Magnolia Jazz » colleagues

Jazz Band Music for an Elegant Wedding

magnoliajazz — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:54:28 +0000

Can’t you almost hear our jazz band music (in the photo’s lower left corner)? Here we are last May 22, beginning the bride’s processional in a lovely wedding at Brix restaurant, in Napa. What a gorgeous afternoon, and congratulations Cheryl and Tim. What a treat to work with coordinators Dee Merz and Shana Goldberg, and thanks for the wonderful photo, Coco and Tim Martin.

Cheryl told me our jazz music was “perfect” and very danceable, but especially because we included some of her favorite Broadway show tunes — “I Do I Do”, “Sunrise Sunset”, “People Will Say We’re In Love”, “Somewhere”, “What I Did For Love”, and many others. Although I wouldn’t tell her this, we’re probably not the only jazz band around who could create her perfect atmosphere. Yes, we’re excellent, but after all, who of us is unique in the world?

And that got me thinking. For curiosity, I recently spent a few interesting hours online, looking to see if I could find another Magnolia Jazz Band, and I found four! Who could have guessed?

Have you ever searched for your own name like this? Go ahead — I bet you’ll find something interesting, at least, and probably surprising, too.

Just for practice, I drafted the following Wikipedia article about my own research (which explains all the links to other Wikipedia articles). Who knows — I may modify and submit it someday.

I discovered I’m part of a hundred-year heritage of creating festive music for special events. I’m especially fascinated to see how each of these similar jazz bands adapts to suit its time and place. This is something all of us do all the time, and I hope you enjoy reading what I discovered. Please tell me how you like it.

The Magnolia Jazz Band is the name used by several well-known jazz bands in the past century. An occasional source of confusion, two of these bands are working currently — one in the San Francisco Bay Area and the other primarily in Norway. A third Magnolia Jazz Band worked for over a dozen years in England in the 1950s & 60s, and featured the trumpet player Mick Mulligan and singer George Melly. The earliest Magnolia Jazz Band I found worked in New Orleans around 1910, and featured guitarist Louis Keppard, trombonist Honore Dutrey, and the legendary cornet player, Joe “King” Oliver.

Today in America, one Magnolia Jazz Band entertains people at parties and weddings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Their fans enjoy popular standards, jazz classics, and Latin favorites, and the band ranges from a strolling trio to a swinging dance combo. Established in 1975 by Robbie Schlosser, at the time a graduate student at Stanford University, the many members over the years have included Squire Girsback, Bill Napier, and on a few occasions, pianists Art Hodes and Butch Thompson.

In Oslo, Norway, another Magnolia Jazzband has been entertaining at social clubs, halls, and jazz festivals throughout Europe’s thriving traditional jazz scene since 1972. Established and still managed by my friend, trombonist Gunnar Gotaag in 1972, this seven-man band specializes in playing the “traditional” style of New Orleans jazz, which emerged in the early 1940s, popularized by the bands of Bunk Johnson, George Lewis and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The membership of Gunnar’s band has remained largely unchanged over the years, and both of these contemporary Magnolia Jazz Bands have recorded LPs, CDs, and videos.

In England, another Magnolia Jazz Band was a popular favorite among avid British Trad jazz fans at pubs, halls, and concerts (following the bands of Humphrey Lyttleton, Ken Collyer, Acker Bilk, Chris Barber, and Kenny Ball). Established in 1948 by charismatic trumpeter Mick Mulligan (1928-2006), this band finally broke up in 1962, mainly due to the growing popularity of rock and roll music. Noteworthy members included singer George Melly, trombonist Roy Crimmins and clarinetists Archie Semple and Ian Christie.

In New Orleans, probably the original Magnolia Jazz Band has been mentioned in books or interviews with trumpeter Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), bassist Pops Foster (1892-1969), guitarist Louis Keppard (1888-1986) and others. This band never recorded, and years later, Pops Foster recalled that the band played “ragtime“, rather than sweet music or low-down blues. Louis Keppard led this popular band, which entertained revelers at Pete Lala’s Cabaret and other nightspots in New Orleans’ notorious “Storyville” district.

All these Magnolia Jazz Bands are similar, but oh so different:

We’re the only Magnolia Jazz Band around here. We’re very easy to find, and we entertain somewhere in the San Francisco Bay Area nearly every day. If we can ever help you, please call us at 408-245-9120.

Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for testimonials, music samples, videos, photos, and our public schedule, and catch us at an event soon. Our next two PUBLIC appearances are on June 26, in a ribbon-cutting celebration at the San Jose Airport, and on June 28, in a networking mixer for wedding and event pros at The PruneYard, in Campbell. See details for both events on our website.

In the meantime, please join our Facebook “fans”, and you’ll get a reminder for each of our public events.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment.

How I Plan Music for an Elegant Party

Getting Fresh Ideas for Weddings and Parties

magnoliajazz — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:24:30 +0000

Here we are last January 9, greeting Joyce and James’ grand entrance in their elegant wedding at the Stonepine Estate, in Carmel Valley. I found this photo (from Andrew Hsu’s wonderful video) on Stacie Tamaki’s blog, The Flirty Guide.

This fabulous wedding reception required coordinated work from many people — planners, designers, florists, photographers, musicians, videographers, and more. It was so exciting to collaborate with all these experts! A team like this is a wonderful source of fresh, new ideas.

Here’s another: We’re extremely proud to be part of the San Francisco Dream Wedding Giveaway! Following a year-long nation-wide contest, last Thursday and Friday over 40 colleagues presented a fabulous wedding to Vanessa and Mike Hawkins, and our portion was entertaining at the cocktail reception following their ceremony. This was truly an unforgettable event, and an honor to collaborate with so many of the SF Bay Area’s top wedding and event professionals.

These are just two recent examples of dedicated teamwork producing magical results. This happens all the time, in settings ranging from athletic teams and performance groups to “think tanks” and company brainstorming sessions. In each case, there’s a happy combination of everyone inspiring each other to contribute their best, while keeping a clear focus on their goal.

In my continuing search for fresh, new ideas, I found still another example last night. Out of curiosity, I attended a meeting of iPhone and iPad app developers. Here’s where it’s happening these days. I walked into a room filled with about 100 mostly young, bright, and eager “geeks”, either full- or part-time programmers or businesses looking to hire them. The meeting featured several presentations of developing technologies (new information, in new combinations), which added to the excited buzz already swirling around the room. Everyone seemed intent on greeting old friends and meeting new ones, and I could feel new ideas generating all around me. And I picked up a few ideas myself!

What lessons am I learning? First, refresh my thoughts by sharing ideas regularly with my best colleagues. And second, step outside my day-to-day routines often, to discover new things to do and new ways to do them.

This much isn’t new, however: The Magnolia Jazz Band is still very easy to find, and we entertain somewhere in the San Francisco Bay Area nearly every day. If we can ever help you, please call us at 408-245-9120.

Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for testimonials, music samples, videos, photos, and our public schedule, and catch us at an event soon. Our next two PUBLIC appearances are June 5 & 6, at the Santa Clara Convention Center, where the trio will be entertaining Saturday at the “Baby Boomer and Senior Lifestyle Expo” and Sunday at the “Benefit Party for Aaron Tanner”. See the details for both events on our website.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please join our Facebook “fans”, and you’ll get a reminder for each of our public events. And please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment.

“Networking” for Weddings and Parties

magnoliajazz — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:13:57 +0000

Do you “network”? I do. All the time. Every week, the SF Bay Area boasts dozens of events where people meet to socialize and develop good working relationships.

I try to stay abreast of all the get-togethers involving people in the special events biz. I know about enough of these meetings to keep me busy, but I’m sure I know only a slender slice of all the local activity.

I know about professional associations (like the National Association of Catering Executives – Silicon Valley, San Francisco NACE, the International Special Event Society – Napa/Sonoma, ISES-Northern California, Meeting Professionals International); groups organized around a particular field (like South Bay Photographers & Wedding Professionals Get Together, Bay Area Wedding Network); small groups of colleagues who meet to socialize and exchange ideas (like The Fab 5); and numerous special events to celebrate Grand Openings, Launch Parties, and Open Houses. There are more — please tell me about all the events I’m missing.

This is such an exciting time! Just this week I attended two inaugural get-togethers in the South Bay — “The 411”, organized by Nicole Lisanne, and “South Bay Photographers & Wedding Professionals Get Together”, organized by Orbie Pullen and Andy Mark. Recently I attended the Wish Upon A Wedding launch party at the Villa Montalvo, in Saratoga, and tonight I’m swinging by the IZZY Magazine launch party there.

I look forward to the day when Bay Area special events professionals can choose among several of these events every day they’re not already working somewhere. Wouldn’t you like that? I think it would be a delightful, hassle-free way to stay fresh, meet new colleagues, and keep existing friendships strong. And it looks like that day may be closer than you think.

