The Trombonist Summer 2009

british trombone society

The Trombonist Summer 2009

www.britishtrombonesociety.org

Spectacular trombone days

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NEWS

Royal Academy of Music / BTS Trombone Day

BTS North of England Trombone Day 2009

Sunday 21st June 10.30am–6pm, Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5HT

Sunday 5th July 2009 10am–6pm The Concert Room, Department of Music, Place Green, Durham City Centre, DH1 3RL (by the cathedral)

Bones Apart • London Brass Trombones • Denis Wick Gordon Campbell • RAM Trombone Choir

Simon Johnson (BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra) Leyland Band Trombone Quartet Brett Baker & Garry Reid (Black Dyke) James Stretton (Orichalcum, World of Brass)

The day will include the chance to take part in a massed trombone choir, sit in on ensemble workshops, and the chance to hear some of the UK’s top players in action.

There will be trade stands present on the day with a selection of instruments, accessories, music and CDs.

Massed blow • opportunities to play solos with Fenella Hawarth-Smith, a fantastic piano accompanist • local young players will have a platform to play solos and quartets to professional players • 5pm performance as part of Durham Musical Festival.

FREE to BTS Members. £10 for non-members or join on the day.

FREE to BTS Members. £6 for non-members or join on the day.

10.30am 11.00 12.00 12.25 1.00pm 2.00 3.00 3.35 4.00 5.15

Registration and coffee Massed Trombone Choir directed by Bob Hughes Coffee RAM Trombone Choir with Gordon Campbell Lunch Ensembles from Wells Cathedral School and Chethams School of Music in open workshops with members of Bones Apart and London Brass Trombones Presentation and discussion with Denis Wick Tea Recital by Bones Apart and London Brass Trombones Massed Trombone Choir

Please contact Bob Hughes president@britishtrombonesociety.org for further details and to register interest.

10.00am 10.30 11.00 11.30 12.00 12.30 1.30pm 2.30 3.00 3.30 5.00

Registration Massed blow 1 Break Workshop: Brett Baker on sound, technique, breathing James Stretton: playing several brass instruments Lunch Massed blow 2 Durham quartet and young players recital Guest Artist recital with Simon Johnson Massed Blow 3 Performance in Durham Square

Accommodation available at Hatfield College for £28.50 per night. Contact: Alison Lister, alison@sedgefield.demon.co.uk / 01740 622849 / 07860 818845 Please register your interest with Brett Baker: chair@britishtrombonesociety.org

Bumper BTS day in Cardiff The day after the Irish had invaded the Welsh capital and grabbed the Six Nations title and their first Grand Slam in 61 years, it was the turn of the nations’ trombones to gather on the other side of Cardiff Castle from the Millennium stadium. Trombonists came together at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for a trombone day of seminars, recitals and a concert, accompanied by and centred around the college brass band.

Tutors from the college and members of the CBSO, Bournemouth SO, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and the Welsh National Opera were all drafted in to give master classes, or take part in the trombone choirs and ensembles running through the day.

Daytime workshops were taken by Rob Goodhew (BBC NOW), Brett Baker (Black Dyke) and Jeremy Price (Head of Jazz

at Birmingham Conservatoire) amongst many others. With full trombone sections from both the BBC NOW and Welsh National Opera giving classes, the standard of tuition for the day was very high indeed.

Fodens star bass trombone 17 year-old Simon Minshall gave a memorable recital, with works as diverse as Imaginations by Jim Molyneux, Nocturno by Rheinhold Glière and the challenging Sub Zero

by Daniel Schnyder. This was a piece Simon admitted he had found on YouTube, proving quality music can sometimes be discovered on the web.

One of the highlights of the day was the première of a professional trombone choir, made up of most of the tutors of the day, who were conducted by Bob Hughes, President of the BTS. They played a special arrangement of Variations on a theme by Paganini by Roger Harvey, which went

down very well with the evening concert audience. The RWCMD Brass Band played the accompaniment for the soloists in the evening concert.

Leader Nigel Seaman chose to show the band’s skills with a wonderful performance of Derek Bourgeois’ 1980 National test piece, Blitz.

Simon Minshall stood in at the last minute to replace Chris Thomas, who was unable to attend, and played Prelude and Dances by Ray Premu, which he performed unaccompanied to great admiration from the audience. Brett Baker played Shout! by Rob Wiffen, and demonstrated how old style solos can still test the best soloists with a magnificent display of Fantastic Polka by the Sousa Band composer Arthur Pryor.

The whole day was a resounding success, with around 60 delegates attending. The day’s coordinator, Colin Barrett,

was very pleased that the event went so well and the college hopes to hold another trombone day in two years time. The RWCMD were very accommodating opening their facilities to the BTS. If the Welsh experience is anything to go by, trombonists seem to have the most fun!

And with our own Grand Slam this year – Peter Moore and Steven Sykes winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year, and Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist respectively – to paraphrase David Putman’s 1981 Oscar statement: the trombones are coming!

John Stirzaker (adapted from the British Bandsman) Front cover: Recent BTS events in Cardiff, Castleford, Leeds, Manchester & Rugby. Faces from top: Becca Pope, Simon Minshall, Arlene Macfarlane, Niels-Ole Bo Johansen, Ben van Dijk, Brett Baker, Chris Houlding, Tony Howe, Rob Goodhew. Thanks to all photographers including Christina Blatt (Manchester), John Stirzaker (Cardiff ) and Geoff Wolmark (various). Graphic art: Tom Gardner The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 3

NEWS

In Brief During April, Brett Baker performed the première of Darrol Barry’s Concerto for Trombone and Brass Band. The performance took place in a concert with Dorset-based Gillingham Imperial Silver Band conducted by Alan MacRae. Nigel Hall praised the performance, describing the piece as suitable for “only the very best of soloists” and the Dorset audience received it enthusiastically.

Intrepid Norfolk-based trombonist Dave Scragg has been following up his 2007 radio show Global Bones with further interviews on the subject of Focal Dystonia.

He speaks to two British players who have suffered the condition and are undergoing therapy from the Madridbased Joachim Fabra: youtube.com/channels/davescragg

Musical Chairs Of the six trombonists picked in the 2009 European Union Youth Orchestra auditions, three are British, so congratulations to: Matt Lewis (RAM), Mike Shore (RAM) and Douglas Murdoch (GSMD).

There is also one Brit who made it into the section of four in this year’s Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester – well done to William Porter (RAM).

Richard Brown is the new 2nd trombone of the BBC Philharmonic, joining section players Paul Reynolds and Russell Taylor.

Matt Gee has been appointed Principal Trombone at the Orchestra of Opera North, and moves there from Scottish Opera. Matt takes over from Chris Houlding, following his new professorship in Essen, Germany.

4 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

Brett Baker Leeds the way Brass bands and young players to the fore on Yorkshire trombone days Saturday 21st February Brett Baker and the Black Dyke Trombones led a fantastic BTS day enjoyed by a good number of trombonists of varying experience and genre, hosted by Artforms (Leeds Education Music Service).

Solo recitals by Brett Baker, Black Dyke Trombones and Leyland Band Trombone Quartet laid on a feast to suit all tastes. Massed Blow items, worked at throughout the day, provided players with the unique opportunity to play next to “the best”. Inspiring it was too!

The Leyland quartet played solo with their band in Zeroth, recently composed for this event by Marc Owen. This fiendishly difficult piece was conducted by Jason Katsikaris who explained the intricacies of rehearsing and playing it.

Wednesday 25th February The BTS and Education Leeds changed the focus to young players for this event. Most of the local authorities brought their young trombonists to this event led by Paul Woodward and Adrian Hirst, with help also provided by local brass teachers.

What a day! Paul and Adrian – both on good form – led a massed warm-up for the 60-plus young players before working with every player in the three ability-based groups.

Sam Jennings (17, bass trombone), took part in a masterclass with Adrian Hirst, playing the trombone solo from Mahler’s 3rd Symphony.

He was followed by Dan Eddison (14) playing Arthur Pryor’s tour-de-force Fantastic Polka, under the watchful eye of Paul Woodward.

Rugby roundup

GSMD triumph in ITA competition

Despite being a new event, the BTS day in Rugby in March attracted over fifty attendees playing trombone plus a few other instruments too! Classes were run by Brett Baker who brought along the Black Dyke Trombone Quartet, and Tony Howe (CBSO). At one stage during the Black Dyke-led massed blow an impromptu rhythm section started up as Becca Pope (nee Harper) found some percussion instruments and handed them out to innocent bystanders and Brasil was lent an authentic carnival feel! There were two large trombone choirs with players of all levels run by Becca Pope and Chris Jeans, and performances by the Leyland Band Trombone Quartet and the Leicester Grammar School / Youthbrass 2000 trombone ensemble. Trade stands from Warwick Music and Sharon McCallum did a roaring trade and I’m pleased to say that the day was a great success.

Jim Newberry

Congratulations to the Guildhall Jazz Trombone Ensemble (Robbie Harvey, Iain Maxwell, Doug Murdoch, Hilary Belsey, Craig Beattie, Ross Brennan) who won the Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition run annually by the International Trombone Association.

Coached by Eric Crees and Jiggs Wigham, the group triumphed on the basis of a submitted recording and will

Campbell Burnap family produces memorial DVD

The soloists were followed by a quintet of young people from East Yorkshire, who were mentored in the art of group playing by the Dyke duo.

Paul and Adrian then wowed and captivated the audience with a solo showcase that included Wandrin Star (accompanied only by finger clicks from the audience!), D L Blues and duet Trombone Institute of Technology.

The day concluded with all of the players performing works prepared during the day for an appreciative audience of parents.

Over the two days all of the stars concerned were fantastic ambassadors for the BTS, their bands and the trombone.

Thanks guys!!!

Sheila Eddison, Artforms

perform at the ITA festival in Denmark this month.

The finals of other ITA competitions will be held at the festival. British entries successfully reaching the finals are: Robbie Harvey (Guildhall) in the JJ Johnson Jazz Trombone Competition, Matthew Knight (London) in the ITA Alto Trombone Competition and Bones 4 U (RNCM) in the ITA Quartet Competition.

The life of the well-known jazz trombonist and broadcaster Campbell Burnap is being celebrated in a memorial DVD, being sold in aid of charities Human Rights Watch UK and Pancreatic Cancer UK. The material is picked from his musical performances, radio broadcasts, tributes, photos and Campbell’s memorial celebration at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The DVD is available for £12 from Jennifer Burnap. Contact: jaburnap@gmail.com or 0208 693 8914.

