BUFFET CRAMPON is proud to announce that the new production of BESSON instruments is now fully underway in both Germany and in France.

To guarantee the new quality standards insisted upon by both our loyal customers and the new owners Buffet Crampon, new tooling has been built by the laser measuring of Prototype BESSON instruments including the Imperial, New standard, early Sovereign and new Prestige models. This precise measuring will ensure the exact dimensions of each component part and guarantee that the exact, original design of each model has been respected fully.

Bells are again to be hand-hammered and hand-spun, as was the case prior to the early nineties. This method avoids over-tensioning the metal and ultimately produces more sonorous instruments; the historic trademark of Besson. All of the Monel valves are numbered and lapped-in individually into every valve case, giving perfect fitting and action.

Modern precision tooling, and superior craftsmanship during the whole process of assembling and finishing assures perfect fitting of all the parts, slides and valves, giving better leak-test results, felt by the player as more resonance requiring less energy.

To guarantee exact replication of quality, precision drawings have been made of every tool and form to allow us to replace them more frequently to ensure a much higher and consistent quality standard.

Every instrument is play-tested by musicians who have been involved with BESSON R&D for several decades, such as Roger Webster, Steven Mead, James Gourlay, Steve Sykes, Lesley Howie and others, in order to absolutely guarantee that the right sound and playing characteristics are respected.

We can now confidently invite you to rediscover the original BESSON spirit in the NEW BESSON INSTRUMENTS.

“These instruments are fantastic! The feeling of total quality takes me back to the 70’s and 80’s when the only instrument worth having was a Besson….well in my opinion…it is once again.” — Roger Webster

“I never thought that I could find an instrument better than my Prestige …well I have! It is the new Besson Prestige…looks about the same, feels about the same…plays like an absolute dream! Without doubt, the best instrument I have ever played.” — Steven Mead

“I couldn’t believe the sound and responsiveness of the new Besson Tenor horn. It feels and plays like my original ‘Globe stamped’ Sovereign…” — Lesley Howie

Buffet Crampon, woodwind instruments : clarinets, professional clarinet, oboe, bassoon.

Talk, vent and discuss all things Trombone in Australia

chat.adrianhead.com

(Book not yet released.
Click above image to pre-order.)

Contributors include:

Euphonium players:

Demondrae Thurman, Steven Mead, David Werden

Tuba players:

Kenneth Amis, Roger Bobo, Velvet Brown, James Gourlay, Toby Hanks, Daniel Perantoni, Jon Sass, Deanna Swoboda

Trombone players:

Ralph Sauer, Douglas Yeo, Charles Vernon, R. Douglas Wright

Horn players:

Dale Clevenger, Gail Williams, Froydis Ree Wekre

Trumpet players:

Jeffrey Curnow, Ronald Romm, John Wallace, Warren Vache

Other authors: Jeff Adams, Lisa Bontrager, John Clark, Abbie Conant,
Kurt Dupuis, Peter Ellefson, Laurie Frink, Jack Gale, Wycliffe Gordon,
Dick Hansen, Kevin Hayward, Lesley Howie, Gregory Hustis, Alex Iles,
Ingrid Jensen, Dave Kirk, Craig Knox, Mark H. Lawrence, John Marcellus,
Raymond Mase, Brad Michel, Gregory Miller, Bob Montgomery, Jennifer
Montone, Marc Reese, Mike Roylance, Susan Slaughter, Phyllis Stork,
David Taylor, Kenneth Thompkins, Rick Todd, Adam Unsworth, Tom Varner,
Bill VerMeulen, and Jeremy West.

Technorati Tags: How To, Brass Playing, Brass Technique, tips and tricks

1812 Overture Played On 26 Serpents

I recently went into a recording studio to do an epic overdubbing project: a performance of Clifford Bevan’s arrangment of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” for serpent ensemble. This recording, complete with bells and cannon and my playing 26 serpent parts on church serpent and contrabass serpent is available as a FREE mp3 download.

