The surprising lesson I learned from a brilliant, no-nonsense educator

By Jon Liebman
December 8, 2025

Back when I was a jazz studies major at Wayne State University in Detroit, I saw a lot of very impressive things… but nothing could’ve prepared me for what happened the day a trumpet player didn’t show up for rehearsal.

If you’ve ever been around serious music students, you know the routine. Everyone’s getting their parts together, warming up, focusing in… but that day felt different. We were one person short. Not the end of the world, right? At least, that’s what I thought.

Then came the moment I’ll never forget.

I watched, stunned, as Professor Dennis Tini — one of the most intense, sharpest musical minds I’ve ever studied with — did something so creative, so instinctive, and so completely unexpected that it stopped the whole room. I didn’t even know a person could do something like that.

And all because a trumpet player didn’t show up.

That moment taught me more about musicianship — real musicianship — than most of my classes combined. It changed the way I listen, the way I think about music, and even the way I play bass.

In this week’s Tales From the Pit video, I share what happened, why it hit me so hard, and what you can take from it too.

Watch the video, then leave a comment below with your takeaways.

Let’s play bass!
—Jon