NEWS RAM student Phil Dewhurst is performing the Larsson concertino with the Four Counties Youth Orchestra in Wales on 16th July. Venue TBA on the BTS website.

18 Jun 19 Jun 20 Jun 21 Jun 21 Jun 23 Jun 25-28 Jun 26 Jun 27 Jun 28 Jun 30 Jun 3 Jul 5 Jul 6-11 Jul 7 Jul 9 Jul 11 Jul 16 Jul 31 Jul 10 Sep 5-7 Aug 8-15 Aug 22-29 Aug 2 Oct 6 Nov

Fine Arts Brass Hampshire Bramley & Little London Festival Wycliffe Gordon RWCMD m’class Cardiff 11am-2pm St Teilo’s Church, Woodville Wycliffe Gordon with Cory Band Cardiff 7.30pm, St. David’s Hall BTS Day London 10.30-6 Royal Academy of Music, see page 3 Phil Dewhurst recital London Wigmore Hall RCM Brass Extravaganza London 1pm & 6pm, Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall ITF 2009 Denmark See itf2009.org Dennis Rollins / Badbone & Co Plymouth Royal William Yard English Cornett & Sackbut Ens. London Monteverdi Vespers, Croydon Dennis Rollins – Velocity Trio Staffs Lichfield Rugby Club, Real Ale Festival RWCMD brass open day Cardiff See RWCMD website. Bring your trombone!

English Cornett & Sackbut Ens. Dorset Monteverdi Vespers, Beaminster BTS Day Durham 10-6 University Music Department, see page 3 Historic Brass/Galpin Society Conf. London/Edinburgh See below Onyx Brass - evening recital London Westminster Abbey School Onyx Brass - JAM concert London 7.30, St. Margaret’s, Westminster Abbey Onyx Brass - JAM concert Kent 7.30, St Nicholas Church, New Romney Phil Dewhurst – Larsson concerto Wales With the Four Counties Youth Orchestra Fine Arts Brass Bedford The Barn, Carlton Bone Supremacy, Mark Nightingale Surrey Dorking, see www.watermilljazz.co.uk Doveridge tpt/tbn course Staffs See below John Kenny Devon Dartington International Summer School Fine Arts Brass Devon Dartington International Summer School Chris Houlding masterclass Cardiff 1pm, RWCMD Weston Gallery Ni Ensemble brass quintet recital Cardiff 1pm, RWCMD Weston Gallery

Wycliffe Gordon won many fans at the ITF in Birmingham three years ago and he’s back this month with solo performances in Cardiff with the Cory Band who celebrate their 125th Anniversary on 20th June. He also appears as part of the all-star American group Brass Band of Battle Creek and will perform masterclasses with RWCMD students.

Pete Lacey is pleased to announce that the Doveridge Trumpet and Trombone Course will take place once again in early August this year.

Guest trombone tutors are Phil Dale and Bill Mee. The 5th August is a junior day and the 6th & 7th cater for older students up to music college level. For full details, contact Pete on 0779 355 3492 or trombone76@ntlworld.com

PHOTO © G. F. AQUILINO/FREDAQUILINOPHOTO.COM

Diary Dates

Wycliffe Gordon brings his hard-swinging straightahead jazz to Cardiff

Onyx Brass will feature new music for brass, choir and organ in a series of concerts during July. They will perform pieces from top-drawer British composers commissioned by the John Armitage Memorial over the past seven years.

The concerts in Westminster Abbey and New Romney (Kent) include works by Adam Gorb, Paul Patterson and Timothy Jackson.

The Historic Brass Society has chosen Britain for this year’s conference. The five day festival in July is run in partnership with the Galpin Society and is takes place at the RCM and Horniman Museum in London and Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments. Alongside a series of concerts, there is a special exhibition of trombones and the presentation of much academic research, including “Farewell to the Kidshifter: The Decline of the G Bass Trombone in the UK 1950-1980” by Gavin Dixon from the Horniman Museum, “Ergonomic Analysis of a Renaissance Sackbut” by Bill Tuck and Frank Tomes, and “The Road to Masquerade: The Influence of the Voice on Brass Band Style and Repertoire” from Peter Bassano.

The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 5

FEATURES Jazz trumpet star Maynard Ferguson has nurtured several talented young trombonists over the years, but Steve Wiest was the one who got called back to be permanent side man with “The Boss”. Now he’s a top jazz trombonist in his own right, a Grammy–nominated arranger and Professor of Jazz Trombone and directs the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band. Spilling the beans on tour stories, Steve Wiest talks to his friend and new BTS Representative for the South of England Chris Mackey.

Steve Wiest: Maynard Ferguson’s trombonist Steve, thanks for agreeing to an interview for the BTS. I’d like to start by finding out about your background, where you studied, who you studied with and why the trombone?

I have been creative for as long as I can remember. When I was in kindergarten, I would get lost walking to school because I was experiencing my own little world complete with incidental music and super heroes as I sauntered along, oblivious to my surroundings. I still get lost in thought today and can easily find myself wondering where I am! (The mobile GPS has revolutionized my life.) This natural creative drive began to manifest itself in drawing cartoons, creating games, and playing around on our family piano during my elementary school years in Woodridge, Illinois (right outside of Chicago).

It was during these years that I would hear my father playing trombone. My dad, John Wiest, was a salesman but played trombone on the side in wedding bands and any other types of gigs that he could find. While his musical engagements were rare, I did develop a love for the instrument hearing him playing tunes. Plus, he had a few LPs laying around that featured the trombone in various contexts as well.

When I was 11 years old, my parents divorced and I moved with my mother to Hattiesburg Mississippi. My father had given me Urbie Green’s classic “21 Trombones” album, so I was enraptured with that as well as a nostalgic yearning for my father through the trombone itself. When the opportunity finally presented itself to begin playing an instrument formally in school (this was the 7th grade, I was 13), I 6 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

Maynard Ferguson cheers on Steve Weist at the Blue Note Jazz Club, New York 2006. It was to be Maynard’s final series of concerts.

naturally chose trombone. My first teacher, Bill Merton, was also a trombonist and helped me to get started correctly. My family was in dire straights financially so we couldn’t afford lessons (we couldn’t afford a trombone either, but my father found a cheap clunker in a Chicago pawn shop somewhere that he sent to me. This horn now hangs on the wall of my UNT office), so I didn’t have the opportunity to study seriously until college. I was blessed, however, with a series of band directors such as Tom O’Neal and Gary Cook (we didn’t have an orchestra program at that time, so band

was the only show in town) who inspired me tremendously and helped to kindle my creative side musically. As money was very tight, I didn’t have many recordings, but the ones I did have I wore out. There was the Urbie side, but I also had some recordings by the rock groups Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago. So Dave Bergeron and especially Jimmy Pankow along with Urbie became my virtual ‘sonic’ teachers during those years. Once I made it to college I discovered jazz and instantly fell in love with J.J.’s sound as well as Carl Fontana and Frank Rosolino.

FEATURES I went to undergrad right there in Hattiesburg where I was very fortunate to study at the University of Southern Mississippi (from 1975-1980). USM has a wonderful music program and it was a great place to start learning the basics. As I was still working through some of the issues involved with two divorces and various traumas that were associated with that, I was not a very good student. My mother had divorced from her second husband by this time, and was heroically making her way as a single mother with four children while she herself was earning a masters

Tom ‘Bones’ Malone). It was in his band and with his guidance that I finally began to focus and get onto the path of practising and learning that would lead me to Maynard Ferguson and North Texas. It took me many years to finally get myself together emotionally, but I credit Raoul for giving me the chance.

Following on from that, in 1981 you went on the road with the legendary Maynard Ferguson. How did that come about?

After I graduated from USM, I spent the summer touring with some very talented

“I threw my very few belongings into my beat up green Volkswagen bug and with somewhere around $25.00 to my name drove up to Chicago” degree at USM. She continues to be my hero to this day.

My main lifeline that kept me going though, was the USM Jazz Programme and especially the mentoring of Raoul Jerome. Raoul was the director and founder of jazz studies at USM and used to teach trombone as well. By the time I hooked up with him, he had switched to bass. He still had the trombone in his heart however, and taught me a great deal about the jazz tradition (Raoul had many students who went on into the music business including

friends from school in a jazz/cover band that we put together. This was one of the first vehicles where I had the chance to write music for a professional group. I had written some things for some very fun high school ‘garage band’ endeavors and even tried my hand at writing for Raoul Jerome’s big band while in school, but I think I really began to start writing in earnest for that summer tour. We played all over the south, including a month-long engagement on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. This was a great learning experience, but I knew I

wanted more opportunities, and wanted to get into a more fertile professional environment. So, in the fall of 1980, I threw my very few belongings into my beat up green Volkswagen bug and with somewhere around $25.00 to my name drove up to Chicago to live with my father and try to make a real go of it as a professional musician.

During 1980 I reconnected with my Chicago family and my father, playing many gigs with him in the same trombone section. I was working a couple of part-time jobs at the same time and performing with any and all rehearsal bands who would have me. I met the great lead trombonist Scott Bentall as well, and he was kind enough to take me ‘under his wing’ and teach me a world of information about the art of playing lead. To this day, Scott is my favourite lead trombonist, he has a sound and time feel to die for! I also got back together with my cousin who I hadn’t seen for years: Nick Drozdoff. Nick is a wonderful trumpet player and also teaches physics; a brilliant person. Even though I wasn’t putting any money away during 1980, I was learning a vast amount from local artists and big band leaders and having the invaluable opportunity of playing the standard modern big band repertoire.

Nick worked very hard to build up a professional connection with the trumpet players on Maynard Ferguson’s band and eventually was asked to join the group in the fall

Phil Parker Ltd The Brass Musical Instrument Specialists 106a Crawford Street, London. W1H 2HZ 020 7486 8206 sales@philparker.co.uk www.philparker.co.uk The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 7

FEATURES

Maynard meets Steve’s family. (Back-row L-R) Steve’s daughter Amber, Amber’s friend Charlotte and Steve’s wife Carmen.

of 1980. By the summer of 1981, Maynard’s great trombonist and arranger Nick Lane left the band along with a bunch of other musicians creating some important openings. My cousin Nick recommended me, so I sent in a tape. As fate would have it, the group was starting their 1981 summer tour in Chicago, so they naturally asked around to find out who was available to go out on the road from that area. Someone very rightly recommended Scott Bentall, but he had a lucrative full-time position and turned Maynard down.

So I was given the shot and jumped on it. I remember them sending me the book to practice and being in tears as I looked at the same charts that Slide Hampton had written in his own hand and himself played years before. It was a surreal and life-affirming experience to be asked to join that group, and it would positively affect the rest of my life.

