Larry Mechem: News

On February 17th, I had a triple bypass and a valve fixed. It was an 8 1/2 hour surgery and I was in ICU for 3 days and a regular room for another 4. I had no symptoms other than just being tired all the time. I was very lucky that I didn't have a heart attack.....could of been bad. I start cardiac rehab on March 21, see my cardiologist on the 22nd. At that point, I should be released to drive. Haven't seen my mother since before the surgery, so I am wanting to get up to see her. My new diet is low fat and low sodium. The low sodium is very hard to do......but I am getting use to it. So far I have lost 26 pounds and feel a lot better. My chest still hurts from them opening me up.... but everyday is better. Nancy just had her back surgery on March 15. She will have a long recovery but we are hoping that her pain will go away. My kids have all been home to help with this.

Thanks for your support..... I will be ready to play soon.... and have more air to play the trumpet!!

LM Products celebrates 30th year in business.
Music Trades - May, 2009

2009 MARKS THE 30th anniversary for LM Products, Inc. Founded in 1979 by Larry Mechem, LM Products started out with only one employee, a few hides of leather, and a sewing machine. The company is now a leading manufacturer of U.S.-made guitar straps and other musical accessory items. With unique high-quality products at competitive prices and a commitment to personalized customer service, LM Products has maintained consistent growth.

www.lmproducts.com

Steve Robinett "Standard Approach"

Review by Mark Harris

Steve Robinett has taken a "Standard Approach" to his debut compact disc. Robinett, who is an educator, arranger and strong section trumpeter, shows his talents as an arranger and player on this collection of standards and originals.

Joining Steve on this disc are musicians that have all worked with him over the years as members of big bands and small groups alike.

Steve Robinett trumpet.
Chuck Carter on tenor sax and clarinet
Ed Cox on trombone
Larry Mechem on piano and organ
Fred Withrow on bass
Gene Markiewicz on drums.

Adding a feminine touch to this hard-charging group of jazz go-getters is the talented
Janiece Jaffe singing on two of the selections.

This album jump at you right off the bat as Gene Markiewicz kicks off "Opus One". The arrangement, like all of the songs on this collection, is by Robinett himself. Chuck Carter and Ed Cox solo on tenor and trombone to give this sextet a very big band sound. Robinett then takes his turn, with a sound that is reminiscent of the great trumpets of the big bands. Unlike many arrangers, Robinett spreads around the solo exposure evenly. Larry Mechem and Fred Withrow follow the lead set by Carter,

Cox and Robinett with swinging proficiency on their instruments. Basie would be proud with this one. "Lovely Lady" is one of three Steve Robinett compositions on the album. This one is reminiscent of the great composers and arrangers of the 1960s: Burt Bacharach, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Sergio Mendes who brought the Bossa Nova and Samba feel into popular music.

A little bit of "Girl from Impanema" or "Fool on the Hill" can be heard in this one. Robinett's flugel solo on this one is lush and rich. The voicing between sax and the brass make this a warm, inviting composition. "Topsy" is one of those standards that every serious jazz trumpeter has played.

This has always been a favorite composition of mine. It has a sneaky bounce to it that really swings. The horns do a great job with their solos, followed by some nice organ work by Larry Mechem. Gene Markiewicz plays a nice Gene Krupa groove in the background and in his solo breaks on this tune that give it a real depth. The first time that I heard Steve play his composition "Mona Jane" was one night when he sat in with Chuck Carter at the Jazz Kitchen. I'm glad it's on this collection. It's a beautiful song that has a genuine warmth and
gentleness.

This is where Robinett's flugelhorn is strongest. The sound is rich and mellow, warm and comforting. Since it's an original, this song isn't one of the "standards" of jazz, but it should be. An opening riff that sounds like "Hey Big Spender" sends you swinging into "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". This is one of those standards that is usually overlooked as a "popular song", but it is a good showcase for Robinett's arranging skill and the talent of the individual members of this sextet. This one is notable for its range of dynamics the louds and softs are well planned and executed by the ensemble.

The Ellington/Strayhorn standard of "Daydream" is one of those wonderfully sleepy "slow dance" ballads that in this instance give the illusion of this sextet being much bigger. Mark Hood has done a wonderful job of creating a warm presence in the micing and mixing of this album. His recording technique has made it possible for the musicians to use their full dynamic range. Steve Robinett's "Where Would I Be?" is a wonderfully open 3/4 swing. It starts with Robinett playing the melody solo on flugelhorn. Chuck Carter is then mixed in on clarinet and then Ed Cox on trombone until there is a full interplay in the waltz. Carter takes the first round, followed by Robinett and Mechem on piano. Cox's role in this arrangement is basically second trombone, since Robinett works so well in the low range.

I've never thought that "Willow Weep For Me" could be used in a burlesque revue, until I heard this arrangement. Starting a tom-tom intro and cabaret styled horns, Janiece Jaffe's vocal is breathy and steamy, dripping of seductive longing, which is really what these lyrics are all about. Add to that a scorching organ and this is the type of music that your elementary school band director warned you about.

"Get Happy" is a wonderfully up-tempo arrangement. It sounds like it's being played from a 78 on an old Victrola. Robinett's muted trumpet and Carter's clarinet help set this scene. As sure as there was ever dixieland jazz in Indiana, it's recaptured here.

The ensemble is locked in tight on "Things Ain't What They Used To Be". The unison playing gives way to the big sound of Chuck Carter's tenor, followed by Ed Cox on trombone and again to Robinett on trumpet who plays it with the gritty sound of the plunger mute.

