Tip From The Top - Roy Williams

He was 18 when he started to take lessons - with somewhat disastrous results. One day his teacher, losing patience, said. 'Look, Roy, we're wasting each other's time - why don't you try something else? ' 'Sod you,' thought Roy, 'I'll show you. I'll teach myself.' And he did.

Jazz Journal International voted him Top Trombonist for four years running in the 1980s, when he beat Bill Watrous into second place. He has also made a habit of winning the British Jazz Awards.

He has played with the bands of Terry Lightfoot, Alex Welsh and Humphrey Lyttleton, and has toured and recorded with visiting American musicians Bud Freeman, Wild Bill Davison and Ruby Braff. He is much in demand at jazz festivals all over the world, and is one of the relatively few musicians who has succeeded in making a living by playing jazz.

One thing I've always found - and people still do it - they feel they must experiment with mouthpieces. In Germany just recently, a couple of musicians had new mouthpieces, and asked me to try them. I didn't want to - because I think it's important that when you find the right mouthpiece, you should stick with it. I've been playing a Rudy Muck 22 for a very long time, and I've had it replated. Young players often say 'Ooh, let's have a look at that', and there's the odd smirk; but that big cushion rim fits very nicely under my hooter! Keep an open mind, listen to all kinds of music and always be approachable. It's very important to communicate with your audience. If you've gone over time and they want an encore - give it to them. They'll almost certainly book you again!