During your time with “The Boss” (Maynard Ferguson) you played on two recordings – Storm and Live from San Francisco, but it’s the Playboy jazz festival I want you to remember... Anything you want to tell the readers?

There are so many wonderful stories that I remember fondly in working with Maynard.

He was one of the most beautiful people I will ever know. And being with him brought me together with a lifelong family of friendship. Some of my best friends and musical blood brothers come from Maynard, plus I was exposed to some of the most important jazz legends in the world when they would come out to a show to visit and sit in with the band.

The concert that you mentioned was filmed for an old technology called laserdisc and eventually came out on VHS. Since the transfer was made to video, many clips have found their way to YouTube and are thus back into circulation. It was an incredible gathering of musicians including Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, and Sarah Vaughan – pretty heady company for a young man from Hattiesburg, Mississippi!.

I have many memories of that show but I suppose two really stand out. The first 8 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

was seeing Sarah perform live. She is one of my absolute favourite vocalists and to hear her in person was amazing. The host for the show was Bill Cosby, another one of my favourite people, and I found a way to end up back stage standing right next to ‘The Cos’ during Sarah’s set. By the time Miss Vaughan performed, the already beer-fueled and inspired Hollywood Bowl crowd was at their enthusiastically interactive apex. But there was one specific confluence of events I will never forget: As the sun started to set and the stage lights began to come up, Sarah sang her signature take on Send in the Clowns. As she reached her cadenza, the twilight and stage-gel environment combined with a temperature drop caused an out flowing of air from Sarah’s mouth on the lyric ‘don’t bother, they’re here’ to become visible. As the Vaughan-vapor on ‘here’ floated above the stage, the rowdy audience fell completely silent. The magical moment was

However, as the moment approached for me to walk up front for my solo, I noticed Hugh Heffner and his famous rabbit-eared entourage sitting close to the stage.

Being a red-blooded young man, I found myself distracted just enough to forget that my solo was approaching. Maynard, however, was quite aware and you can see him on the video clip looking back to my spot on the stage and wondering if I was going to walk up front. Maynard became so concerned in fact that he forgot his entrance! You can see him remember at the last moment and edit his line just as I saunter into view. As time seemed to slow down (as it often does in any angstfilled and unplanned emergency) another chain of events took place: Mr. Ferguson had a charming habit of shaking the soloist’s hand as they arrived on stage as if to say ‘hey man! I appreciate what you’re all about’, and he chose to do just that about three beats from my solo break. As I real-

“the atmosphere around him felt like it was crackling with electricity as he let fly with his trademark stratospheric wizardry.” finally broken by Cosby exclaiming backstage: DAMN! A memory that will live with me forever.

Another recollection from this memorable concert is actually on YouTube.

My good friend Denis DiBlasio had rearranged the tune Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough (originally recorded by a different arranger with a studio all-star band and MF on the disc ‘Hollywood’) and adapted it for the road-band. On Den’s chart, I had a solo that began with a break and included a stop-time cadenza. As this was one of my first forays into the ‘big time’ I was superfueled with adrenalin and raw excitement.

ized after greeting my hero that I was now a millisecond from center stage and being forever frozen on video, all the excitement and adrenalin-lightning let go at once and I played the most outrageous upper register banshee-break of my life! Forgetting Maynard’s oft-offered musical advice (‘save a little something for dessert’), I promptly blew myself out leaving very little for the cadenza in the way of excitement or range. I made it through, and the audience seemed to dig it, so all was well.

But what a night!

I have often read or heard trumpet play-

Steve relaxing on the MF Band tour bus

FEATURES ers who played with MF talk of how his approach influenced their playing. In what ways did he influence yours?

I was influenced by Maynard Ferguson in a number of ways. For one, his air efficiency was astounding. Just standing next to him you could ‘feel’ the intake of air as he prepared to play, and then the atmosphere around him felt like it was crackling with electricity as he let fly with his trademark stratospheric wizardry. He helped me to find that zone where you are relaxed enough to let your air work for you. Also Maynard’s lyricism has become a big part of my musical sensibilities. He could play a melody like no other. I think I also really started to consider the development of a solo listening to him night after night. He was a master of ‘telling a story’ with his horn and that has become very important to me in my playing.

But one of the most profound things that I learned from MF was his mastery of communication with an audience, his heart-felt nurturing attitude to his musicians and his professional demeanor in general. I find myself using his approach with my students at UNT. The respect that he afforded every musician on the band caused us all to play at our highest level.

Respect for the audience, respect for musicians, and respect for fellow human beings: a priceless lesson. Plus Maynard was great at improvising arrangement changes on stage. He kept the music fresh and the environment fun. I am blessed indeed to have learned these things from him.

After five years on the road with “The Boss” you returned to formal study. What prompted you to make that decision?

While I treasured the 24/7 creative jazz factory that was being on the road with Boss, I realized that I wanted to settle down and raise a family. I always wanted to live in New York and get into the incredible jazz scene there, but I came to understand that I needed something more stable.

At this time (early 1985) we came into contact with the great low brass jazz artist Rich Matteson quite a bit. Our gigs seemed to overlap a number of times and a bunch of us started to hang out with him. I discussed my dilemma with Rich and he suggested that I look into getting my graduate degree from North Texas. I had heard of UNT way back in 1975 when that killer album of all Lyle Mays charts came out and was nominated for a Grammy. Plus Raoul Jerome was a UNT grad and had programmed a number of North Texas charts for his band in Hattiesburg. So I was pretty familiar with the UNT program and knew that it would be the perfect place to really challenge me musically while I got my credentials together to teach at university level. It turned out to be the best move I could have possibly made. By following Rich’s advice I met Neil Slater, won a spot as lead trombone in the One O’Clock Lab

(L-R) Al Hirt, Maynard Ferguson, Bob Wackerman (just visible on bass), Steve Wiest, Tim Ries at Storyville in New Orleans, summer of 1984

Band and began a fantastic adventure that has led me to the paradise I now enjoy. (No hyperbole, just fact!)

In 2006 you returned to work with MF. How did that come about?

Maynard’s road manager Ed Sargent had long wanted to put together an alumni group to offer up as a different package to book alternately with Boss’ regular road band. In the summer of ‘06 this finally became a reality and I was asked to take part. I happily accepted and was reunited with a wonderful group of musicians who I had either been on the road with or had come to know over the years as I kept close contact with Maynard.

We always figured that Boss would pass one day on stage at a high school in the middle of nowhere, so how wonderful that he actually played his last-stand as a series of 12 sold out shows at The Blue Note in New York. He absolutely wailed all week

long bringing the house down on every solo. It was a celebration of love that none of us lucky enough to be present will ever forget.

Your 2006 collaboration with him was to be on what sadly is his final CD, but this did lead to you being nominated for a Grammy. How has this changed things for you?

To be nominated for a Grammy for my arrangement of Besame Mucho is an incredible honour. The perception of excellence that settles over your career with such an award is palpable. It is a wonderful boost and of course a great gift from Maynard himself. Being associated with Boss has essentially given me most of the opportunities of my professional life as well as many of the personal ones. I have made life-long associations and had many doors open for me that would have remained closed but for Maynard. While my writing and trombone

Steve with trumpeter Doc Severinsen, well known for his flashy appearances as band leader for The Tonight Show The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 9

FEATURES playing have happily met with positive critical attention, it is doubtful if I would ever have been nominated for a Grammy without Maynard’s name on the ballot. So he is a gift that continues giving even after he has passed away. Now that is a real friend!

Moving on, I want to ask: with your busy schedule how do you keep your chops in shape?

My secret for staying in shape is simple: I play along with my trombone students at UNT as much as possible. When they are working on a lead trombone etude, or a compositional device for improvisation, I play right along with them. This not only gives me many playing opportunities throughout the day, but it is the traditional way that jazz has been passed on from one generation to the next: by letting your horn do the teaching. Needless to say, with such high-level students as the ones I’m associated with at UNT, I am inspired to ‘hit the woodshed’ quite a bit just to keep up!

I know from our previous talks that you are enjoying your current role at UNT, and you recently had a busy week of auditioning 30-plus ‘bone players in one day. What do you look for when trying to select a potential student?

I am essentially looking for a person with the same passion for this music as myself.

In today’s world it is profoundly difficult to make a living as a performing artist, but it is possible with talent, determination, passion, humility, and a killer work-ethic. If a student is lacking in any of these areas I don’t accept them at UNT. If they fit the

description however, I welcome them into the party and dedicate myself to becoming their advisor, advocate and biggest fan.

Steve, I know from talking to you that you are a passionate educator. How have you approached your role in directing the One O’Clock Lab Band and UNT U-Tubes?

I am profoundly aware of the great honor I was given this year to be able to direct the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band. This group is simply the finest collection of university jazz musicians anywhere, and they constantly amaze me. Because of their talent and work ethic, and our rehearsal schedule, we are able to tackle literature that even most probands would have a hard time pulling off.

So it is one of the most fertile musical environments that I’ve found myself in since those days on the road with Maynard.

Boss used to say that he thought some of us would become band leaders one day, but with the state of economics in the biz I always figured the opportunity would never come to pass. But with the One O’Clock I am actually leading a group that is on the same level musically as Maynard’s road bands. So I am naturally incorporating many of his leadership techniques to great effect. I now find that my time on the road with him is paying huge dividends in my ability to inspire, lead, and to keep morale high. Before directing the One O’Clock , I created a trombone band at UNT called ‘The U-Tubes’ (named for the type of tube that makes up our slides, to hint at the famous website, and to stay away from any name that had the word ‘Bone’ in it).

The U-Tubes play original student compositions and arrangements and won the ITA Kai Winding award in 2008. This was my first opportunity before the One O’Clock to get back into advanced student artistry and incorporate Ferguson techniques into my teaching to such a degree.

One final question: what one-piece advice would you pass on to aspiring trombone players?

The best advice I can pass on is to enjoy the music you are playing. Whatever it is, if you don’t enjoy it, you shouldn’t be playing it. Always remember that original spark of joy that got us into this art in the first place.

Keep it close to your heart and never let it die out. Music is a wonderful gift, and if we don’t have passion for this gift, it is wasted.

Focus your energies and practice as much as you possibly can. Your rate of improvement as a musician is directly proportional to the amount and quality of your practice time.

Music is an incredible journey, enjoy the ride and never give up!

Steve Wiest is an Arabesque recording artist and plays exclusively Edwards customized T302 Jazz tenor with Griego SW custom model mouthpiece.

