tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post111915663869022911..comments2023-12-04T09:29:06.375-08:00Comments on Casa Valdez Studios: Joe Viola- 'Yoda of the Saxophone'David Carlos Valdezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338319345488366328noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-88624580239874834042013-09-15T16:48:59.884-07:002013-09-15T16:48:59.884-07:00I studied with Joe in 1974. I love his chord study...I studied with Joe in 1974. I love his chord study book and always feel like I've been to the gym after practicing with it,ready for anything after that! He would use his covered finger help correct your tongue position for articulation. A steady and sure instructor who inspired you to practice. He told me that I would be a good ballad player someday......so I got more work to do!<br />Don Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08931282794331406926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-42866937235749652652012-05-15T13:13:54.797-07:002012-05-15T13:13:54.797-07:00Glenn Tomassi. I studied with you at Berklee and m...Glenn Tomassi. I studied with you at Berklee and most say that he was a great teacher. I would come very prepared for my class and he would always give me a little extra push and ideas to approach what I was working on it did not matter if it was Giant Steps or the Concertino da Camara by Ibert he would always have a fresh approach an was able to get the best out of us. I teach the saxophone so Joe's legacy is passing on I often find my self remembering him in his studio giving me some advice or showing me something or simply talking about music. I'm fortunate to have been his student and friend always with us Joe Viola YODA of the Saxophone...G.Tomassihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06996236916698096471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-1122489810289687482005-07-27T11:43:00.000-07:002005-07-27T11:43:00.000-07:00The cool thing about Viola WAS....he was not into ...The cool thing about Viola WAS....he was not into creating clones or lil' guys who were politically correct sax wise. The students he had ranged from myself, of course, to...Ernie Watts, Charlie Mariano, JimmY Mosher, Bill Pierce, Garzone, Jane Ira Bloom, Billy Drews,the amazing Claire Daly...plus thousands of guys I do not know of.<BR/>Joe was so open-Garzone & I are still compairing notes on it. Some 32plus years later!!!! Actually I think, Joe mighta been more out than we even could imagine STYLE wise if he had his druthers. Mighta made Garzone & the rest of us look like club date cats-hahahaha. < i'm very serious >Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-1122489714021421042005-07-27T11:41:00.001-07:002005-07-27T11:41:00.001-07:00I don't know why, but, I was amazed at how a quiet...I don't know why, but, I was amazed at how a quiet, unassuming, "regular" type guy, who loved to bs about golf in between lessons(and when you had goofed off, hadn't prepared your lesson), was absolutely genius with the saxophone and as a teacher.<BR/><BR/>I'll never forget sticking my finger in his mouth(sans glove, before the aids scare)so I could feel the proper embouchure pressure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-1122489662556940482005-07-27T11:41:00.000-07:002005-07-27T11:41:00.000-07:00Yes, that nails the essence of Joe V. 41 years lat...Yes, that nails the essence of Joe V. 41 years later I still remember the slight sidelong glance when it wasn't dead on! Not intimidating , just meaningful, and for those who put forth the effort, always encouraging and willing to share. Too few with those qualities. We who studied with him surely received a legacy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-1119219473460484802005-06-19T15:17:00.000-07:002005-06-19T15:17:00.000-07:00Let me stress that he did think that overtone exer...Let me stress that he did think that overtone exercises were very valuable in order to gain control of the upper oral tract. It seems to me that players should not expect to be able to play through the entire Rascher 'Top Tones' book without switching to a Rascher type setup. As I said before, who would even want to sound like Sigard Rascher in the first place?David Carlos Valdezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02338319345488366328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-1119218993159122942005-06-19T15:09:00.000-07:002005-06-19T15:09:00.000-07:00Now that Joe V is gone I don't have a problem repe...Now that Joe V is gone I don't have a problem repeating that he thought Sigard Rascher and all his students had horrendously AWFUL tones. He said that they didn't even sound like saxophones. He did respect the fact that they could play those insanely high overtones, but at what price?David Carlos Valdezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02338319345488366328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13630144.post-1119206749448009162005-06-19T11:45:00.000-07:002005-06-19T11:45:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com