Time permitting, internet access permitting, I hope to make regular blog entries as I attend the Alessi Seminar.
The seminar starts tomorrow (Sun, July 29th). I'm in Denver after my flight was cancelled. At least they put me up in a hotel for the night.
An interesting question arises from this. You see, I've gotten in the habit of checking my trombone as baggage. This began when I flew into and out of a small Iowa airport and had no choice.
How to protect the horn? Well, here's what I do and so far I have had 5-6 successful flights with this. I have a wolfpack case (hard-sided). I wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap and shove it into a large black duffel bag. I usually stuff in a pillow and some towels for good measure. The key is to not be able to feel the edge of the case from the outside of the bag.
Thus, I end up with a large block amorphous blob that I check in that beginning. So far I have never had any damage or anything even close to damage.
Of couse, airlines do lose luggage....
Imagine that, I'd probably be the only participant in history who showed up for an Alessi seminar with no trombone!
Incidentally, I once spoke to a trombonist who had to fly several times a month. He would carry it on the plane, slinging over his shoulder in such a way that the boarding agent was less likely to notice it. If they did, they would ask him to gate check the horn. Sometimes he would even take the gate check tag off the horn as he walked down to the plane and just carry it on anyway.
