Ifton Colliery Band (Near Wrexham)

[Mesmerist]

Poorly man in hospital having heart and lung transplant right now. He's ace, determined and strong so he'll be back but we need help on the trombone section to cover him for the Welsh 1st section Areas this year. Any one able to help please? We rehearse Black Park, Chirk on Monday evenings.
Thank you.

 

[Jack E]

Hell's teeth, Mesmerist - that's a tough thing to face; my heart op was bad enough, yet nowhere near what he's up against. Wish that hero well from me!

 

[Mesmerist]

It is tough Jack and he's not having an easy time of it, not that he'd tell you that being the stoical hero he is. That's him in the middle of the group. He's talking now so hopefully will get off the life support machine soon and finish sorting the band library.
PS he's v tall. I'm not short!

 

[Jack E]

Reminds me of a picture my mum showed me of my uncle Will, taken in Gibraltar, where he was stationed when in the Royal Marines (just prior to WWII). The photo showed him and a bunch of friends, together with the waiter at their favourite drinking hole. I commented on how small the waiter was, and my mum laughed and said that she'd asked Will about that. The waiter was actually 5' 9" - but the shortest of the Marines was 6' 3"!!

In the early 30s, when Will enlisted, an outfit like the Guards or the Royals wouldn't even look at you unless you were built like a brick netty, and tall with it. It was such a mark of social status that when Will came home on leave (in uniform!), my mum would meet him at the tram stop, so she could walk up the street to their house holding his hand - on the lines of :

"Look at ME, people! MY big brother's in the ROYALS!"

 

[Mesmerist]

Jack, I know how to get him out of bed fast. I told him I'd sent his bass trombone away with my flugel to be glittered . To my surprise he believed me! Also that I'd shredded certain band parts (Alfie...Jerusalem...anything Andrew Llyod Webber).

 

[Jack E]

Jack I know how to get him out of bed fast. I told him I'd sent his bass trombone away with my flugel to be glittered . To my surprise he believed me! Also that I'd shredded certain band parts (Alfie...Jerusalem...anything Andrew Llyod Webber).

You do like living dangerously, don't you?

 

[Mesmerist]

You do like living dangerously, don't you?

He's used to it. Before the last concert I "borrowed" his bass trombone pad and photocopied excerpts of Flight of the Fumble Bee onto his music. Sadly he didn't fall for it and removed the fake ones. He mouthed a very naughty word at me across the bandroom.

 

[Jack E]

He mouthed a very naughty word at me across the bandroom.

Such restraint! What a gentleman, eh?

 

[2nd tenor]

Poorly man in hospital having heart and lung transplant right now. He's ace, determined and strong so he'll be back but we need help on the trombone section to cover him for the Welsh 1st section Areas this year. Any one able to help please? We rehearse Black Park, Chirk on Monday evenings.
Thank you.

It’s fantastic what the NHS can and does do, your friend will no-doubt be back in action before very long. In the meantime your Band still needs some help and Wrexham is semi-remote.

It’s just a suggestion - one that’s probably not for me to make - but could the Band be flexible and move players within it to accept help on a different instrument? Say bring in a Baritone from elsewhere whilst your Baritone then takes the Bass Trombone part. I’ve honestly no idea how it works in better bands but in ones I’ve played in when the Bass Trombonist isn’t there then someone else (Tenor Trom, Euphonium or Eb Bass) plays to cover the missing notes ....... sometimes it’s a case of needs must. I’m not expecting my comments to help much but offer them in the hope that somehow they might.

 

[Mesmerist]

We do play musical chairs quite often as we've had a run of last minute poorly players in the (nearly) three years I've been with the band. I've done Rep, 1st and solo horn and now (hopefully) settled on flugel. Symphony of Marches has an important bass trombone part and I believe only that instrument will do. We've been lucky and had a recent influx of new players, another one coming on Monday but it's that trombonist we need. Thank you for your concern 2T. Bands are full of wonderful people

 

[Slider1]

We do play musical chairs quite often as we've had a run of last minute poorly players in the (nearly) three years I've been with the band. I've done Rep, 1st and solo horn and now (hopefully) settled on flugel. Symphony of Marches has an important bass trombone part and I believe only that instrument will do. We've been lucky and had a recent influx of new players, another one coming on Monday but it's that trombonist we need. Thank you for your concern 2T. Bands are full of wonderful people

Trouble is, it's that damn Bass Clef thing. Start learning a Trombone in Bass clef is one thing but after 50 odd years of Treble clef it's back to the Old dog new tricks scenario. But for your Area you should be all right with a sick note. Best of luck

 

[2nd tenor]

Trouble is, it's that damn Bass Clef thing. Start learning a Trombone in Bass clef is one thing but after 50 odd years of Treble clef it's back to the Old dog new tricks scenario.

Bass Clef, I’ve always struggled with it too or rather struggled to move easily between it and treble clef. If it’s just one piece then perhaps it could be transposed to treble clef and given to one of the Tenor Trombone players to manage? Though that assumes the range required is available with a single trigger instrument and that there aren’t going to be too many lines added below the stave.

It might not be popular with players but Tenor Trombones don’t have to have a slide, they’re rare(ish) but Valve Trombones ‘sort of’ do the job. It’s well know that every Baritone player would rather be playing a Trombone and Valve Trombones sort of make that possible ;-) . No doubt Ifton will find their own way forward and juggle players to meet the needs of the day.

Of course what’s really needed is a Bass Trombonist, but of all the seats in the Band that one is possibly the hardest to fill. There must be someone in the Clywd, Cheshire, Shropshire and North Staffordshire area(s) who’d give it a go - great experience and under 1/2 an hour fron Chester.

 

[Mesmerist]

Ta daaa! We have someone! A full band. Thank you to everyone who has wished us well and offered to help.

 

[Jack E]

Good to hear that, Mesmerist!