Check out Steve’s new CD “Out of the New” via www.stevewiest.com or www.arabesquerecordings.com

Maynard Ferguson’s last recording session. Steve Wiest conducts him through Besame Mucho for “The One And Only” CD that was nominated for the Grammy 10 | Spring 2009 | The Trombonist

FEATURES

Postcard from UAE SAUDI ARABIA

Abu Dhabi UAE

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write to you all from our apartment overlooking the Arabian Gulf and the Emirates Palace (the world’s most expensive hotel). The temperature outside is 44 degrees, the air conditioning is working overtime and I’ve just finished my second practice session overlooking the azure breakwaters off the Corniche.

Flash back ten months and I was happily carrying out my teaching and playing commitments in the beautiful South West of England, my family and I thoroughly enjoying ourselves in our quiet home town of Minehead. My wife was teaching at a state secondary school in Wellington and our two youngsters were happy in their early education in a lovely school on the outskirts of Exmoor.

It’s amazing where music can take you in such a short space of time!

My wife is now teaching music in a private British academy in the suburbs of Abu Dhabi and I’m heading up an exciting new brass initiative for a number of private British academies in and around Abu Dhabi.

To say the move has been monumental is a bit of an understatement. Taking the decision to up-heave the whole family to a continent we knew little about was an enormous gamble. Leaving behind my playing and teaching commitments and our family contentment in our sleepy Somerset town – not to mention leaving our families... We were all a bit apprehensive about our decision.

Jump forward ten months and, thankfully, life is progressing well. We have a wonderful four bedroom apartment with pool, gym, jacuzzi and squash court. We’re situated two minutes walk from the Corniche and public beach and we own a car that we would never have dreamed of owning in the UK – we are extremely lucky!

My wife is thoroughly enjoying her new lease of life as a teacher and I’m getting to grips with over 300(!) students who want to take part in the new brass programme.

Abu Dhabi is a fascinating place. It is the capital of the seven UAE Emirates and is currently undergoing some amazing development. Abu Dhabi has the greatest oil supply of all the Emirates and has at least another ninety years of production left. To think that Abu Dhabi was a vast desert in the 60’s takes some understanding – locals were living in Bedouin tents and riding camels up until 1963! The rate of construction is simply mind blowing. Check out some of the localities on the internet and see what I mean: Yas Island, the Performing Arts Centre on Saadiyat Island, the Ferrari Theme Park, the Abu Dhabi Louvre, numerous seven star hotels and leisure complexes and Yas Island Grand Prix Circuit, which will be hosting the final Grand Prix of the 2009 season in November, and I’ve just got tickets – YIPPEEE! Thankfully, so far the credit crunch has yet to have a major effect on the Emirate.

Yes, a number of jobs have been lost in the construction industry but on the whole, compared to the situation back in the UK, we are very lucky. Thank goodness for oil!

With over 85% of the population being expatriates, there is a genuine need for specialist instrumental instruction in the rapidly increasing number of educational establishments. I recently conducted research for just two of our academies and the conclusion was that 50% of the total student intake wanted to take part in instrumental tuition, be it brass, woodwind, strings, percussion, keyboard, voice etc.

One of the pleasant things about living here in Abu Dhabi is the social life. We have made some lovely new friends, not to mention catching up with an old friend of mine and new expat Andy Berryman. As many of you will know, Andy was Principal Trombone of the Hallé Orchestra

for twenty years and has recently started work with the Abu Dhabi Police Band. I knew Andy many years ago when we used to work together at Besson on their trombone range and it has been great to revive our acquaintance. We all had a lovely day out at the Red Bull Air Race a few weeks ago and have been jet skiing on the breakwater together. It’s nice to have someone likeminded and in the same boat as you – having that friendship is lovely.

My family and I are due to fly back to the UK for our Summer holidays at the end of June. I fly back out to Switzerland the day after our arrival to take part on the National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland Summer Course to tutor and play some solos, then back to good old Blighty to teach on the Brass Band Summer School in Bromsgrove.

Following that I have a number of engagements in the UK, a week’s break in Cornwall, and then back home to Abu Dhabi for the start of September.

If ever BTS readers are in this part of the world, do drop me an email: nick602@btinternet.com – it would be lovely to keep in touch with travelling brass players and you are more than welcome at ‘Chez Hudson’ for a Shisha and some Sheesh Tawook (apart from trumpet players – obviously!!)

Best wishes, Nick Hudson

The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 11

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Strauss conducting with Holst on trombone The Royal Scottish National Orchestra has brought together some great musicians over the years. Bob Hughes and Lance Green raid the orchestra archives to find a fascinating concert programme and to document the names of the characters in the trombone section all the way back to 1860.

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eproduced here are four pages from the programme to a special concert by the ‘Scottish Orchestra’ in 1902. At 36, Strauss was still relatively young, but already famous enough to get a large billing for conducting the Glasgow premières of his Don Juan and Death and Transfiguration, originally premièred in 1889/90 and introduced to London in 1897.

Tucked away in the names of the trombonists is one Gustav von Holst, who was a member of the orchestra from November 1900.

Joining aged 26, he had recently finished studying composition with Stanford at the Royal College of Music, and was playing trombone for a few years before his composing could support him. In

12 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

this period he also played with the Carl Rosa Opera Company and in the “White Viennese Band”, a light orchestra. He didn’t like the music of the latter, describing the work as “worming” and “criminal”. No doubt life in the Scottish Orchestra and being in contact with this famous composer was a more enjoyable experience!

He didn’t return in the autumn of 1903 and by 1905 he was back in London, appointed Head of Music at St Paul’s Girls’ School.

Holst appears in the orchestra photo overleaf, taken in 1901 outside the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. (He is on the back row, third from the left.)

Other famous names from the low brass include Jessie Stamp

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The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 13

FEATURES Season 1st Tbn 2nd Tbn Bass Tbn Tuba 1860-61 Herr Schoß Browning Templeton 1861-72 Names of players not given for this period 1872-73 Harvey Rogers Coram S. Hughes 1873-74 J. Tull Antoine Brindley Signor Barra 1874-75 “ Kelly Harvey “ 1875-76 Badderly Peppialt Kelly F. A. Lee 1876-77 Kelly W. Silvester Matt S. Hughes 1877-78 Hadfield “ “ “ 1878-79 S. Millar “ “ “ 1879-80 G. Müller “ W. H. Hannan “ 1880-81 “ “ S. Millar “ 1881-82 “ “ “ “ 1882-83 “ R. H. Booth “ “ 1883-84 “ “ R. Gray “ 1884-85 “ “ “ “ 1885-86 “ “ “ “ 1886-87 “ “ “ J. H. Guilmartin 1887-88 J. Geary R. Davis “ “ 1888-89 “ James Neil “ “ 1889-90 “ “ A. E. Matt “ 1890-91 W. Allen “ J. Lindsay Arthur Forrest 1891-92 J. Geary “ A. E. Matt J. H. Guilmartin 1892-93 “ “ Mark May “ 1893-94 George Case “ W. Matt “ 1894-95 J. Geary H. Fawcett Mark May J. T.Lindsay 1895-96 “ “ Neil James “ 1896-97 G. Heinecke “ “ “ 1897-98 “ “ “ “ 1898-99 F. K. Klink A. J. Pearse J. T. Lindsay C. Frayling 1899-1900 A. J. Pearse C. Frayling “ E. Veneri 1900-01 F. K. Klink Gustav von Holst “ “ 1901-02 “ “ “ “ 1902-03 “ “ “ “ 1903-04 “ James Neil “ “ 1904-05 “ “ “ “ 1905-06 “ “ “ “ 1906-07 “ J. A. Thompson “ James Neil 1907-08 J. Stamp “ “ “ 1908-09 “ “ “ “ 1909-10 G. Gaynor “ “ “ 1910-11 E. Garvin Jr. “ “ “ 1911-12 “ “ George de Coninck “ 1912-13 F. W. Taylor “ “ “ 1913-14 “ H. S. Walker “ A. Viney 1914-15 “ “ “ “ 1915-16 “ “ “ “ 1916-19 Concerts abandoned 1919-20 J. Carbery W. Green J. T. Lindsay R. Woodward 1920-21 “ “ “ J. Neil 1921-22 “ “ “ “ 1922-23 “ C. Watson “ A. M. Roberts 1923-24 “ “ A. M. Roberts J. Neil 1924-25 “ Francis E. Stead “ “ 1925-26 “ “ “ “ 1926-27 “ “ “ “ 1927-28 “ C. W. Nairn R. Huxham “ 1928-29 “ “ W. A. P. Betty “ 1929-30 “ “ “ G. J. Grant 1930-31 “ “ “ “ 1931-32 “ Haydn Lister S. Grant “ 1932-33 “ C. Clacy “ “ 1933-34 Geo. A. Maxted “ “ “ 1934-35 “ “ “ “ 1935-36 “ “ “ “ 1936-37 C. Clacy W. Betty “ “ 1937-38 “ “ “ “ 1938-39 W. Betty C. T. Biddulph “ “ 1939-40 C. T. Biddulph G. Lindon W. M. Dick “ 14 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

1907-09 (who was 1st in the LSO), George Maxted 1933-36 (later 1st in the LPO) and Philip Catelinet (tuba 1940-42, and later at the LSO, famously giving the première of Vaughan-Williams’ Tuba Concerto).

Since the orchestra only gave concerts in the winter, many of the players had

other jobs for the rest of the year. These were given in brackets in programmes. In the 1872/3 season we learn that J. Tull and Rogers were employed in the summer at “H. M. Opera” and Coram and S. Hughes were at the “Royal Italian Opera”. In 1877/8 Kelly is also at Alexandra Palace, Silvester is

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at the Buxton Concerts, Matt is at Crystal Palace and S. Hughes is still at the Royal Italian Opera.

Albert Thompson was 2nd trombone for only a few weeks before moving to the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchesatra for an extra £1.55 per week!

Although the final column is marked here as ‘tuba’, this only applies for J.H. Guilmartin onwards. S. Hughes is noted as playing ophicleide (no doubt he was the legendary Sam Hughes), and Signor Barra was playing euphonium.

