From: bkelleymusic@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Back from the wilderness...
Date: March 24, 2008 5:48:13 PM PDT
To: bwstaff@boneswest.org
Dear Bones West,
I am a guy who laid down his trombone 20 years ago for some stupid reason ( I was too busy to practice or something). I picked it up again 2 months ago and have been working my chops back into shape - a slow process to say the least. When I came across your website and discovered Bones West it seemed too good to be true! I'm writing to see if you are still meeting and if I could join you some Saturday morning. I know your website says you meet every Saturday but I live in Glendale and want to be sure before I head out.
Thank you,
Brad Kelley
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Thus began an improbable return to playing after I had thought those days were over forever. I had pretty much quit playing when we moved to California in 1986, mostly because I was just so busy writing, producing, and raising a family. Over the years I would have the occasional dream that I was playing and would always get a pang whenever I heard a good trombone section. The initial motivation to get my horn back out came in the form of a potential opportunity to lead a band on tour as a non-playing conductor. But for me, there was no way I was going to stand in front of a big band and not do SOME playing. The reality of the gig happening was (and remains) rather remote but was just enough to cause me to get my horn out of the closet in January ('08), clean it, and begin to blow a few fuzzy, tentative notes. My son DJ was witness to those first awful weeks of trying to remember where the horn actually fit on my face. Then came the joyous, laborious work of relearning how to breathe, articulate, move the slide, and the zillion other things one does naturally when playing any instrument. As with any new enthusiasm, I began to surf the web looking at relevant (trombone-related) sites. By purest Providence I happened upon a page within a page within a page that listed trombone groups. Named there was "Bones West," a non-audition group founded by the famed bass trombonist George Roberts which met every Saturday. This led to the email cited above. The leader, Len Wicks responded that yes, they were meeting and that I was welcome to come. So it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I made my way to the rehearsal the following week. I felt like the prodigal returning home after many years in exile. I was sure that I would stick out like a sore thumb but the group was large enough (40-50) that no one even seemed to notice. And those that did were more than cordial. Week-by-week my chops have gotten stronger. The natural goings-on of the group provide lots of opportunity to talk shop and the occasional special guest who would come speak to us or appear with us in concert (Ralph Sauer, Bill Watrous, Dick Nash and others) is also an great opportunity to learn and grow. To me, it feels like having a lost limb re-attached. There have been, and continue to be, hurdles to overcome along the way. But IF...IF...IF...the gig happens: I will be ready.
