I started playing the trombone in 4th grade in Merced CA. My instructor was an alcoholic so I didn't learn much when I started, but I did learn how to make a lot of noise.
Then we moved to Fremont where I attended Robertson JR high and that's when things started to pick up. My instructor was prety good.
I attended a music camp in La Honda where I played in a Jazz band that featured Mic Gellette and his dad (from Tower of Power, man I just loved that East Bay Grease sound).
That's when my passion for music kicked in. I played in Concert, Symphonic, Marching and Jazz bands. Our Jazz band performed at the Berkley and Reno Jazz festivals, we did ok. But there were some kick ass bands there that made us push even harder to get better.
A few of us started a little group. I played trombone, we had a trumpet player, sax, key board, electric base and lead guitar and drums. Rick Sumners wrote some music for us and we had a lot of fun.
It was almost the end of Viet Nam and I need a job, so I joined the Army. Stopped playing then. After 3 years in the Army, I tried to start again, but I got married and I never was able to make it work. Now 30 years later, I have picked up the horn again and I haven't missed a day of practice. I love to play....