1940-41 “ “ W. A. Betty P. Catelinet 1941-42 A. Shackleton C. Bryant “ “ 1942-43 C. T. Biddulph J. Chalmers J. Miller G. J. Grant 1943-44 “ H. Lister W. A. Betty “ 1944-45 “ J. Chalmers “ “ 1945-46 “ “ “ “ 1946-47 “ “ J. Miller “ 1947-48 “ “ W. A. Betty “ 1948-49 “ “ “ “ 1949-50 A. Flaszynski Percy Cook “ “ 1950-51 “ George Hiscoe J. Miller “ 1951-52 “ Albert Thompson Percy Cook “ 1952-53 “ Kevin Thompson “ “ 1953-54 G. Hiscoe “ “ “ 1954-55 “ Colin Busby “ “ 1955-56 K. Thompson William Dick “ Eric Knussen 1956-57 “ James Watson “ “ 1957-58 “ “ “ “ 1958-59 “ “ “ “ 1959-60 “ “ “ “ 1960-61 Roger Brenner “ “ “ 1961-62 “ “ “ “ 1962-63 “ “ “ “ 1963-64 “ “ “ “ 1964-65 Kevin Thompson “ “ “ 1965-66 “ “ “ “ 1966-67 “ “ “ “ 1967-68 “ Archie Newlands “ “ 1968-69 “ Bryan Free “ Philip Hore 1969-70 “ “ “ “ 1970-71 “ “ “ “ 1971-72 “ “ John Whittaker “ 1972-73 Thomas Clough “ “ “ 1973-74 “ “ “ “ 1974-75 Henry Hardy “ “ “ 1975-76 “ “ “ “ 1976-77 “ “ “ “ 1977-78 “ “ “ “ 1978-79 “ “ “ “ 1979-80 “ “ “ “ 1980-81 “ “ “ “ 1981-82 “ “ Robert Hughes “ 1982-83 Lance Green “ “ “ 1983-84 “ “ “ “ 1984-85 “ “ “ 1985-86 “ “ “ 1986-87 “ “ “ 1987-88 “ “ “ 1988-89 “ “ “ 1989-90 “ “ 1990-91 “ “ Alastair Sinclair 1991-92 “ “ “ 1992-93 “ “ “ 1993-94 “ “ “ 1994-95 “ “ “ 1995-96 “ “ “ 1996-97 “ “ “ 1997-98 “ “ “ 1998-99 “ “ “ 1999-2000 “ “ “ 2000-01 “ “ “ 2001-02 “ “ “ 2002-03 “ “ “ 2003-04 “ “ “ 2004-05 “ “ “ 2005-06 “ “ “ 2006-07 Lance Green “ 2007-08 “ “ 2008-09 Dávur Juul Magnussen “ “ The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 15

FEATURES

Trombonist’s island discs

PHOTO © KAMALJEET AJIMAL

Dennis Rollins is a British jazz trombonist whose band “Badbone & Co”, with its groove-based, funky dance music with jazz overtones, won him the BBC Jazz Award last year.

Born in 1964 in the Midlands to Jamaican parents, and raised in SouthYorkshire, Dennis cut his teeth performing with the Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra and after his studies he joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) and legendary allblack jazz big band The Jazz Warriors. He subsequently lent his sound to jazz and pop personalities such as Courtney Pine, Baba Maal, Jamiroquai, US3, Brand New Heavies and Blur.

This month sees the exciting launch of the Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio, his new acoustic, straight-ahead outfit. Get tickets if you can!

Sat 13 June – Wiltshire Jazz Festival Sun 28 June – Lichfield Real Ale Festival Raul De Souza – Don’t Ask My Neighbour (Capitol) One of my first introductions to ‘funk trombone’. Here Brazilian De Souza plays with a big warm resonant sound. His style is fluid with the syncopation of a funky drummer. His use of compositions, a mixture of deep funky groove tracks such as Jump Street, psychedelic jazz-rock on Wayne Shorter’s Beauty And The Beast and simple ‘crossover’ title track were a direct influence on my approach to my band ‘Badbone & Co’.

Vic Dickenson – Nice Work (Vangaurd) A compilation of a couple of his previously released albums, this album showcases the beauty of ensemble playing in the swing era.

The rhythm section perform without ego throughout, and the outcome is a great sense of space and ‘joy in repetition’. Dickenson is brash sometimes abrasive on the up-tempo numbers, but romantically smooth on the ballads.

J.J. Johnson – The Eminent Vol. 1 and 2 (Blue Note) I’ve fond memories of trying to play along by ear to these albums around aged 18, and I still pull them out to test myself and see what I remember! Jay Jay was a revelation to me. His expression of the instrument and song interpretation still have me hooked. Endless fresh ideas and blinding technique make him one of my all-time favourites.

Herbie Hancock – Mr. Hands (CBS) Essential funky rhythm section playing. Herbie Hancock assembled a team including Harvey Mason and Alphonse Mouzon on drums, Jaco Pastorius on bass which form the backbone to this fantastic group. Although keyboards led, I find this album a valuable tool in listening how to develop a funk solo from a simple motif.

Bob Brookmeyer and Friends (Columbia) Recorded in 1964, this album soothes me! It’s well conceived and the songs cohesively hang together.

The ‘front line’ of Brookmeyer and (Stan) Getz are perfectly matched. The fluid interplay between them give me the impression of two good friends simply enjoying each others’ company.

The beauty in this album is the simplistic, melodic improvisation.

16 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

Miff Mole – Slippin’ Around Vol.2 (Frog) To me, Miff Mole is the equivalent of a trapeze artist the way he’s able to performs great interval leaps, and double octave jumps at a brisk tempos. His trombone approach in the 1920’s had a feel that would be considered progressive even today. Fantastic!

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FEATURES John Kenny’s tour diary is a mix of Michael Palin-esq travel discoveries and artistic adventures: a refreshing change from the average rushed foreign concert tour!

Read on for his journal of engaging music-making, taking inspiration from new landscapes, befriending new people and experiencing the local art and culture.

Across America with a trombone, a carnyx and a collection of poetry

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PHOTO © MARC MARNIE

he tour had been conceived in Beijing two years ago, where I met a fascinating American trombonist. Mark Sheridan-Rabideau and I found our conversations ranging far beyond trombonists’ small talk, into the realms of creativity and communication at a philosophic level. In particular, we discussed the relationship between the spoken word both as an expressive medium and the correspondence between literary and musical creativity, and the potential of using these in teaching creativity. With the astonishing energy of Mark and New Jersey-based ‘Artists Now’ the tour was organised and I as I write I’m undertaking a series of recitals, lectures, and workshops across America: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Wyoming, Texas, Georgia, northern Florida, and back to New Brunswick.

22 February, 2009 – New Jersey & Pennsylvania My month long solo tour of the USA got off to a flying start ten days ago at Rutgers University in New Jersey, with the world premier of duos for flute and trombone by Etienne Rolin and myself, and a presentation at the Writers House of work inspired by the writing of Richard E. Miller, a series that has so far included works with electronics and ballet.

I contributed my own piece for trombone inspired by Richard’s Dark Night of the Soul, which examines the very question of why we should bother to teach creative writing, and therefore by extension, creative arts at all.

There are already many exciting developments arising on the tour so far – one of the best being meeting and performing with flautist Rod Garnett, professor of flute at Wyoming State University, a virtuoso contemporary flautist but also a passionate musicologist and master of complementary extended and ethnic techniques. Rod was my partner in the premier of my own Dark Night and also of Windy Soul Bone by Etienne Rolin, and Wild Stone for alto flute and carnyx.

Rod and I drove down to Millersville University, deep in Amish country, where we teamed up with composer Rusty Banks, who has composed All the One Eyed Boys in Town for solo trombone, trombone quartet, narrator & live electronics, which I will premier tomorrow in Omaha. Rusty is a wonderful sound engineer, and over the past couple of days Rod and I have recorded several new works.

6 March, 2009 – Nebraska & Wyoming My past ten days were spent in Nebraska and Wyoming, with Mark Sheridan-Rabideau’s home in Laramie as my base. I flew down to Omaha via Chicago on February 16th, to perform and lecture at the University of Nebraska, hosted by Pete Madsen of the Continental Trombone Quartet (CTQ). The music making was great fun, including the world premier of “All The One Eyed Boys in Town” by Rusty Banks, which I performed with a quartet of Pete’s most advanced students – they did a great job on a tough new piece.

But the highlight of my time in Omaha was a visit to a superb

exhibition at the Joslyn Museum of 19th Century American art, featuring the work of Alfred Jacob Miller (1810-1874). Famous today for his images of the American West, the period of time he actually spent there (approximately six months) and the number of works he produced while in the West — probably less than 100 — is relatively small. For most of his career, he lived and worked in Baltimore, where he found success producing and reproducing nearly 1,000 works in the western genre. Sentimental Journey focuses on how Miller, in the face of keen competition from other painters of the American West, succeeded in making a limited repertoire of western subjects compelling and relevant to audiences, especially the merchant class in Baltimore, for more than 30 years. I was already aware of Miller’s work, since his patron was the Scottish aristocrat and adventurer Sir William Drummond Stewart, who hired the artist to document his adventures and explorations. Utterly captivating, unlike anything being painted in Europe at that time, Miller’s work still retains a shock of the new to my European eyes.

The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 17

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At 8am on February 18th I began the first of a series of long drives through the open vastness of Nebraska, nine hours to Laramie, climbing steadily to one of the highest plateaus in the USA. Pete had hired a new VW Beetle for me, so I drove in style, but soon became impatient with the monotony of Interstate 80, which is just a long straight corridor of concrete with giant trucks and very few cars once past Lincoln. So, I took off north and took far more interesting by-ways, eventually arriving at the tiny rail-road halt of Paxton – mainly a grain store, but boasting an extraordinary diner called “Ole’s,” famed for hundreds of miles around. The eponymous Ole was a big game hunter in the ‘50’s & ‘60’s, and the restaurant he founded

a model of support, and the following evening they gave a stunning performance of the Orr. I was still working hard to deal with the unaccustomed physiological conditions, but a packed audience gave us a wonderful reception.

Thus began the first of a packed conference week of events at Laramie masterminded by Mark Sheridan-Rabideau under the title “Teaching Creativity”. Bringing together scholars, artists, poets, teachers and educationalists from across the USA and internationally the aim was to discuss the current crisis of values and beliefs in society and particularly in the teaching of creative disciplines. My own role was to talk about cross-disciplinary stimulus, and in particular to present new works combining spoken poetry and music. Of course, I also presented the carnyx and spoke at length about the collaborative process of reconstruction and building a repertoire for this re-discovered instrument. Once again, I performed music by Etienne Rolin and myself with flautist Rod Garnett, and also gave the US premier of Edward McGuire’s Zephyr with UWY string quartet in residence.