On their website, Silicon Valley NACE is keeping a master calendar of all these Bay Area networking events. Would you please contact us to add any we’ve missed.

Between my music and my networking, one way or another I go to a party nearly every day. The band’s next public appearance will be this Sunday, February 28, 11am-4pm, in the annual wedding showcase at the Crowne Plaza Cabana, in Palo Alto.

Here are two photos from last Thursday. We entertained at the Doubletree Hotel, in San Jose, for the annual banquet of the Silicon Valley Engineering Council. These guys keep Silicon Valley growing, and we’re always glad to help celebrate their success. Thanks for your photos, Michael Wright and DJCline .

I’m always on the lookout for our next opportunity, and if we can help you, please call us at 408-245-9120. Visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment.

What We’ll Never Know About Tiger Woods, and Why It Matters

magnoliajazz — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:48:44 +0000

Here we are chatting with a guest at last month’s “Soup Kitchen Dinner”. Thanks to Stacie Tamaki for the nice photo — more pictures on her blog.

In recent weeks, several of my best colleagues (Nicole Lisanne, Amy Frugoli, and Andrew Hsu) wrote wonderful, detailed accounts about the benefits they bring their clients’ celebrations. I recommend you read their thoughtful comments. And browse through their blogs, to find plenty of keen observations and helpful insights.

But first, a story.

I just don’t get it! Poor Tiger Woods got involved in an auto accident the other day. Or so I’m told, and the rumors began flying 15 minutes afterward. I didn’t witness the event myself, and eye-witness accounts are notoriously unreliable anyway, so please don’t mistake my words for the truth. I really don’t know first hand what happened.

Who does? You? Certainly not the people who offer their eager listeners opinions that begin with “Here’s my take on it…” or “Reliable authorities have reported…”

I believe no one knows exactly and completely what happened, or why. The participants and spectators have a vested interest to report whatever shadowy version suits them. No matter how sincere, they can’t escape their bias — it’s the way they look at the world. And whether or not we accept it, the rest of us are totally in the dark, as usual.

Yet here we are, standing in a hurricane of groundless speculations claiming to illuminate the unreported mysteries. Why are so many of us acting this way?

I just don’t get it! You have an answer?

Well, maybe the simplest answer is the best: We just like to wonder about the unknowable.

If so, why does it matter? Woods is a remarkable athlete, always will be, and except for temporarily tarnishing his reputation with all this temporary attention, I think wondering is harmless in this case. The notoriety will cost him some and reward him some. Just like most of the celebrity scandals you’ll recall — about the deaths of JFK, Anna Nicole Smith, and Michael Jackson, or the trials of Charles Manson, O.J. Simpson, or Bernie Madoff, we’ll never know the truth. If we really MUST have an answer, then we believe whatever we believe.

Whoa! Here I am, speculating about the unknowable, too. But my certainty rests on how little we’ll ever know, rather than on the details of what most likely happened or could happen with Mr. Woods.

That’s OK, in my opinion. I’m comfortable accepting that there are some things I can never know, and I’d prefer not making something up, just to have an answer, right or wrong. Flying blind is no problem here, because I think whatever we believe won’t matter, and a crash landing has no significant consequences.

However, flying blind through life is a serious problem whenever the consequences of our decisions count. Sometimes we really need the voice of experience to guide us, or the eye of an expert to see what we’re missing.

Can you guess where I’m heading? Sure, I’m talking about where I’ve devoted so many hours of my professional life — celebrations, especially weddings and parties. For over 34 years I’ve seen countless examples where the vision of a professional expert either created a perfect event or prevented a catastrophe. And others where flying blind led to a disaster. Everyone has stories, right?

Everyone is an expert at something. Most of my colleagues are experts at some aspect of creating a special celebration — whether they manage the entire project, or capture images in a video or a photograph, or present sensational food, from appetizers to desserts, or create a stunning atmosphere with decor, flowers, music, and lighting. They are the experts every successful event requires, and without them things easily go wrong.

So when someone plans an important event, they could ask a pro to assure everything goes perfectly. Or they could wonder about things they simply don’t know and hope for the best. That is, fly blind and risk crashing.

I love participating in successful events, and I hate having to solve preventable problems, so that’s why I always look forward to working with a team of pros. By the way, the band still entertains somewhere nearly every day. I’m always seeking our next opportunity, and if we can help you, please call us at 408-245-9120. Visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment. I’ll reply right away.

