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The Boys Brigade (4th Sutton Company) introduced me to the trombone more years ago than I care to remember. At eighteen I did National Service with the RAF and played in the station band for which I got paid an extra 2/6d (12 1/2p) a week!
I then had a twenty-year break. My interest was renewed in the mid 70's by listening to Sandhurst Silver Band playing at my children's school fete and so I started a long and happy relationship with the band only to be broken when I lost my day job.
Eighteen months later, after I regained employment, I picked up the instrument again and for various reasons, none of them unpleasant I hasten to add, I moved between several local brass and wind bands and swapped between tenor and bass trombone, before settling down with Haslemere where, with the encouragement and seemingly endless patience of our MD I have managed to hold down the solo trombone spot for the last four years.
Ranking among my favourite pieces to listen to is the William Tell overture as played by Grimethorpe and for our band to play I think it must be Lustpiel. There have been too many great trombone players over the years to pick a favourite but if I had to choose I would go for Jack Teagarden. He made the trombone really bright and exciting to listen to.
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