Tip From The Top

By Chris Jeans

Chris Jeans is Principal Trombone of the John Foster Black Dyke Mills Band. Born in Yeovil, Somerset, he began playing with the local town band. At the age of 15 he was travelling a hundred miles to rehearse in Bristol with the Sunlife Band, and since then he has played with some of this country's top brass bands: Desford Colliery Caterpillar, Grimethorpe and Rigid Containers (formerly GUS). While with Rigid Containers he won the best soloist award at the Brass In Concert contest in 1990 and 1991. He is also a past holder of the Champion Trombone Player of Great Britain title. In 1989 Chris became the first brass band trombonist to release a solo album, a second following in 1990. The music from this second album was published by IMP in their Pure Series along with Wynton Marsalis and Courtney Pine. Chris Jeans has been featured soloist at the National Brass Band Championships Gala Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. He travels widely as a tutor at brass courses, and gives masterclasses in this country and abroad.

As a trombonist in one of this country's top brass bands I find that spending time rehearsing, and knowing that you are well-prepared before a performance, will put you in the correct frame of mind. I am a great believer in positive thinking. That way you put yourself in the position of thinking 'I am going to play this'. By going into a performance thinking negatively it is possible to think yourself into making a mistake.

As a southerner who has made the move the move north of the Watford Gap, I have been privileged to play with many of the country's finest brass bands, and have experienced many differing styles of playing. But the one thing I have noticed is a distinct lack of musicality in some of our playing. In my travels I spend much of my time listening on the car stereo to singers such as Pavarotti and Carreras - to the way they sing pieces, their phrasing - and try to emulate them in my own playing, and to play as musically as I can.

Although I have made the move north of Watford I have not yet moved north of the Humber, and have a round trip of 250 miles to rehearse in Queensbury with Black Dyke. I have always liked plenty of fresh air in the car, and tended to travel with the window down. About four months ago I came down with Bell's Palsy, which paralysed the right side of my face, and was caused, I was told, by the draught. Fortunately, and after a lot of expensive treatment, I have completely recovered ... but now travel with the car window wound up.

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