[Trombone-l] Gilbert Kaplan's guest appearance

[George Carr]

On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 4:59 PM, James Meyer <bonejazz at att.net> wrote:
> I don't have a problem with the blog at all, but most
> of us would give anything to play with the NYP (as Kaplan seemingly did)
> even if it was Donald Duck on the podium.

That's the old joke: a businessman who's always wanted to be a
clarinetist hits the jackpot in selling his business, and decides to
live his dream.  So he spends a pretty penny to rent the Philharmonic
for one night, and gives all the tickets away for free: every penny
comes out of his pockets.  When concert night arrives, the hall is
full to the rafters, and the orchestra launches into the Copland
Clarinet Concerto.  But the businessman isn't very good, and when he
starts to play, murmurs break out, then hisses, then outright booing.
The businessman waves the conductor to a stop, and calls out to the
crowd: "Be nice.  I didn't write this crap."

George