Greetings from Tallahassee, Florida! I’m here for tonight’s performance of “Redline Tango” with the Florida State wind ensemble, conducted by Rick Clary.

If yesterday’s dress rehearsal was any indication (and I hope it was), the concert should be smokin’. This is the smallest wind ensemble that has performed the piece, and they’re extremely tight. As I expected from the e-mails Rick and I have exchanged over the past few weeks, both he and the group totally “get” the piece. They have tremendous energy throughout (I’ve never heard the “redline” section so fast!), and the tango in the middle is damn near perfect. The soprano sax player and the Eb clarinet player are totally nailing their parts, which is a huge relief. I asked the clarinetist at rehearsal if she had a lot of experience playing klezmer, because she sounded so confident on those licks. She said no, other than playing “Yiddish Dances” by Adam Gorb earlier this year. She’s a natural.

I’m staying at Rick Clary’s home while I’m here, and he and his family have been exceptionally hospitable. In fact, I’m writing this while sitting on a huge, elevated, screened-in porch, looking out at the woods, it’s 72 degrees, and Rick just offered me a beer. Does it get much better than this? (Other than having AEJ here, I think not.)

I’m so glad I made the brief trip down here. I need to come back! Hopefully the new piece will be something Rick will want to play…