“I started playing the trombone for the best of reasons: it was the only instrument left in the school music-room cupboard! It was badly dented, tarnished, and looked like something that had fallen from a plumber’s handcart, but I loved it. I suppose that such a strange-looking thing appealed to my sense of humour rather than anything else.

From school it was into the army as a boy musician in the Worces­tershire Regiment. This gave me the opportunity to spend a year at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, a never to be forgotten experience for any would-be musician. Meanwhile, the regiment had moved to Jamaica , and lets face it, if you really must stamp your feet and march up and down playing the trombone like an idiot, you might as well do it in good weather, so I joined them! Nearly eight years of army life proved to be quite enough for me and we parted company.

I returned to Jamaica, making my way playing in hotels and nightclubs; it was not to long before I was approached by the Director of the Jamaica School of Music, who asked me to take charge of the newly formed brass department at the school. With neither previous experience nor qualifications (other than being in the right place at the right time), I joined the staff, only to find that all the other teachers had been recruited from the orchestras and opera houses of Europe and the USA! As a condition of employment, all members of staff were required to take part in monthly concerts at the University, and to perform with such bril­liant musicians was a real thrill. In addition, there were opportuni­ties for regular TV broadcasts and other concerts, as well as con­tinuing with the nightclub work. It did not seem at all strange to me at the time that one minute I could be playing a Hindemith sonata, or the Gordon Jacob Trombone Concerto in a concert and later the same day be playing Afro-Caribbean music in a night­club somewhere, the latter on many occasions with glassy eyed musicians who drank copious quantities of rum. A couple of years later, Jamaica started to wobble in a political sense and it was worrying that there were suddenly so many peo­ple around speaking Cuban and Russian!

It was time to leave and, with the return to this country and a family to support, a ‘proper job’ was needed, so the trombone was consigned to the attic for the next 25 years. A chance meeting with a friend from the old days who of course will never now be awarded the O.B.E for “Services to Music”, led me to start playing again.

The old Instrument needed a bit of work and I had to re-house a whole family of spiders, but it was good to be playing again. I am very fortunate in having the oppor­tunity to play in several of the local bands and seem to keep busy. James’ band is great fun to play with and to raise money for charity at the same time makes it very worthwhile.

It’s a shame that most of the lads are barking mad, but you can't have everything!”

 John Williams

“I remember first wanting to play an instrument when I listened to my mum on the piano. Unfortunately, when I enquired about learning an instrument at school I discovered that lessons were at lunchtime and since I went home for lunch I didn’t qualify! A couple of year’s later two friends were then playing in the local brass band. They invited me along. The band was very welcoming and asked what I wanted to learn to play.

At that time I didn’t even know the names of the instruments used in brass bands, apart from the trombone and I didn’t want to play that since both my friends played the trombone. Anyhow, the bandmaster asked me to think about it and come back when I’d decided. I went back a week later with the view that the other instruments looked a bit boring and that maybe I should have a go at the trombone. With trepidation, I took it home thinking that I’m going to look an idiot by comparison to my two friends who had had two years head start. It soon became obvious that practice is what is important and together with a bit of competitive spirit the three of us proved to be a pretty decent trombone section. Indeed, the three of us joined the local orchestra and the local big band (though we were all thrown out of the big band one evening for messing about!).

However, the real highlight of my school day playing was when I was 16 and the brass band went to a concert contest. One of the pieces we played was a trombone solo ‘The Acrobat’ which I played. We came second and it was reported that members of other bands commented that we were the best trombone section in Lincolnshire.

 I then went off to university and stopped playing partly because I didn’t have an instrument, the instrument I’d been playing belonged to the band. After a break of 26 years I thought I’d have another go and bought my first trombone. I joined Heath Band and then in early 2002 I started to go along to James Goff Big Band, first of all just to listen and then occasionally I was allowed to fill in when somebody wasn’t there. I’m now a regular player, though I’m still in awe of the high (professional) standard of musicians in the band.

 I live in hope that with good teachers and regular practice then one day I’ll be as good as the others. At least I have time on my side – at 48 I’m one of the youngest member of the band!”

Philip Harrison