Walking the Talk for Weddings and Parties

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.