Douglas Yeo Trombone Web Site.

British jazz musician Don Lusher has died at the age of 82.

The jazz and big band trombonist - best known for leading the Ted Heath Jazz Band - passed away on Wednesday afternoon, his wife said.

In a career spanning more than 60 years, he played with a number of groups and was twice president of the British Trombone Society.

Lusher was honoured in the 2002 New Year’s Honours list with an OBE for services to the music industry.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Jazz trombonist Don Lusher dies

• During the 1950’s he won many polls for Britain’s Top Trombonist awarded by The Melody Maker and The New Musical Express.
• 1976 BBC Jazz Society Musicians of the Year
• 1986 Nominated for a Wavendon All Music Special Award
• 1987 British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors Gold Badge of Merit for Services to British Music
• 1992 Honorary Member of The Royal College of Music presented by HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
• 1993 Freeman of The City of London.
• 1999 The Alan Dell Trophy.
• 2000 Jazz Medal for 2000 by The Worshipful Company of Musicians . The Award was presented at Skakespeare’s Globe during performance of “Jazz at the Globe” on Monday 3rd July, 2000.
• 2000 Crescendo and Jazz Music Certificate of Merit for Services to Music and Musicians.
• 2003 OBE For services to the music industry.
• 2005 Doctor of Music (honoris causa) University of Portsmouth.
• 2006 International Trombone Association 2006 Award.

How can you make a French horn sound like a trombone?
Take your hand out of the bell and miss all of the notes!

How do you know when a trombone player is at your door?
The doorbell drags.

What do you call a trombonist with a beeper and a cell phone?
A optimist.

What is the difference between a dead trombone player lying in the road, and a dead squirrel lying in the road?
The squirrel might have been on his way to a gig.

How many trombonists does it take to change a light bulb?
Just one, but he’ll do it too loudly.

How do you know when there’s a trombonist at your door?
His hat says Domino’s Pizza

What kind of calendar does a trombonist use for his gigs?
“Year-At-A-Glance.”

How can you tell which kid on a playground is the child of a trombonist?
He doesn’t know how to use the slide, and he can’t swing.

What is the dynamic range of the bass trombone?
On or off.

[tags]Humour, Jokes, Trombones, Music, Musicians[/tags]

Here you’ll find over 350 pages of FREE information, articles and resources for trombonists and other musicians. Browse a category, click on an image, or enter some words in the site specific search field to learn more about what is available inside yeodoug.com.

Douglas Yeo Trombone Web Site

ITF is delighted to return to the United Kingdom for the 35th International Trombone Festival. Based in the Heart of England, Birmingham has undergone a massive transformation in recent years including the building of the world famous Symphony Hall, home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. This year’s hosts are the Birmingham Conservatoire, and we are grateful to Professor George Caird (Principal) and David Purser (Head of Brass) for opening their wonderful facilities to us.

An international line up of world-class trombonists will be featured including Ian Bousfield and Ben van Dijk from the orchestral field, jazz artists Jiggs Whigham and Wycliffe Gordon as well some of the finest ensembles such as Bones Apart Trombone Quartet, the Brazilian Trombone Ensemble, the Black Dyke Mills Brass Band trombone section, the award winning BBC Radio Big Band, brass band champions Yorkshire Imps and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra themselves with a special performance of Gordons Jacob’s Trombone Concerto featuring their principal trombonist, Phil Harrison as soloist.

All delegates will be able to actively particpate throughout the festival, such as the massed education project in association with Birmingham Music Service where ITF participants will be able to join in and perform at Symphony Hall.

The ITF offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for trombonists of all ages and abilities to come together and enjoy ‘live’ the leading exponents of our instrument, shop at many of the best trombone retailers, but also socialise and play trombone with friends and colleagues from around the world. We hope to see you there - all welcome!

ITF2006.