Jonah and the Wailers: A Jazz Reminiscence

I was eleven years old when I hit one of Life’s lotteries, and began playing the trombone. I thought it might be fun. Because of this one youthful decision, I’ve met many incredible people, seen places around the world I never imagined I’d be able to visit, and made more life-long friends than anyone has any right to have. At that time, rock and pop bands didn’t include trombones or trumpets. You’d see and hear a tenor sax occasionally, but that was about it until several years later when bands like Blood, Sweat, and Tears and The Chicago Transit Authority (later, just “Chicago”) included horn sections in live performances and on their recordings. They opened a door for many horn players in pop and rock, but prior to that, if you wanted to hear a trombone (for instance), you had to turn to jazz or big band music, or…go back a few years. I asked my very patient and kind father if there were any records around the house that might have a trombone player I could hear. I wanted to hear what one was supposed to sound like. It sure wasn’t supposed to sound the way I’d been playing it! He put down his newspaper, and thought for a minute. Then he said, “Come with me.” I followed him into our home’s small hallway. He opened a closet door. Sitting on shelves inside, I saw three long rows of 78 rpm discs. I’d never paid any attention to them before. They were in n