Starting over.....

[Free For All]

Oh yes Conn, it's been positively FRIGID here.

[Dan Gould]

I just came back from a week in Florida and Abaco, Bahamas. Damn, it was hot! Hopefully, Tallahassee is a bit cooler since it is farther up north.

Hardly. Its actually hotter in the summer months without the ocean being adjacent. Tallahassee is like the deep south, hotlanta. South Florida temps tend to be in the low 90s while Tallahassee easily heads into the upper 90s this time of year.

[Free For All]

Yes, the fromunda cheese is rampant.

[7/4]

Yes, the fromunda cheese is rampant.

[Free For All]

[Chuck Nessa]

[alocispepraluger102]

you are already on board!

http://www.music.fsu.edu/mckee.htm

now you get us tickets for florida-florida state!

[jazzbo]

BIG CONGRATULATIONS!

[alocispepraluger102]

BIG CONGRATULATIONS!

X 2!!!!!

Edited July 26, 2007 by alocispepraluger102

[vajerzy]

Wow- that's pretty cool! Do well!!

[Aggie87]

So I hear from some of my friends down there, that Free's really spreading the good word in Florida lately:

....keep up the good work, buddy!

Edited January 8, 2008 by Aggie87

[7/4]

TWANG!

[Rooster_Ties]

Geez, is that a slide-trumpet in the 4th photo from the top??

WTF??

(And before you ask -- no, that WASN'T the first thing I noticed in the photo. )

Edited January 8, 2008 by Rooster_Ties

[Miles251]

FFA....does the Gold Bond powder get rid of the Greasy Sack Blues nine months out of the year??

[Rooster_Ties]

About every fourth time I hear something (anything) about Florida in the news, I wonder how Paul's doin'.

So, how's about an update!

[Free For All]

Wow, how wild to read this thread again. Thanks again for all the support, guys.

I'm in my fourth year (next year begins the tenure process) and am very much enjoying the job. Since it was a new position I didn't inherit any students and have been working hard to recruit players- I've got about ten in my studio now with a steady trickle coming in each year. I like my colleagues for the most part and enjoy playing with them- we play for the students frequently. The College of Music commissioned me to write a piece for the jazz ensemble for the opening of a new concert hall- this happened in October. So job-wise I'm very happy, and am working my ass off. I teach private students, direct a big band & small group and teach improv, jazz ear training and arranging. I am writing a lot for my various groups.

Can't say I really like living in Tallahassee, though- it's a very isolated place. All the larger cities are 4-5 hours away. On the plus side there have been two jazz clubs that opened since I moved here, but outside of the students there's not a big jazz fan base in the general population. Weather-wise, winters are very pleasant, summers suck big time. I do love going to nearby St. George Island, a beautiful white sand Gulf Coast beach (which was spared any immediate damage by the oil leak). I still travel quite a bit to play gigs here and there as time permits. I really enjoy visiting Savannah & Charleston.

Politically Florida is a very strange place, but I don't want to get into that here.

The bottom line is I'm very grateful to have a job I like. It remains to be seen if this is the last stop.

Thanks again for all the kind words, guys!

[Rooster_Ties]

Have you gotten down to Orlando and heard Sam Rivers yet?

If not, time's a wastin'!

Out of curiosity, where are your out-of-town gigs typically taking you? Any patterns, or pretty random?

[Free For All]

Haven't heard Sam yet. I'm not sure how much he's actually playing these days.

Gigwise, I've been all over the place lately (LOTS of flying ). Been doing a lot of guest-artist type things with big bands and some small group things here and there. Wherever they'll have me.

I'll bet you're excited about your move east!