"Misty," Larkin High School Jazz Band May 7, 2008, 3rd Song, Featuring Brendyn Dobbeck

[@frecklesandsunshine]

awesome tenor! i loved his solo.

[@EMJ31]

He IS phenomenal, and now you know.

[@mj23nbafreakz]

He's my band director

[@EMJ31]

And he's great, isn't he!

[@AweL3ss]

Mr. Dobbeck makes me want to quit every time i hear him play.

[@EMJ31]

That is the LAST thing Mr. Dobbeck or any other band director or music teacher would want you to do! Yes, Mr. Dobbeck has a ton of natural talent and he grew up in a wonderful, musical family. But as anyone from the jazz greats in music to Michael Jordan in sports would tell you, it's the work ethic that really makes the final product. There are simply no short-cuts -- no substitute for practice, practice, practice. I spent many hours practicing after which I felt like throwing the trumpet on the floor -- because my first trumpet teacher had led a national champion American Legion Band, and my second teacher was First Chair, U.S. Navy Band, Washington, D.C., in charge of all trumpets and trombones -- so I seemed awful by comparison starting out. But I stuck with it, got encouragement and learned from friends with more talent (such as Paul Maslin, owner of PM Woodwinds now and Larkin's first Arion Award Winner, First Chair Tenor Sax All State Jazz Band AND someone whose recordings influenced and inspired Mr. Dobbeck) and ended up playing professionally for six years -- with no where near the talent of Mr. Dobbeck or many others you hear in this band, including my son. It's really true -- hard work pays off! The OTHER really important thing to remember is that part of the beauty of music and music performance is that no two performers are EVER going to sound alike. If you work hard at your craft and become proficient, you will still be completely unique. For example, BB King had an older relative who was a blues legend, and BB tried by could not duplicate that man's slide vibrato. He kept with his own version done by hand, and that now is considered one of the best and most unique sounds ever. Most guitar players will tell you that they can guess correctly if it is BB playing within two notes because of his unique tone and vibrato. The same thing happened with Eddie Van Halen. He didn't have the money to buy electronic guitar effects, so he learned to do things differently with his fingers -- and lack of money couldn't stop him from practicing! That means that whether you become famous or you don't, you're always going to give joy to yourself and to someone else out there listening -- because you will be UNIQUE. Please keep at it! (Sorry for the delay in responding right away, as I had difficulties with the KZbin interface.)