Oct 9 – In Nashville with the Nashville Symphony

I think we all know Nashville to be the long-standing home of the Grand Ole Opry, and real center of country music.

But who would immediately guess that they have a symphony orchestra that rivals the Metropolitan Orchestra of New York and the Berlin Symphony!

Nashville has recently emerged as a thriving and lively center of all kinds of music. While live music and recording studios have been disappearing in the rest of the country, there is a fresh enthusiasm in Nashville that has attracted a growing crop of brilliant and talented players and arrangers from all the genres, including R&B, Blues, Pop, and Jazz—Many are transplants.

There’s a street called Broadway that has a 4 or 5 block run with every 4th or 5th establishment doing live music. Amazing!

Matt Catingub conducted and played a beautiful sax sola during the orchestra portion of the evening.

He and the orchestra were fantastic with my music, swinging like Ellington or Basie, and delivering on all the special nuances in my stuff: Boogie Down, We’re in This Love Together, Take 5, etc.

I love you Nashville… Thanks for another good one.

God Bless You,
Al