literally hundreds of really excellent players over the decades. John's daughter is also a conservatory level french hornist. Enough talent in that family, ya think?

[@senorpoopEhead]

Amazing! And on a single valve horn, too.

[@ronhir]

Yeah. It does have a slide too.

[@senorpoopEhead]

My memory was that those slides were more sticky or stuck than slide-y, lol, @@ronhir.

[@ronhir]

@@senorpoopEhead Yeah, depends on the user I suppose. I started on one, but at 11 having played a trombone for 6 years, I knew how to clean and lube a slide too. John is a very meticulous sort of guy and so I am sure his slide probably worked better than mine LOL

[@rjwhetstone8639]

beautiful to hear...

[@chiwea123]

Absolutely beautiful.

[@joshuathedank9661]

Anyone who can lip trill that good immediately gets my respect

[@dhfastmuzik]

Amazing quality, sensitivity and style!

[@sedevacante6591]

My name is John Simpson as well and a musician as well. This is mind blowing chops with a topping off pure talent derived from a natural ability and imagination that is a once a lifetime give. I wonder , was he self taught? Did he also not know how to read music and could replay anything after one hear or one verse and chorus?

[@Undertaker67203]

John can read, write, arrange and teach music. One of the best in the world. I am proud to have been taught by on of the masters of his profession. He produced some of the absolute best horn lines in the history of Drum Corps International and managed to make low talent scrubs like me pretty darn good horn players. You will never find a finer musician or a better teacher.

[@raymondfallon7429]

He was a tuba player before picking up the baritone horn with the USAF D&B Corps.

[@gregoryfrech2310]

This recording inspired my young brain when I was in my teens and playing a Slingerland soprano. I have copied his free style version of RIB for years. Thank John Simpson for giving me a vision for improvisation.

[@lorijohnson9061]

My fav! Well done!

[@patkirk935]

My brother, Bill Kirk, and I used to sit and listen to this solo over and over when it came out on the other side of the Skyliners album. Bill and I were in the Selden Cadets at the time and the recording did inspire us to be better horn players. Bill went on to Sky and I left Selden to go to Viet Nam.

[@ronnyhirata7145]

Very cool story and thank you for your service.

[@patkirk935]

@@ronnyhirata7145 Thanks, Ronny. Are you a Drum Corps follower?

[@ronnyhirata7145]

@@patkirk935 I marched from 66 to 77. In Los Angeles for all but 77 where I marched Blue Devils.

[@fastone56]

Billy was one of my best friends when I was in Sky. He is missed

[@dennisdewey835]

He was inTommy Martin’s living room when he recorded this!

[@raymondfallon7429]

Dennis... I was unaware of the living room part. John and Tommy said they were just asked to come in and blow their solos at a Sky rehearsal when the record was being made. I got the story from both at a banquet a couple years back, but I'm not the brightest - maybe I picked up a bad piece of detail.. Hope you're doing well.

[@kennethburbulak389]

@@raymondfallon7429 Judging by the echo, Tommy Martin must have lived in a mansion in the Long Island Hamptons with a high ceiling!

[@rudychavira5558]

Wow I'm looking to buy a single valve Ludwig any comments on choice Bb.

[@ronhir]

I don't think there is a choice. I think they are all G. I wouldn't buy a single valve only. Not keep in mind, John recorded this in the 60's. The horn show above was beat up and restored by Zig Kanstul. I played on one like above when I first got into drum corps. No thank you. :-)