Thanks for releasing “I was made to Love Her”–really looking forward to learning this one :)

[john]

Michael, yes of course it’ll sound good on alto to but this will be a really good one for you to work out on tenor because of the altissimo notes. I know you can hit them and now you have to start putting them into some tunes.
Yes, this one took longer than most…maybe the most time consuming one for me so far. But like you, I also just love this type of music so it’s all worth it!

[Michael]

Yeah….I hit 3 or 4 of them really nice and clean when I did your song of “Use Me” on the Tenor, but nowhere near as holding them as long as you did in this song, especially that Altissimo G! You make it look so easy. My Tenor is at home and really prefer to have it with me–but it simply wasn’t worth the risk of taking it with me on the plane; I’ve heard horror stories of how Airline staff tend to treat large instruments like luggage. When I brought the Alto with me onboard it was small enough to hit overhead, they didn’t even ask me what I was carrying; just looked at the size—I actually had put the case carrying my Alto in a portable carry-on bag and that was it.
I’m thinking about having my wife ship it to me via UPS, I may be back home in 1 month depending on how things go with our family here in New Mexico.

[john]

Ya the alto is much easier to travel with for sure. when I toured a lot I had a hard case made (it was huge) for my 2 tenors and just let it go into the hands of the gorillas cause it was very well protected and I had no other choice.
As for holding the long high notes…it wasn’t my idea! I just tried to copy the awesome version from King Curtis.
If you can pull it off like the recording tho, it will show some real control so something you can work towards.

[Michael]

You did a super job of playing those long, Altissimo notes for sure! I don’t find playing long Altissimo notes, like the G and G#, too hard on the Alto with it being a smaller horn; once I got your teaching under my belt on the Alto is was actually pretty easy……the Tenor is slightly a different story LOL Those 2 notes in particular are way more stubborn to get out and play on the Tenor v.s. the Alto and I was amazed to see you hold that Altissimo G for as long as you did! I “boggles” my mind to hear King Curtis playing and holding those notes like it’s nothing, goes to show just how good the guy was! 2 of my personal favorites of his, besides what you just released now, is “Signed, Sealed & Delivered” and “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”. I just wish the guy was around today! I sometimes think about what else he could have gone on and done had he been alive…WOW.

[john]

yup that’s a sad one cause he died very young, like in his 30’s.
I have had trouble with those type of notes, sometimes I sing on stage and if I do then go for a crazy solo immediately after it’s almost impossible since there’s just not enough air left. You have to be in shape for something like that for sure, it’s more of a physical thing.

[Author]

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