The Endless Search for Weddings and Parties

magnoliajazz — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:32:21 +0000

Here we are last week, setting the perfect mood for the San Jose Hilton’s pre-holiday luncheon for event planners. For years, we’ve been helping Silicon Valley’s best facilities this way. What we do gives their guests a memorable time. The hotel is likely to book a few more parties and weddings, and we’re likely to be involved, too. Win-win.

Left to right: me, Gary Milliken, and Andy Norblin. Thanks for the wonderful photos Elena Isaykina, Director of Business Travel Sales, Crowne Plaza San Jose.

Well, it finally happened yesterday. For the first time in 26 years, the US reported (gasp!) over 10% unemployment. Has it hit you, too?

Today is a tough time for many, and I have great sympathy for everyone suffering in this austere climate. It takes lots of courage to keep struggling. Now, I certainly don’t mean to belittle their plight, but I’ve been waking up unemployed every day since 1975.

OK, except for 10 months in 1979, but that’s another story.

Most of my colleagues are in the same boat — self-employed and self-motivated. Like the ancient “hunter-gatherers”, we’re constantly searching. We don’t give up when times are slim, but we prepare for tomorrow. Sowing lots of the right seeds and tending the crop. Always doing something new, often “outside the box.” We understand that when there’s no one to hand you a paycheck every few weeks, we must find or create another way to go out and earn it. Call it the self-starting entrepreneurial spirit. We seem to love the journey more than the destination.

What happens without this creative spirit? Without innovating, we’re likely doomed to repeat the familiar cycle — have a crisis, then overcompensate the other way, then overcompensate the other way, then overcompensate the other way, ad infinitum.

This routine is nothing new, even though each day’s crisis du jour may seem far more ominous than anything previous. Until we learn to operate better, this is “normal” life. Every few years, the country will have too many nurses, or realtors, or teachers, or engineers, or DJs. And a few years later, we’ll have too few. Do you ever wonder why?

My advice: Create a way to break the cycle. Zig Zieglar says something like “You can have everything you want in life, if you help others get everything they want in life.” I say there’s no end to the ways we can help each other. Like playing at last week’s pre-holiday luncheon, the band still entertains somewhere nearly every day. I’m always on the lookout for our next opportunity, and if we can help you, please call us at 408-245-9120. Visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment. I’ll reply right away.

Something New to Jazz Up Parties and Weddings

magnoliajazz — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:08:09 +0000

Here I am with two friends. We’re demonstrating a relatively new addition to the arsenal of party “supplies”.

In recent years, photographers, DJs, and others have begun offering photo booths to liven up special events. (You, too? Not me, but stay tuned.) The good-looking fellow with me is Scott Vlha, of Doorstep Photo, one of the busiest photographers in the SF Bay Area. I bump into Scott at private and corporate functions all the time.

Here I’m with Linda Kinsella, whose company, Screenbooth, provides a combination photo & video device (she calls it a “digital guestbook”) that’s been a sure-fire hit at anniversary, birthday, graduation, and retirement parties, as well as at weddings.

Ever see one of these photo booths in action? They can be great for keeping a festive party loose and hilarious. They can also preserve a more somber, reflective, poignant mood. Most people can’t resist, so next time to see one, just stand back, watch, and you’ll be joining in soon enough.

There’s always something new at parties these days. Yet tradition demands some things stay unchanged. Who knows better where to draw the line than a wedding coordinator? Her job is to blend the old with the new (as well as “something borrowed, something blue”). I work closely with many top coordinators all the time, and the band recently entertained at the APCWC graduation celebration. That’s Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants. They enjoyed a wonderful brunch that day, and my friend Amy Frugoli, of Twitterpated Weddings, took this photo.

The band will be playing at two big fund-raising events this Saturday, and we entertain somewhere in the SF Bay Area nearly every day. I’m always on the lookout for our next opportunity. Holiday parties are coming up, and if we can help you, please call us at 408-245-9120. Visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment. I’ll reply right away.

Oh, so THAT’s why people have children!

magnoliajazz — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:48:40 +0000

A valuable perspective on communicating with social media. But first, a personal note: Here’s my wife and her mother, who is now living with us. My mother-in-law is pretty ill. Taking care of her gives me lots of opportunities to practice organizing details, listening carefully, and planning ahead. I also learn valuable lessons of kindness, compassion, patience, humility, and gratitude for my blessings.

