Guest artist thrills Minneota crowd

Most of you probably think, because I love sports so much, that I don’t have any other interests.
It is NOT true. I also love “The Theater,” and performed in plays for many years.
Now, I’m coming “our of the closet” to tell you how much I love good music — all kinds of good music, classical, jazz, Big Band — and yes, of-course, Rock & Roll.
So when a big-time musician like Denis DiBlasio comes to town, I dodged all the lakes formed by the recent thaw, bridges under water and danger at every turn to make it to, “a Night of Jazz,” at Minneota High School Monday night.
I will never forget those nights in front of the TV set when Mom and Dad would turn on “The Tube” to listen to and watch, “Mitch Miller,” and his famous, “Bouncing Ball.”
The ball bounced from word to word so we could, “Sing Along With Mitch.”
The folks also had a set of records from Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Glen Miller and so many more. They called it, “Big Band” music and it resounded in my ear and seems to still be there today.
Minneota Band Director John Voit told this joke about DiBlasio, who once was the music director for the  famous trumpeter Maynard Ferguson.
Voit said, “When Maynard Ferguson died and went to heaven he heard this terrific Baritone Saxophone playing. So he said, ‘Is that Denis DiBlasio? I didn’t know he was here.’ The man replies, ‘NO, it’s GOD,’ but he thinks he’s Denis DiBlasio.”
One of the finest moments of the night came when Dr. John Ginocchio, SMSU Jazz Ensemble Director, pointed to the Minneota band, and referring to the “clinic” held with the kids earlier in the day saying, “It’s so refreshing to teach these young people things (about music) and then hear them use those things (in the concert).”
DiBlasio at one point asked Minneota Jazz Band Members for a “Note.” He received FOUR notes from the group— then went on to play a composition using just those four notes — his flute and his lips for extra effect. It was MARVELOUS.
Two of the compositions the SMSU Jazz Ensemble played were written by DiBlasio. He’s taught and performed all over the United States, and, in fact, all over the world.
When Ginocchio joked that DiBlasio even taught a group of Penguins in Antarctica, DiBlasio didn’t miss a beat and said, “And they were good.”
He’s well-known for, “Making music fun,” and believe me, he made it fun for me — and I’m sure many others!