Among the many new colleagues and friendships I have made so far in the USA, special mention must go to the young poet Meaghan Elliott, who not only offered to become the narrator in Annie Guzzo’s Timelines but also stepped in to drive with me to Hastings, Nebraska, when my flights

“The trombone is a very histrionic instrument – you move a lot to play it and that automatically makes something into the dramatic art – both dance and theatre. I’m always most happy when I’m working across disciplines” in this unlikely spot is literally stuffed with mounted animals, game trophies from Alaska, Africa, Europe, and all over the USA. After the initial shock of being greeted by a full sized polar bear in the vestibule, you settle into cosy nooks beneath the head of some noble and imposing ruminant and order from a variety of sumptuous steaks (buffalo for me!).

I arrived at Laramie at 9pm, and went immediately into my only rehearsal of Buxton Orr’s trombone concerto with the Wyoming University Symphonic Wind Orchestra conducted by Bob Belser. Now, I had expected to be tired and stiff – but I had NOT calculated on the difficulty of playing trombone at an elevation of over 7,000 feet. Not only did I find myself gasping for air in phrases that normally flow easily, but the dryness of the air interferes with the normal salivation process, and left my tongue literally sticking to the roof of my mouth! It was a sobering experience – nonetheless, Bob and the band were 18 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

were grounded by snow and ice on February 20th. Meaghan is the proud owner of a 4×4 jeep which she calls alternatively Penelope or “The Beast” – and where no plane can land, Penelope made light work of the snowy wastes of Nebraska. We made it to Hastings after a 9 hour drive through some truly magnificent, austere scenery, and next day we incorporated one of Meaghan’s poems, Grand Manan Dulce into my recital as a music & poetry collaboration.

It’s a beautiful piece, and with Meaghan’s permission it is reprinted here.

Meaghan and I decided to take a long detour on the way back to Laramie, following the Oregon Trail through the Nebraska highlands, eventually coming upon a most extraordinary art work: Carhenge, created by artist Jim Reinders in 1987 consists of 38 cars set in a circle 96 feet in diameter, to nearly the exact proportions of Stonehenge! It may sound tasteless, but what a fitting comment on the sanctification of the automobile that is America’s “gift”

to culture – and it is actually extremely imposing at dusk on the vast open plains of Nebraska!

10 March, 2009 – El Paso & Georgia Now en route from Atlanta, Georgia, back up to New Brunswick, to complete the final leg of my USA tour back where I started, at Highland Park, New Brunswick, in New Jersey. I will be giving a recital for Artists Now, and then a series of schools workshops on the carnyx before flying home to Edinburgh on March 12th.

In El Paso I was the guest of Steve Wilson, bass trombonist of the CTQ, and professor of trombone at the University of El Paso in Grand Manan Dulse Deep purple seaweed stretched over rocks like elastic dried in the sun, their misshapen strips like shredded ribbons of skin.

Collected in brown bags, an easy way to draw money from the sea.

I bought a bagful, gnawed on my Dark Harbour Dulse and drove the coastline road to Wendy’s house, my cousin’s wife with island-green eyes and salt-water skin: how I imagined all islanders.

They belonged to water.

Archetypical fisherman: white hair, white beard, chipped-front-tooth grin, and a slightly wandering left eye.

He smelled faintly of fish, Wendy’s father, wore a woolen sweater in August, beamed at me.

I offered him the bag.

We chewed large raw flakes, sort of salty, not fishy on my tongue.

It came apart like stale pastry, like paper.

Not filling, but satisfying.

Aquatic vegetable, possessed of a coated shine— didn’t rub off when I yanked it from my teeth, They say the sea parsley makes them grow stronger.

One of a score of secret cures in a handful of dim red grass.

I thought if I ate enough I might finally look like an islander.

Meaghan Elliot

FEATURES

Rutgers University, NJ Laramie, WY

Carhenge

Millersville University, PA University of Nebraska, NE

Hastings, NE

Berry College, Rome, GA

Valdoster University, GA El Paso, TX

Texas. Steve is a larger than life personality, bursting with energy and loud good humour. I had the pleasure of performing, lecturing, and teaching at the UTEP low brass day, then spending time in the red desert scenery, mountain biking with Steve and friends, as well as going out to eat at a wonderful New Mexican cantina about 30 miles out of El Paso, called Chómpes. This is really a family house which crams about 30 people into a low ceilinged room with bare tables & benches to eat the best genuine New Mexican food I have ever tasted!

We went first to a biker bar next door, with Harley Davidson hogs lined up out front, and the bar loud and crammed with scary looking but cheerful bikers, families with kids, old men with weather beaten faces and dolls with model figures, all shouting over the juke box and swilling back wonderful Mexican beer with lime and salt. The sky was ablaze with stars as we drove back through the pecan groves beside the Rio Grande. Next day Steve and I drove up to Los Cruces in New Mexico, where I gave another recital and master class hosted by trombone professor Allan Kaplan. The level of technical achievement and student engagement was very high at both institutions, and it was a pleasure to work with Steve and Allan.

From the red desert and stark Franklin Mountains of Texas I flew on to the lush verdure of South Georgia, where I have just spent four days as the guest of Doug Farwell, also a CTQ member, and professor at Valdosta University. Water is all around and beneath you in this part of Georgia – the land has been claimed out of the swamp, and indeed during time off Doug took me walking in a most beautiful swamp reserve amazingly close to the university, where we startled moccasin water snakes hiding under water lily pads, and looked into the reeds and cypress groves overhung with Spanish Moss where alligators will shortly be waking out of hibernation! No recital at Valdosta, but lecturing and ensemble coaching in that very active music depart-

ment, as well as being entertained by their delightful department secretary and in house accompanist, Valerie Holton.

On Thursday March 5th Doug and I drove five hours up to Rome, Georgia (the start of the great Appalachian Mountain chain) where I gave a lecture/masterclass featuring the animation work that I have been doing in collaboration with Welsh artist Sean Harris. That evening during my solo recital I was joined by trumpeter Alan Hayes, the Artist in Residence at Berry College, who performed a new version of my Dark Soul of The Night, and also a group of fine local professional trombonists to give the final performance on this tour of All the One Eyed Boys.

Berry College is an extraordinary institu-

tion – a private school set up by the wealthy philanthropist Martha Berry in 1911. Over the next 20 years she convinced a legion of super wealthy industrialists, including Henry Ford, and even three presidents of the USA to donate sufficient money to import Italian stone masons to construct a suit of beautiful mock Gothic mansions set in the largest college campus in the world, most of which is mountain, woods, and deer park. Today it is one of the finest colleges on the East Coast of the USA, feeding directly into the “Ivy League” class of universities. Our recital at Berry College was followed by a sumptuous reception in wood panelled state rooms, and all too soon Doug Farwell and I found ourselves heading back to Atlanta, where I embarked for Newark. Phew!!

12 March, 2009 – New Jersey & New York I arrived back in New Jersey on March 7th, where I re-connected with that vital cog in the organizational wheel which has run so smoothly on my behalf: Artists Now. This wonderful non-profit organization is effectively run by a community in New Brunswick and Highland Park which believes in promoting the arts as a vital component of their health and well being.

The active members are extremely diverse – academics, professionals in science and technology, architects, interior designers, entrepreneurs; their mission is to bring artistic minds together, and to exhibit or expose their work in that area of New Jersey.

I started my tour with these people, and a performance at Rutgers University; I ended

Complete programme for John Kenny’s USA Tour 2009 Buxton Orr Edward McGuire Peter Maxwell Davies Mary Kelly Anon. arr. Kenny Etienne Rolin Windy Annie Guzzo Rusty Banks John Kenny John Kenny John Kenny John Kenny John Kenny John Kenny

Concerto Zephyr Judas Mercator Mime Plainchants from the Inchcolm antifer Quick Sands Soul Bone Timelines All the One Eyed Boys in Town Sonata La Belle et La Bette Dark Night of the Soul The Voice of The Carnyx The Cry of The Wolf Wild Stone

trombone & wind band trombone & string quartet solo trombone solo trombone solo trombone solo trombone alto flute & trombone trombonist/speaker trombone & electronics tenor trombone solo solo trombone trombone & flute carnyx & electronics solo carnyx carnyx & alto flute

The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 19

FEATURES with an invitation performance in a magnificent private home, to an audience who were already in a genial and receptive state of mind when I began, since they had eaten a wonderful meal prepared by members of the Artists Now team, and were on to an excellent selection of wines and beers! As a total contrast, over the next two days I gave six workshop performances in local schools to children ranging from 5 to 16, in groups numbering 40 to 350! This was probably the most taxing, but also possibly the most important part of the entire project for me, presenting my story of the ancient lip reed family of instruments to a completely new and unsuspecting audience.

So, by mid afternoon on March 10th I was free to go up to New York, where I spent hours just wondering the streets of The Big Apple, dazed by the realisation that for the first time since leaving for Munich on January 3rd to work on Romeo & Juliet, I have no immediate performance or composition deadline. How wonderful! New York is a great city for strolling – it’s almost impossible to get lost, views in all directions are fascinating (particularly straight up) and contrary to popular misconception, New Yorkers are almost always polite, helpful, and good-humoured – I’ve been struck by this every time I visit the city. I made my way slowly to the Manhattan apartment of two old friends who gave me a delicious dinner, good conversation, and a comfort-

able bed in their beautiful home overlooking Lexington Avenue, then spent this

a visual art space. We’ll see – as the saying goes, “watch this space”!

“I had NOT calculated on the difficulty of playing trombone at an elevation of over 7,000 feet.” morning wondering around the streets again before meeting up with the poet Evie Shockley. Evie and I were both performing and speaking at Wyoming University two weeks ago; I was immediately fascinated by her poetry, but also struck by her grace and poise as a performer of her own work. We had very little time to talk in Wyoming, but she also came to my performance there, and today we agreed to a future collaboration – I have no idea how, but where there’s a will there’s a way, and I envisage a filmic artwork using music and poetry, possibly aimed at performance in

Update I am continuing to develop projects with Meaghan Elliott and three other poets with whom I met in the USA: Harvey Hicks, Kate Northrup, and Evie Shockley – all are very different voices, and Evie, in particular, I have discovered to be widely regarded as perhaps the most respected younger generation African American poet out there; I’m deeply honoured that she would want to work with me! Another outcome has been that Thomas Wirtel, composer and onetime trumpeter with Stan Kenton, wants to write me a concerto – whoopee!

John Kenny trained as a trombonist at the Royal Academy of Music but was not content with sitting at the back of an orchestra.

His repertoire now extends from ancient and ethnic music to the present day, and he frequently appears as a concerto soloist with leading orchestras and ensembles.