You know, all the good advice from the world’s holy books. The qualities that make us civilized.

Recently a friend half-seriously suggested the main benefit of raising children is learning how to care for our parents as they grow older. She said taking care of someone who needs your help is an important skill we use throughout life. It’s not just a technique we learn once and keep polished, but an attitude to illuminate how we treat people.

Does this make sense to you? I have no kids, and I’m not so sure this is the MAIN benefit from raising children. Still I’d say it ought to be high in the list.

“I live to serve” is a worthy perspective on life. Wouldn’t it be nice if some lessons like these would be more prominent in U.S. foreign policy? Or in the halls of Congress? Or in the boardrooms of major corporations, labor unions, and local civic groups?

Hey, you folks got something more important to do?

Well, fortunately for us, these ethical qualities distinguish the best person-to-person relationships. These days, almost every business I know is striving to “personalize”. All my colleagues and I are no exception. We’re successful to the extent that we treat our clients (and each other) kindly, develop satisfying personal relationships, and provide an outstanding product or service. We hear lots of chatter these days about effective marketing with social media, but it always comes down to nourishing a good person-to-person relationship.

Say you’re organizing a special party. You want to work with people able and eager to make your dreams come true, right? You can find plenty of us, and if you need more help, we’ll be glad to recommend some friends we work well with. Here’s a fine group of some of my best colleagues, involved with the San Francisco Dream Team Wedding Giveaway. Photo by my friend, Lilia Ahner, Lilia Ahner Photography.

For me, this generous attitude has always been effective. The band entertains somewhere nearly every day, and I’m always on the lookout for our next opportunity. If we can help you, please call us at 408-245-9120. Visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon. Here’s the next one: Saturday, October 17, 2-4pm, at Macy’s Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please take a moment to share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment. I’ll reply right away.

Please Join the Conversation

magnoliajazz — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:11:03 +0000

Short and sweet. That’s one of the best blogging goals my friends recommend. Keep your posts eye-catching, easy to read, and begging for a reply.

So for now I’m taking their advice and keeping it simple. For the past two years, all my posts tended to be wordy. Starting now this changes. After all, this is a “person-to-person” project. My purpose blogging is to join your conversations and invite you to join mine. How’m I doing?

Speaking of changes, I recently joined some of my high school classmates for a big reunion. Some of us hardly changed at all, and for others the transformation has been remarkable. However, I’m still the same guy I’ve always seen in the mirror. Cute as ever:

My friend Gustavo Fernandez (GustavoFernandez.com) shot this photo at the Kenyon Estate’s recent open house. Thanks for the photo, Gustavo. You’re one busy fellow. Like nearly all the skilled photographers I work with, you’re personable with a ready smile, sensitive to people’s feelings, and able to easily capture their mood with stylish images. Like only a few of the photographers I work with, you’re passionately involved with several social campaigns, like the movement to “go green” and the plight of poor children in the Dominican Republic. Way to go!

Well, beginning to write a simple post is always daunting, but knowing when to end is a bigger challenge, at least for me. You too?

So now I’m taking that bold step and going back to work. The band still entertains somewhere nearly every day, and I’m always on the lookout for our next opportunity. If we can help you, please call us at 408-245-9120. Visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please take a moment to find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, share this post, subscribe, and send me a comment. I’ll reply right away.

Practicing for Weddings and Parties

magnoliajazz — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Here we are two weeks ago, at the beautiful Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, in Sonoma. Starting with “It Had to be You” and ending with Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”, the wedding processional included bridesmaids, the ring bearer, and the flower girl, who paved the way for Kim and her Dad. Congratulations Kim and Chris — you starred in a lovely evening, and thanks for including us.

Thanks to Jere Visalli (Visalli Photography) for the beautiful photos. Visit his stunning website.

Like so many successful events, this wedding required lots of planning and coordinating, and we were delighted to work with Lisa Parker-Kim (Parker-Kim Events) and Melanie King (Jacuzzi Family Vineyards).

Every day we’re reminded that success follows thorough preparation. For example, my friend Amy Frugoli (Twitterpated Weddings), an outstanding wedding coordinator, is one of the busiest networkers in Northern California. She seems to be everywhere, and she‘s just been selected to serve as the primary coordinator for the $100K San Francisco Dream Wedding Giveaway, to be announced tomorrow. What an honor!

