Playin' Around With Playbook

Hey everyone! This past week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, Sammy and I stepped out of our comfort zone to speak with classical bassist Nathan Farrington to get his perspective on jazz. Nathan Farrington has been the principal bassist for LA Opera since 2016. He regularly appears in the bass sections of many of America’s top orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orc...

Hey everyone! This past week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, we spoke with the amazing educator and performer Matt Wilson. Wilson has released thirteen albums as a leader. His latest recording, Honey And Salt (Music Inspired By The Poetry Of Carl Sandburg), was recognized on over thirty worldwide “Best of 2017” lists, including Top Ten in the National Public Radio Critics Poll, JazzTimes, Irish T...

At the center of my Ideal Educational Community, music is accessible to all. I am constantly seeking how I can achieve this. In my search, I had come across Just Accessible Music , also known as JAM. JAM aims to “provide a forum for music and research that is inclusive for all regardless of background, age, disability, skill-level or musical interests.” This week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, I...

Hey everyone! This week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, Sammy and I spoke with saxophonist and educator Walter Smith III. “The New York Times describes tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III’s work as “fabulous.” 2022 brings Smith to new heights with his most compelling and reflective album to date. In Common III is set for release the Spring of 2022 featuring some of the most important and talked ab...

Hey everyone! This past week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, I had the opportunity to talk to percussionist and educator Sean Dobbins. Sean Dobbins got his start as sought-after Detroit area jazz sideman at a young age, when he would regularly play with Blue Note artist Louis Smith. As Sean’s Career progressed, he found himself the recipient of many awards and accolades including the “Woody Herma...

Hey everyone! This week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, Sammy and I spoke with trumpet player and educator Todd Stoll. “An experienced performer, Duke Ellington expert, and jazz advocate, Mr. Stoll founded the Columbus Jazz Youth Orchestra (CJYO) in 1991 to give young people the chance to cultivate a love of jazz through performance. He served as the director until 2011. Under his direction, the...

Hey everyone, welcome back to another Playin’ Around with Playbook. Tristatesax here. Super excited today, we are going to be talking with Dave Linard from Playbook. He’s a playbook mentor, and an amazing pianist. “David Linard is a Brooklyn-based pianist, composer, educator, and musical director who loves timeless feel-good music. Currently a member of Sammy Miller and the Congregation, David has...

Hey everyone! This past week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, Sammy took the reins and interviewed our very own, Ben Flocks. Saxophonist and educator, Ben Flocks captivates audiences around the world with his soulful sound . Born in Santa Cruz, California, and residing in Brooklyn, Ben leads his own group and plays as a sideman in a variety of musical settings. Currently, a member of the smash-hit...

Hey everyone! After our time at JEN and Denton High School, we made our way down to Waltrip High School . With tens of their students beyond eager to learn, Playbook spent several days reaching and teaching students to make #joyfuljazz . Former Trumpet Player for the United States Army Band , Jesse Espinosa is the Band Director at Waltrip High School. Under his direction, the Waltrip High School b...

Hey everyone! After spreading #joyfuljazz with Denton High School, Sammy and I were eager to interview the band director responsible for it all: Jesse Woolery!. Jesse Woolery has served as the Associate Director of Bands and Director of Jazz Studies at Denton High School since 2007. He is the music caption head for the DHS Pride of Bronco Country Marching Band, directs the Symphonic Band, and guid...

Hey everyone! Trista back with another Playin’ Around With Playbook update. To kick off the new year, I spoke with trumpeter and educator Bijon Watson . Bijon Watson’s career as a musician and educator spans more than 25 years and has taken him around the globe to perform for audiences worldwide. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Bijon began playing the trumpet at the age of 8. He attended the New En...

Hey everyone! This week on Playin’ Around With Playbook, I spoke with the dynamic duo Beth Fortune and Kelly Clingan from The Beth and Kelly Show . Dubbed “the Beth and Kelly Show” by colleagues, they’re teaching soulmates who love to talk shop and laugh their asses off. They don’t have all the answers, but they do have a ton of experience and are willing to ask questions and make mistakes. Kelly...

Hey everyone! As a studying musician, the various bands I play in often receive masterclasses. One of the most recent masterclasses featured Saxophonist Lucas Pino ! Lucas had great energy and presence in his teaching. For those of you who are not familiar with Pino: As a high school junior, Pino won the Downbeat award for Best Instrumental Soloist in 2004. He attended the Brubeck Institute from 2...

Hey everyone! This week I had the opportunity to talk to the great and very grand “Tall Sam.” Sam Crittenden is the Director Of Education here at Playbook and is essential to the operation. Born amid the cornfields of Northern Illinois, “Tall Sam” shucked his agricultural roots for the allure of the trombone at age ten. After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2012, he continued east to...

Hey everyone! Tristatesax here with the latest Playin’ Around with Playbook, an IGTV series where Sammy and I interview educators, performers, and artists on their life experiences and knowledge. This past week, I spoke with educator and bassist Bethany Robinson. Bethany Robinson began teaching music in 2005 at Noblesville Schools and currently serves as the Jazz Band Director and Assistant Band D...

Growing up as “the woman” in my school band, I did not feel encouraged to pursue music as a career. It was the female figures of jazz that inspired me to keep going. Today, we have more amazing female role models and inspirations in jazz, such as Dr. Molly Miller. This week, we had the pleasure of talking to Molly on Playin’ Around With Playbook, an IGTV series where Sammy and I interview educator...

At the peak of the pandemic and virtual school, many educators lost their drive. One educator stayed as inspired and inspiring as ever. Our friend and mentor, artist and educator Tony White. When it comes to his approach he says, “the most important thing in teaching is engaging the human experience and engaging human beings.” This can never be replaced and is at the forefront of the Playbook appr...

I was 16 years old when I first heard Grace Kelly play the saxophone. I was attending a concert for The Grammy High School Band at The Vic in Los Angeles. I was there to see my friend, classmate, and singer extraordinaire, Lauren Desberg . I was a junior at LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS so I had heard skilled young musicians before. What I hadn’t heard was a musician my age play with...

As a music educator, my guiding principle is: if you believe in students, they will believe in themselves. You must arm them with the self-confidence and inner drive to reach their full potential on their own volition. This isn’t always an easy task. When I learned of Mickey Smith Jr. and his mindset, I was uplifted. As a source of inspiration for the music education community, Mickey encourages u...

Throughout my journey as a musician and educator, I’ve had many sources of inspiration. I’ve been lucky enough to meet many of them. However, there have always been moments where I wished I could find out more; find out what kept them going, and why they did what they did. For this reason, Sammy and I decided to create the Playin’ Around With Playbook IGTV Series, in which we interview educators,...