He is recognised for his interpretation of contemporary music and he also performs jazz and early music. He is also co-founder and co-director of Carnyx & Company (voice/trombone/electronics – music the-

atre), TNT Music Theatre Company, Scot Free (improvising composers ensemble), the early music group His Ain Draucht Trumpets and The HeadSpace Ensemble, featuring quadriplegic musician Clarence Adoo with trumpeter Torbjörn Hultmark and Chris Wheeler on sound projection and turntables.

To keep up with more of John Kenny’s activities, please visit his blog at: www.carnyxscotland.co.uk

FEATURES Having recently retired as Principal Bass Trombonist of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Alwyn Green has a distinguished professional career of more than forty years to reflect on. Ed Hilton asks him about the highlights of working under the international spotlight with Sir Simon Rattle at the orchestra’s helm, and balancing it with Salvation Army activities and home life.

Happiness is playing bass trombone Alywn Green has worked with most British orchestras, including 15 years with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and 22 years with the CBSO. Left: Rattle conducting the CBSO shortly before leaving for Berlin in 1998.

Trombonists (L-R): Phil Harrison, Tony Howe, Richard Tuddenham and Alwyn Green with Alan Sinclair on Tuba.

Right: Alwyn Green pictured recently

How old were you when you started playing, and what made you want to play?

I started on the cornet and drums when I was six and began learning piano at seven.

I grew up in Norwich in a very musical family. Both my father and grandfather were very good euphonium players having both been military bandsmen, and my mum was a professional soprano. I can remember when I was just four or five hearing her practice arias from the Messiah and the Creation and going to see her sing in the Royal Albert Hall. I think my passion for music stemmed from being in the thick of it all at a young age. I joined the junior band of the Norwich Citadel SA band with my father and grandfather teaching me and gradually worked my way to euphonium aged eleven via horn and baritone. I was nineteen before I played a trombone. A retirement had left the senior band a trombonist short

and I was asked to give it a go. I said I’d try it for three months and see whether I could make a go of it. I soon realised it was going to be my future.

What was your college life like and how did your first big break into the professional world materialize?

I studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a pupil of Denis Wick, who impressed on me that hard work here would be money in the bank for the rest of my life – how right he was. I really worked hard, jumping at every opportunity to gain experience and was awarded the brass prize in my second year. In addition, I gained the LRAM on trombone and LTCL on euphonium. I could see that I would never again have so much time and opportunity to work and develop so it was crucial to make the most of the time. I had a wonderful

time. John Fletcher was teaching tuba there at the time and was a huge influence on my attitude. Working in that environment with great players like Denis and Fletch pushed us all along together. Many of the best trombonists and tubists of the last generation passed through their hands at this time.

During my first year Denis recommended me for a tour with the Welsh National Opera and whilst with them I also had my first gig with the BBC Welsh Symphony.

Another opportunity at the Guildhall was some conducting lessons from Lennox Berkeley who was another fine teacher.

Which players have had the biggest influence on your playing and who did you look up to as a student?

My family and the fine Norwich Citadel Band gave me a firm start. Without doubt the biggest influence and driving force The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 21

FEATURES

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the the BBC Proms 1980

behind my development was my teacher Denis Wick, who transformed my playing and attitude. I also looked up to Ray Premru, who was at the time bass trombonist in the Philharmonia and an excellent jazz musician. Another favourite of mine was Frank Mathieson, retired-LSO bass trombonist, who impressed me with his big but clear tone, always being in control and never sounding forced. I made the effort to listen to and watch all the top players whenever possible.

What music do you most enjoy playing and listening to?

I have a very wide taste in music from Mozart to Queen and from Stravinsky to brass bands. I think most professional musicians have wider tastes than their audiences, for example I might put on some big band music on the way home from doing a Bruckner symphony. I think playing in a Mahler symphony or Strauss tone poem is up there in the paradise of sheer thrilling musical enjoyment.

What have been your most enjoyable or memorable moments during your career?

I have a few memories here. Playing the tuba twice in emergencies and once playing timps in a crisis on a Bournemouth Symphony tour of Germany.

A slightly different memory was play22 | Summer 2009 | The Trombonist

ing the ophicleide in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Sir Simon Rattle and the CBSO at the Proms in the mid 1990s. The part would have been much easier on euphonium or tuba, but Rattle was very keen to use the original instrument.

“If you try to teach yourself you’ll have an idiot for a teacher!”

One of my favourite moments with the CBSO, of which there are too many to mention here, was the performance of Mahler 2 at the Edinburgh Festival in 1986. It was absolutely brilliant. To top it off, the orchestra had recorded the piece shortly before in Watford and it won record of the year.

Who did you particularly enjoy playing with?

Simon Rattle and Paavo Berglund were great conductors to play for.

I very much enjoyed playing alongside Danny Longstaff when he was in the CBSO. He always had a way of lifting the section when morale was low and cheering everybody up. Shortly before my retirement I was really given a lift by playing with Graham Sibley, the new CBSO tuba player. It was wonderful to end my CBSO days with such a superb artist.

How do you deal with pre-concert nerves?

In my opinion, there is only one way. You have to turn it into adrenalin and get on with the job.

You’ve written many studies and practice books – what aspects do you feel contribute to a good practice session and what advice do you have for beginners to the instrument who want to progress quickly?

I believe the most important thing for beginners is to take advice from experienced players right from the start, making sure of the right set-up with regard to a good mouthpiece, embouchure, handling, posture etc. If you try to teach yourself you’ll have an idiot for a teacher!

Every day requires a good warm up.

When hearing other players warm up you realise there are only small differences between routines. Mine is based on the Emory Remington warm-up.

Again, it’s important to use what works for you. Listen to and look out for what good players do, ask for advice from your teacher and also use basic common sense: Don’t play high or loud until warmed up!

Brass playing is a simple procedure – not easy – but it should be uncomplicated and shouldn’t ever hurt if your technique, breathing and diaphragm are used correctly.

FEATURES Playing full time with an orchestra (especially when freelancing) can involve a lot of travelling and time away from home.

How were you able to balance this with your family life?

I’ve been lucky to be married to a very understanding wife! We have had a close partnership for a number of years and have spent time together whenever possible when I’ve been working close to home.

I sometimes wish I’d been able to spend more time with my children when they were growing up, but they’re both doing very well.

Since your retirement from the CBSO, what other musical activities have you been doing?

I am still doing a lot of playing, both bass trombone and euphonium. My first gig in “retirement” was a TV recording with the BBC Concert Orchestra and it’s gone on from there. I recently played euph in the Midland Area contest. I also work regularly with various Salvation Army bands and I’m MD with Shirley Band. I’m playing bass trumpet in Die Walküre in June.

I continue to teach trombone and euphonium at the Birmingham Conservatoire, The CBSO has used me as an arranger for many years and continue to use me today and I’ve recently had my arrangements used by the Northern Sinfonia, the Hallé and Carl Davis. I’ve started playing again with Prince of Wales Brass (CBSO players).

We are appearing at the Cheltenham Festival in July with a new piece commissioned from Douglas Coombes.

Lastly, if you were choosing a career path once more, would music and the bass trombone be your first choice?

Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt. I’d happily do it all again!

I thought I would miss playing with the CBSO, but having been so busy I haven’t really had the time to think much about it!

I still direct two CBSO offshoot groups, the Berkley Salon Ensemble and the Berkley Street Dance Orchestra.

At the moment I’m living out the old saying – “Old trombonists never die, they simply slide away”.

ABOVE-RIGHT: With Sir Simon Rattle at the Royal Albert Hall in 1997 prior to playing euphonium in Mark Anthony Turnage’s Drowned Out. “A great euph part!”

RIGHT: On tour with Welsh National Opera in 1970, whilst still at Guildhall.

FAR-RIGHT: Aged 19. “I had just taken up the trombone to help the Norwich Citadel SA band cover a retirement. Up to then I was a euphonium player like my father and grandfather, but doing orchestral gigs on tuba.”

The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 23

REVIEWS TWO CULTURES COME TOGETHER: ROCKGUITAR & TROMBONE / TUBA ANNE ZWAGA & PETER KIEL SPARTAN PRESS XYZ1349 £13.95 The premise of this collection is that younger trombonists and their rock guitar friends rarely get to play together, and so attempts to bridge the gap between them with some well-written, original compositions.

However the transcription from the original saxophone edition has not been handled well. The music is notated in bass clef with an indication that the music should sound an octave higher. Played in this way it suits the tenor; as written it is suitable for bass. In either case the trombonist is given a real work out, particularly as some of the riffs are much more idiomatic to sax than trombone. Another major problem is that the guitarist, if able to read notation in the first place, is expected to play from the same, bass clef, part. Luckily chord symbols are included so at least a rhythm guitarist could accompany and I think this would actually be my preference for performance. There is also a lack of clarity about when each instrument should be playing solo, in duet or improvising. This only becomes clear when the supporting CD is used.

Despite the above issues Two cultures come together is worth considering to

study the kinds of forms and patterns found in rock as a complement to the many jazz collections of a similar nature.

As the student I tried it out on commented “it’s very hard but very cool”.

Alastair Warren FOOTBALL CRAZY – FOOTIE SONGS ARR FOR TROMBONE & PIANO OR CD GRADES 1-4 EDWARD MAXWELL SPARTAN PRESS SP841 £11.99 Football Crazy is a collection of 12 wellknown songs heard on the terraces across the country. Those included range from the basic Football Chant, via Olé, We Love You and We Shall Not be Moved, to La Donna Mobile and Amazing Grace. Each song can be played as solo or as a duet using an especially composed B section, either accompanied by piano or CD. Also included are well thought-out hints and tips, as well as suggestions for improvisation using both rhythm and major, pentatonic and blues scales. As such this book has real value far beyond the obvious.

For me though the most interesting aspect of Football Crazy is its innovative approach to rhythm. By using the natural rhythms of team names Maxwell has created a powerful tool for teaching and crucially, remembering both simple and complex rhythmic patterns by associating the

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natural rhythm of a chanted team name with its written notation.

The CD included with the book presents each song performed as solo and duet demonstration versions and then backing only. Thankfully, instead of a generic CD common to all versions of Football Crazy, each book is demonstrated by the appropriate instrument. It is an invaluable aid to the development of a young player to be provided with well-performed models to aspire to so I was a little disappointed with the performance on the CD which, although good, could have more accurately reflected the variety of articulation contained within the printed material.

Although at first glace Football Crazy may seem to be one for the boys, the sheer quality of the material contained within makes it accessible to all.

Alastair Warren LET’S ROCK ROY MCCORMACK SPARTEN PRESS SP834 £11.99 This collection of original rock compositions for trombone by Roy McCormack sets some good challenges for the grade five to six player and works well through many of the areas that need advancing at this level.

