Ed’s remembrances of friends.
On Monday, December 19, 2022, the world of music lost a giant. Clarinetist Stanley Drucker, the heavyweight champion of all orchestral clarinets, passed away at his home in Vista, California. Stanley’s accomplishments are well documented as an orchestral player, chamber musician, soloist, recitalist, recording artist, educator, and editor. The many obituaries that have been published Continue reading →
On Saturday, November 12, 2022, we lost one of the greatest woodwind players in our world. Gene Cipriano (Cip) was perhaps the most recorded woodwind player in history having made literally thousands of recordings for movie soundtracks, television shows, commercials, jazz bands, tracks backing instrumentalists & singers, in addition to his live concert performances for Continue reading →
Ron Reuben was my mentor and my friend. He was a man who possessed great musical talent, an uncanny sense of humor, an inquisitive mind, a desire to share his knowledge, and an ability to attract friends from different career orientations. He was also one of my greatest inspirations. We lost Ron on September 11, Continue reading →
On Tuesday, 8/11/20, the world of music lost Joseph Rabbai. Joe was one of the finest clarinetists, musicians, and people I have ever met. A musician’s musician who exuded an “old world” approach to treating people and respecting the art of music-making, he never lost his love for playing the clarinet, practicing, or listening to Continue reading →
On December 27, 2016, the music industry lost one its great artists and most ardent supporters, Larry Abel. Larry was 83 when he passed and is survived by his wife Shelley, sons Curtis & Steven, grandchildren Hudson and Chloe-Kate, and sister Sally. Larry was more than just my friend: he was a symbol of what Continue reading →
On August 15, 2015 we lost Al Block, one of the wonderful woodwind doublers of the twentieth century who was 89 years old when he succumbed to pneumonia. Al had a distinguished career having played with the Sauter-Finegan Band, Benny Goodman, Boyd Raeburn, Artie Shaw, Raymond Scott, among many other big bands. He also participated Continue reading →
I studied with Joe Allard (12/31/10—5/3/91) intensively from 1971—1978. I believe I would have never had a career in music if I had not studied with Joe. While I could move my fingers pretty nimbly on clarinet and saxophone when I met him, I had no clue whatsoever about sophisticated and elegant music making at the Continue reading →
It has been 30 years since we lost Tom Nyfenger. His passing left a void in both the world of performance and in music education. It is not often that a world-class player is also a world-class teacher but Nyfenger was precisely that! He was that rare bird who could play at the highest musical levels possible and could also explain and defend every note in his interpretations based on sound musicological and physiological truths. Blessed with a phenomenal ear for Continue reading →