On "Bye Bye Blackbird" everyone is swinging! It's the happiest "goodbye" that you'll ever hear. The mood is light, the pace is fast, and the music is jazz. From Gene Markiewicz' sizzling ride cymbal to Janiece Jaffe's scat and vocalese against Robinett's solo, this is a wonderful arrangement of another standard. It's a shame that this enjoyable disc is over. I'd suggest using the repeat function on your CD player!

As I mentioned, Steve is probably best known as a strong section player. His name has appeared on the rosters of such bands as those that backed up Burt Bacharach and Andy Williams and he's sat in with just about every local big band, most notably those of Jim Edison and Steve Allee. But Steve Robinett is a very talented solo performer as well, as is demonstrated throughout this album. He is extremely musical, whether he's whispering softly on flugelhorn or hanging it out on the edge on trumpet. He has a strong sense of what fits, and he pulls it off with the authority of any lead trumpet.

This CD is a super first effort. What microscopic detail it may lack in musical accuracy, it makes up for in spirit and enthusiastic risk. The music is classic, the arranging is sound and the playing is solid. It appears that the "Standard Approach" is still what works best.

Mechems reunite for concert
Family members get together from across the country to perform at Paramount

By Susan Akers For The Herald Bulletin ANDERSON— Larry Mechem Sr. and his wife, Nancy, have affected their family in ways they could not imagine. They shared their love of music with their children. They taught their three children about music, how to hear it, how to play an instrument and how to commit to practicing. The Mechem children, L.J., Mike and Lori, now adults, have found ways to combine their passion for music with business and education to earn their livelihoods. The Mechem Family will perform at the Paramount Theatre on Thursday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. Dad Larry is known for his virtuosity on the trumpet as well as for having operated Anderson Music Center in downtown Anderson with the late Joe Pike. Mechem remembers picking up a trumpet when he was about 10. It didn’t take long before he knew that was what he wanted to play. “I played at the country clubs around Anderson and at clubs such as the Spa, the Shamrock, the Derby, and at Foxy’s,” he said. “I started playing at the Elks Club on Broadway when I was about 16 and have played there almost every Friday night since.” The performance at the Paramount Theatre will kick off with a couple of friends joining Mechem Sr. with Dixieland-style music because, as he says, it has a broad appeal to people of all ages. Elder son, L.J., is a pianist and businessman who owns and operates LM Products Inc., a business originated by his father. His successful guitar strap and music accessory business is the largest guitar strap maker in the U.S. with over 30 employees and distributors in almost every major market in the world. L.J. lives in Anderson with his wife, Melanie, and they have two children, Tyler and Alexis. Alexis will be on hand to emcee the Paramount show. Tyler has recorded a new CD and will be the featured singer during the program. His sound could be described as Americana with a little Southern rock and a little blues. Father L.J. says his son’s style has wide appeal with good melodies and storylines. Tyler is based out of Charleston, S.C., and has been getting attention lately in the recording business with his band Crowfield. Mike, who is 11 months younger than L.J., has traveled widely as a jazz percussionist. Both brothers have performed around the country experiencing “life on the road” as successful musicians. In fact, Mike met his wife in New York while she was performing off-Broadway. They decided to move to Las Vegas to begin their family. Mike is successful in real estate, and the couple has two sons. Lori, the youngest of the Mechem children, lives in Nashville, Tenn.. She balances the management of the Nashville Jazz Workshop, a nonprofit educational center, while performing as a jazz pianist, producing CDs and developing young talent. Her husband, Roger, director of NJW who also teaches there, will play bass guitar with the Mechem Family Band. Lori’s recent CD, “April in Paris,” hit No. 19 on the charts of “Jazz Week,” a radio airplay chart that reports the top 50 recordings on radio stations across the U.S. and Canada. This was her second tribute to Count Basie with the Lori Mechem Quartet. “It was a blast when we did a family concert at the Paramount Theatre about five years ago,” she said. “All of us are looking forward to getting together again for this, especially to hear my mom sing and my nephew, Tyler, to perform.” Mechem Sr. recalls that when the children were young he would play the organ while they would grab whatever instrument they were working on at the time and play songs together. L.J. and Mike remember practicing instruments indoors while their friends were outside playing baseball. “We started taking piano lessons at about the age of six,” L.J. said. “We always had to practice 35 minutes, not 30 but 35. That is probably because we blew five minutes by not paying attention. Mom made us practice although we wanted to be outside. But now I am glad she did.” L.J. remembers the songs their dad taught them to play in their family home on 16th Street in Anderson. They learned “Mercy Mercy Mercy” by Cannonball Adderly, “Got My Mojo Workin’” by Jimmy Smith and Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man.” “Lori would play piano and Mike would play drums,” said Mechem Sr. “L.J. could play drums, too, but he played keyboards when we were together.” “And Mom would sing,” added L.J. All of the Mechem offspring played in their dad’s band at some point which helped develop their musical chops. “If kids really want to learn to play, they will practice even though the early stages are hard for them,” the dad said. “I still practice and I am 69 years old. If I’m not playing at a job, then I’m practicing or arranging new tunes.” He continues to play his trumpet, sometimes solo, sometimes with a four-piece band. He recently returned from a few gigs in Florida and now plays every Wednesday night at Lutz’s Steakhouse on Indiana 32 east of Westfield.