The first piece in this book, And of Course, I Love You, is a slow ballad ideal to use as a

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3 Variations for Four Trombones

Philip S Nell

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Winner of the BTS composers quartet competition 2008-9.

‘Bones on Broadway

Dan Jenkins

£ 12.50

A fun 8 movement suite for four trombones.

3 Folksongs for Four Trombones

£ 10.00

Greensleeves, Loch Lomond & Men of Harlech, arr. Alan Fernie.

3 Slippery Characters

Andrew Clark

£ 12.50

Andrew Clark’s jazz inspired quartet.

Three 16th. Century Dances

arr. Alan Fernie

£ 7.50

Ideal for the beginner quartet simple but effective arrangements.

Ceremonial Music for Trombone Quartet

£ 10.00

Includes Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March & Byrd’s Earl of Oxford’s March.

Meditation from Thaïs

Massenet

£ 12.50

The beautiful intermezzo arranged for quartet by D. Boyle.

Rondeau

Mouret

The first movement, from Suite de symphonies. Also known as the theme from PBS Masterpiece Theatre, arranged for quartet by D. Bishop.

24 | Spring 2009 | The Trombonist

£ 7.50

REVIEWS

more interesting piece to improve the intermediate trombonists’ tone quality and at the same time working through the key centres used by the exam syllabi at this standard.

This book also gives the opportunity to approach some harder rhythmic challenges, although McCormack has made sure that each piece doesn’t present too many challenges at once for the student trombonist.

There is also a good progression of standard in this book with later pieces such as A Better Time and One of These Days challenging stamina and higher register at the same time as testing different articulations.

The backing tracks for these pieces are well conceived and do give a strong rock/ pop feel to this book, which I’m sure will in enthuse students. My only slight concern with the backing is that the trombone voice on the guide track could be a little MANDRAKE IN THE CORNER HÅKAN BJÖRKMAN This CD is an exciting and engaging release, the album title being taken from the opening track. Written by Christian Lindberg and scored for trombone and brass band, this is a substantial work which sounds fun to play for all involved, making the most of the dynamic and rhythmic capabilities of brass instruments while still achieving a wide range of colour and mood.

The accompanying ensemble, Stockolm Brass Band, is directed by Håkan’s Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra colleague Kent Johnsson. They both perform on Herbert Clarke’s duet Cousins which was written to be played by Clarke and Arthur Pryor.

The Year of the Dragon will be well known to BTS members from the brass

louder as it is a little too quiet to be helpful when playing along.

Ed Swindell SPIKY AIRS EDWARD MAXWELL SPARTEN PRESS SP856 £11.99 These imaginative arrangements follow in the noble tradition of composers such as Duke Ellington, in their adaption and jazz interpretation of some of the most popular classics.

The arrangement of Charpentier’s Prelude to Te Deum, or in Maxwell’s version Sharp Pointy Air, works well, despite presenting the student with challenging running swing-quavers. All this fits well on the instrument and is well worth the reward of a little practice.

In Haydn Sleek, a take on the second movement of Haydn’s trumpet concerto, Maxwell shows another well worked band movement for it’s challenging and imaginative trombone writing. Again by Philip Sparke but perhaps less well known is Sambezi which is an energetic samba that encourages you to pick up the trombone and join in.

Other composers represented are Peter Graham and Jan Sandström, both contributing to the huge variety of musical flavours. The ubiquitous Carnival of Venice also receives a flamboyant reading.

The real gems on this album are scored for alto trombone and harp. In La fille aux cheveux de lin, Håkan gracefully soars above the sympathetic accompaniment of Asa Landerholm. Thais’ Meditation and The Swan complete this trio of beautifully performed miniatures.

Doolallynastics by Brian Lynn is the only unaccompanied item and is given such a musically satisfying performance here that you don’t really notice the incredible

arrangement which present a good rhythmic challenge for the intermediate student. Finally, in this trio of revamped classics, Maxwell gives Tchaikovsky the same treatment in Tchaik Spiked, a version Chanson Napolitaine.

As a brass teacher with very limited piano skills, I am always pleased to find interesting pieces for pupils which include a CD backing. However, often these backing tracks go a little too fast for the student to learn with, and sadly this is no exception.

On the whole a very good collection of arrangements which would be ideal as concert pieces for players grades five to seven, although given their source material I might be slightly more tempted by the trumpet version of this book.

Ed Swindell technique required to pull it off.

The recording quality is impressive and the level of performance outstanding – it is a hugely enjoyable CD to listen to, a must for all trombonists and a valuable addition to the collection of any music lover.

Kevin Morgan

The Trombonist | Summer 2009 | 25

REVIEWS HERITAGE MOUTHPIECES DENIS WICK, CIRCA £60

TIMOTHY BOWERS – SONATA FOR TENOR TROMBONE AND PIANO QUEEN’S TEMPLE PUBLICATIONS QT106 £12.95 This piece is one in a series of works for brass and first performed last year by Blair Sinclair.

The first movement starts with a fairly fast but quiet melody in the middle register, only accompanied by static chords in the piano. This soon builds to a forte and we hear accented minor thirds – a recurring theme throughout the work. The composer uses the idea of continually building pitch and intensity until the soloist is using the whole compass of the instrument.

Bowers tends to then use the piano to quell the excitement until the trombone enters again in long building passages.

Movement two starts with a low Andantino passage using a bucket mute. The composer suggests using a cup mute as an alternative, but I think it is a little too low for a cup mute to work (plug register, finishing on a pedal G ). Some material from the first movement is used here but in a much more lyrical way. High register strength is required in this movement as one passage starts on a top E. Movement three is a real tour de force.

Despite a tempo of ‘Presto = 68’, the composer allows the soloist some freedom of expression. Accented rising quintuplet passages interrupt the more lyrical music and there is some clever interplay between the two players. The Sonata rounds off with a fortissimo climax.

Overall, this exciting work is a welcome addition to the repertoire. It requires a huge range and lots of stamina, so it would certainly be suitable for music college examination recital. My only reservation is that the piano part requires a much skill as the soloist and some stretches may be beyond all but the largest hands.

Duncan Wilson 26 | Spring 2009 | The Trombonist

Not wishing to stand still and rest on his laurels, Denis Wick has recently introduced his new ‘Heritage’ series of brass mouthpieces. The idea behind them, as I understand it, is to provide a mouthpiece which delivers a more traditional look and sound, but encompassing recent technological advances. The Heritage mouthpieces are certainly distinctive in their look; the lower part of the cup is quite thick and heavy, resembling the ‘Heavytop’ range of mouthpieces, whereas the top of the mouthpiece is quite slender with a protruding rim.

Because of the unique shape of the mouthpiece, my initial reaction was that the rim was narrower than the standard model. Of course it wasn’t, but I doublechecked using the highly scientific process of making an imprint of the rim in my son’s plasticine! Once over the visual hurdles, I set to work using the 4AL and 5AL models in as many different playing scenarios as possible, alongside the traditional Denis Wick models I have used since college. I found that the Heritage mouthpieces proved themselves to be equally as responsive and comfortable as the traditional shape ones, however I noticed that the sound seemed a little clearer and more ‘centred’ over long periods of playing. My usual early morning ‘wooly’ sound was all but eradicated and I was very pleased with the low register feedback. My only concern was that the Heritage mouthpieces did have a slightly bigger feel to them. This took a little adjustment, but I found I was happy after a few days’ playing and after a couple of weeks, I didn’t notice.

Once again, Denis Wick has given us a quality product at a price still below that of many of his competitors. I would be happy to recommend Heritage mouthpieces and I wish Denis Wick every success with them.

Duncan Wilson

British Trombone Society www.britishtrombonesociety.org Executive Board President Bob Hughes (ex officio) 01494 433722, president@britishtrombonesociety.org Vice-President and Chair Brett Baker chair@britishtrombonesociety.org Vice-Chair Ben Bouzan eastanglia@britishtrombonesociety.org Secretary Geoff Wolmark 01377 202209, 1-3 Church Street, Hutton, Driffield, Yorks, YO25 9PR secretary@britishtrombonesociety.org Treasurer David Carnac treasurer@britishtrombonesociety.org Education Liaison Stewart Drummond education@britishtrombonesociety.org

Staff Membership Manager Derrick Parker 020 8144 6575 membership@britishtrombonesociety.org Webmaster Edward Solomon webmaster@britishtrombonesociety.org Associate Webmaster Mike Saville webmaster2@britishtrombonesociety.org

The Trombonist Editor David Read 07812 080933 64A Dunlace Road, London, E5 0NE editor@britishtrombonesociety.org Advertising Chris Gill 07790 260140 advertising@britishtrombonesociety.org Designer David Read The Trombonist is published in February, May and September.

Editorial and advertising deadlines are 1 Dec, 1 March and 1 July Reviews: Please send all material for review to the editor.

Representatives Scotland Chris Stearn 01360 860220 scotland@britishtrombonesociety.org Wales Arlene MacFarlane 07773 290975 wales@britishtrombonesociety.org North & Midlands Co-ordinator Andrew Berryman northmidlands@britishtrombonesociety.org North East & Yorkshire Paul Woodward 01924 823840 northeast@britishtrombonesociety.org North West Gareth Westwood 07756 105524 northwest@britishtrombonesociety.org East Midlands Jim Newberry 01926 651916 eastmidlands@britishtrombonesociety.org West Midlands vacant Northern Ireland Stephen Cairns 02892 602646 northernireland@britishtrombonesociety.org Central South Phil Tarrant 01491 832109 centralsouth@britishtrombonesociety.org South Chris Mackey 07758 451146 south@britishtrombonesociety.org South West Tony Evans 01752 263069 southwest@britishtrombonesociety.org East Anglia Ben Bouzan 07970 502509 eastanglia@britishtrombonesociety.org Brass Band Paul Woodward 01924 823840 brassband@britishtrombonesociety.org Jazz Jeremy Price jazz@britishtrombonesociety.org Young People Tony Boardman youngrep@britishtrombonesociety.org

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A unique construction method which uses beautiful wood, with all its natural attributes of strength and resonance, and a very hard inner lining

£7.95

£9.95

£57.95

£42.95

Reijngoud Untamed World £13.70

Jörgen van Reijn Sackbutt £13.70

Trombones de Costa Rica Jörgen van Reijn Latinoamerico Trombone £13.70 £13.70

Geert de Vos Vademecum £13.70

Brett Baker Shout! £13.70

Free shipping for online orders. Visit our new website www.warwickmusic.com or call 024 7671 2081