Upon hearing the news, I reminded her that her good fortune is really no surprise — the more we practice, the luckier we get.

With Amy, it’s never “Same old, same old.” She always creates new touches for her events, and, like many of our colleagues, she’s ready for anything, She’s constantly exploring, observing, inventing, and rehearsing, all with an open mind.

For all of us, this is a great habit to cultivate. What’s your favorite way to keep your mind fresh and agile?

The Magnolia Jazz Band continues to keep busy. Nearly every day, we entertain at memorable celebrations ranging from large, elegant wedding receptions and banquets to small, casual garden parties and picnics, and I’m always on the lookout for more opportunities. Today I’m talking with people hosting parties for Labor Day and Halloween. If you’ll have a soiree on one of these days, or on any day in between, now’s a good time to arrange the details, including the music.

Have a question? We’ll have the answer. Call us at 408-245-9120. We’re easy to work with, so let our experience help your next celebration. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for our schedule, and catch us at a public event soon. We’re playing on Wed, August 26, at a pre-holiday party showcase at the Crowne Plaza Cabana, Palo Alto, and I hope to see you there. (Call 650-628-0138 to RSVP).

Please take a moment to find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Please visit our Facebook Page, register as a “fan”, and you’ll receive a quick email reminder before each of our public appearances.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please send me a comment (below), and I’ll reply promptly.

Walking the Talk for Weddings and Parties

magnoliajazz — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:01:00 +0000

Please catch us in action soon. Visit our Facebook Page, register as a “fan”, and you’ll receive a quick email reminder before each of our public appearances.

Here we are last July 4th, jazzing up the pre-fireworks family picnic hosted by the City of Cupertino. We’ll be back again this Saturday evening. L–R: Dale Mills, Gary Milliken, Steve Apple, me, Bruce Jolly, and Andy Norblin. Thanks for the wonderful photo, Joy.

On to “Walking the Talk”. Several months ago I accepted a challenge to write 25 interesting things about myself. The project taught me about what counts most in my life, and I recommend you try it, too.

I commented on the people who influence how I think about the world and what I like to do. Naturally, my parents appear early in the list, but I also mention many friends and colleagues throughout.

Here’s where it gets interesting. We hear so much about the huge role of parents in molding a child’s character, but how about the role of our friends? And why should it matter to us? After all, we’re grown-ups, right?

I’m in the middle of Malcom Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point, and he claims (at least regarding the rise and spread of social fads) that peer pressure beats parental pressure hands down. I agree. Lessons from our parents form only the first, though perhaps most enduring, window through which we view the world. Throughout our lives, we retain and build on that earliest viewpoint as we meet new people.

Nowadays, our friends continue to mold our perceptions, our decisions, and our character, and I’m sure we all can mention LOTS of examples to support this.

Now let’s change perspective. Think not about who influences you, but rather about who you influence. Like it or not, all the people who know us learn something from what they see us doing. So we need to “do what we say”. What are we displaying — courtesy, thoughtfulness, curiosity, industry, loyalty, creativity? The list goes on.

I strive to be a thoughtful citizen of my community, and to treat people right. Day-to-day I manage the band so we entertain people, helping them enjoy their weddings and parties, and making these celebrations memorable.

This is how I make a living, trying to make everyone’s lives a little better, and I hope I’m setting a good example. Ask yourself: How do YOU model what you’d like your friends to do?

Meanwhile, the band continues to jazz up events of all sizes, and I’m always on the lookout for more opportunities. For instance, will you be celebrating a significant event soon? Throw a party and include us. Are friends talking about a wedding? Please recommend us. Today I’m talking with people hosting parties for the 4th of July and Labor Day. If you’ll have a soiree on one of these days, or on any day in between, now’s a good time to arrange the details, including the music.

Have a question? We’ll have the answer. Call us at 408-245-9120. You’ll love what we do. We’re easy to work with, so let our experience help your celebration.

In the meantime, please catch us at a few public events coming up. On Saturday, July 4th, we’ll be entertaining prior to the fireworks at the City of Cupertino’s holiday festivities. Please visit MagnoliaJazz.com for details, and I hope to see you soon.

Please take a moment to find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Want to catch us in action? Please visit our Facebook Page, register as a “fan”, and you’ll receive a quick email reminder before each of our public appearances.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please send me a comment (below), and I’ll reply promptly. For now, here’s a question for you: How do YOU model what you’d like your friends to do? By the way, you’ll find my entire list of 25 interesting things here.