PEOPLE OF INTEREST
101
MAXIMILIANO “MAX” DUHALDE
Age: 58
Lives In: Fort Pierce
Occupation: Musician
Family: Married to Hayley;
stepson Tony, stepdaughter
Kaylyna and daughter Kianah
Linda Rhiah, a Hawaiian name
that means cool mountain
breeze with beautiful flowing
rivers; two grandchildren, Daniel and Isabella
Education: Associate in Arts degree in performing arts, Indian
River State College
People
Hobbies: Deep-sea fishing; scuba diving; spear-fishing
Background: Was born in Santiago, Chile, and grew up in
Vero Beach; retired from United Parcel Service after 30 years;
local musician and sound man; board member of Fort Pierce
Jazz & Blues Society
What Inspires Me: “Music is my inspiration. Every year, I went
to New York City and watched concerts in Madison Square
Garden and I traveled a lot as a youngster, listening to musicians.
All of that inspired me to perfect my music abilities.”
Something People Don’t Know About Me: “I used to be a
maniac surfer. One year, I hooked my surfboard up to my
motorcycle and drove up the coast, following Hurricane
David and later Hurricane Frederic. I surfed off the Outer
Banks. I surfed at Jones Beach in New York City. A police helicopter
flew over me and the pilot got on the PA system to ask
if I was OK. I told him I was fine, but to get out of there as the
helicopter was ruining my waves.
started playing drums at churches in the area.
While working for 30 years at UPS, Duhalde continued to
work in music groups along the Treasure Coast, volunteering
for 16 years with the Treasure Coast Symphony as a trumpet
player and percussionist.
“Don Bestor with the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society called
me after Chris Hulka died. He had been doing their sound
work and they needed somebody to fill in and set up the
sound system for their performances,” Duhalde says, adding
that sound work is one of his accomplishments.
Duhalde played second trumpet, filling in at first trumpet
when needed, for the inaugural season of the Atlantic Classical
Orchestra at The Lyric Theatre in Stuart and at Vero Beach
Community Church. He also played in the orchestra’s second
season.
Although he helps support his family with what he makes
from sound setups, he is most enthusiastic about working
with fellow musicians and friends on the local jazz scene.
Duhalde and Green make up two members of The Coffee
Bean Jazz Band, playing drums and trumpet, respectively.
The others are his friend and fellow band member from Vero
Beach High School, George Remer, who plays trumpet, flute,
saxophone and keyboards, and another saxophone player,
Mike Howley. The group plays smooth jazz at private parties
and country clubs. They played at Jazz Week for the Fort
Pierce Jazz & Blues Society in March 2016 and hope to be
back in 2017.
In the meantime, if you are out and about on the Treasure
Coast and there is live music being played, keep an eye out
for Duhalde, he just might be there playing an instrument or
running the sound system.
JAZZ SOCIETY FUNDRAISER COULD BE
JUST DUCKY FOR FORT PIERCE
Jazz society seeks sponsors to bring this big bird to town.
BY PATTIE DURHAM
With the hope that visitors galore will flock to Fort Pierce
to view Mama Duck, the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society
is looking for sponsors to help the 61-foot-tall rubber
ducky fly into town in March to celebrate the hometown
Sandy Shoes Festival and kick off the start of Jazz Week.
The society is seeking sponsors, both private and business/
civic-related, to assist in bringing the big bird to town.
Craig Samborski, the owner of the large duck, says Mama
Duck has a steel pontoon on which to rest. The pontoon
is delivered by flatbed truck, but the inflatable duck is
shipped in a crate. Once she is blown up, a process that
takes a few hours, Mama Duck will be lifted into the water
by a crane and moved into position at Marina Square.
If the funds are raised and Mama Duck does wing it into
town, she will be inflated on the Friday before Jazz Week
(March 17) and deflated on Monday (March 20). The Jazz
Society needs to raise a deposit of $12,000 by Jan. 31. The
total cost of setting up the large yellow fowl is $24,000.
“We want it to be all that it is quacked up to be,”
quipped George McDaniel, who is handling this project
for the Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society.
In cities where Mama Duck has appeared, tens of thousands
have come to see her. The jazz society members are
sure this duck will bring people to the county where they
will dine, shop and spend the night, bringing money into
the community as well as casting a positive light on Fort
Pierce. Mama Duck has visited waterfront cities throughout
the United States, often accompanied by a group of Tall
Ships, but she will most likely be flying solo to Fort Pierce -
unless one of her ducklings comes along for the ride.
Just to imagine Mama’s size, at 61 feet tall and 74 feet
wide, McDaniel thinks she should fill the space under the
South Bridge at low tide. Now, that is some duck.
Those who wish to assist the jazz society in sponsoring
the duck drop-in should contact McDaniel at tillerrope@
gmail.com.
/gmail.com
/gmail.com