I'm on the southwest borderline, west of Midway. Thats for sure, high end arrangers are scarce. Right now though, Sam Ash in Lombard (Roosevelt RD and Finley? maybe) has the PA1X, forgot what they were asking for it. There's only 1 and its been there awhile.

The senior circuit is a good thing. I enjoy so many music styles from 1 extreme to the other.

I'm just playing under my headphones here at home mostly, and some summer things for friends and acquaintences. Years back, I use to play regularly (while having the full-time day job) and that would be 3 to 8 piece with 90+% with the 5-pc. Playing the 1-man-band stuff is a fun and exciting hobby, but going out and doing the 1-pc arranger stuff professionally 'aint for wimps', to borrow a phrase from Gary.

Lisle/Woodrige/Naperville, you familiar with the great Jazz program at North Central? Janice Borla runs that. They play her recordings on WDCB 90.9 regularly. 99.9% of the success I experienced back in the playing days was while she was singing for our group. She is special in many ways, not only a great vocalist, but a fantastic person too.

Speaking of WDCB, I listen to the Midwest Ballroom show on Saturdays, Buckley on Sundays, Bruce Oscar, John Burnett, Barry Winograd (is my spelling ok?), and you can catch their big band / swing bands at the local places like the Viking and Fitgeralds, at C.O.D. We have some some good things around here, BUT NO Hi-end arrangers!.
Thats OK, George Kaye took care of everything for me. All I had to do was be patient and had the PSR3000 in about 3-4 days.

PS
Beaky, if you don't have the TV setup in time for the Legends of Jazz series, I will record and get them out to you.


[This message has been edited by MrEd (edited 04-01-2006).]