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THE
LORD OF THE TROMBONE:
CHRIS JEANS is an ex-principal
trombone of Black Dyke, a renowned soloist, a conductor,
an inspirational teacher to the next generation of brass players and
a lord to boot! As he re-enters bandings stratosphere
as Yorkshire Building Society's principal trombone, British Bandsman's
TABBY CLEGG catches up with
the `man with the golden trombone,
to find out where it all started.
AS
A young schoolboy, Chris Jeans never wanted to be a top trombone
player; instead, he longed
to be a cornet
player!
However, like so many
great players, the instrument on which he has made a name for himself
in brass bands was the only one left in the cupboard at school! Revealing
his early days as a budding brass player, Chris commented: "I started
playing the trombone at the age of 13, when I was at school. I always
wanted to be a cornet player but there was only a trombone and a tuba
left in the cupboard at school and I really didn't fancy carrying a tuba
around, so I opted for the trombone. I'm now glad that I did and I'm
also glad I didn't play cornet, as there are far too many notes and I
think I would have given the cornet up if I had started on that."'
It
was as a keen 13-year-old that Chris joined his local band, Yeovil
Town. After learning his
trade with the
band
for two years and also playing
with a dance band in the local area, he moved on to pastures new and
joined Stanshawe Bristol Band under the direction of Walter Hargreaves. "It
used to take over an hour to get to rehearsals but my Dad used to drive
me every week," said Chris. In 1978, Chris moved to the Midlands
after an invitation to play with the then Ibstock Building Products Band.
Said Chris: "I was given help to find a job and accommodation. Whilst
I was
playing at Ibstock, I had a `phone call from Howard Snell who, at the
time, was Musical Director at Desford Colliery. He wanted a solo trombone
player and came round to my house to listen to me. Consequently, I joined
Desford in 1981."
Continuing
his story, he said: "The
band was great for me as it was only two miles down the road, which
fitted
in well with my teaching
as a peripatetic teacher in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. It was
also a great time to be with Desford as it coincided with the start of
Howard arranging and composing for band. He used to bring them down on
bits of manuscript and, when I was with the band, it won loads of contests,
including Granada Band of the Year and Best of Brass. I had been at Desford
for 13 years when I was asked to play for Grimethorpe. For eight months,
I did all Grimethorpe's jobs, but it didn't work out on the work front,
so I returned to Desford for two years before joining Rigid Containers."
Whilst he was playing for Desford, Chris started conducting with the
Davis Derby Band (now Derwent Brass). However, it was whilst he was with
Rigid Containers that his work with the baton became more prominent.
Combining his experience in teaching with his knowledge of brass bands
and their repertoire, he took over the baton of Rigid Containers Youth
Brass 2000, now known as Youth Brass 2000. Said Chris: "The band
was formed by Edward Payne and Robert Watson was the original Musical
Director, but I was appointed MD after the band had been running for
just two weeks, back in 1990. Because I worked as a full-time teacher,
conducting the Youth Band felt like the right thing to do at the time."
Since 1990, the success of Youth Brass 2000 has been phenomenal and can
be predominantly attributed to Chris' hard work and inspiration of its
players. Explaining the secret of his success, Chris said: "Youth
Brass 2000 has experienced great success over the past decade, especially
in the entertainment contest arena. The band has won numerous contests
and became the 2000 BBC Radio 2 Youth Band of the Year and, last weekend
(June 2003), successfully went for a hat-trick at the French Open Contest.
There is no secret formula to this success, it's just a combination of
finding music that the band enjoys playing and having a relationship
with its players that clicks."
Now settled as conductor of Youth Brass 2000, Chris moved his own playing
career from the Midlands to Yorkshire and, in 1993, became principal
trombone with Black Dyke. He recalled: "My time at Black Dyke was
fantastic and I won two `Opens', two Nationals and went to the European
Championships. It was a great playing experience but, for five years,
I was travelling a 276-mile round trip and it became too much. Banding
is like a train and you either get off, or you are pushed off. I decided
to get off because, after five years, I was totally burnt out. At that
time, I knew it was time to hang my trombone up for a while. Also, when
I was in Sierra Leone with Black Dyke, I contracted a bad ear infection
that was consequently diagnosed as Bell's Palsy and all the muscles on
the right-hand-side of my face collapsed. My doctor told me I would never
play again but, after seeing a specialist and taking a course of steroids,
I was back to full health after six weeks. I was very lucky because Bell's
Palsy has ended the career of many players."
Whilst
taking a break from brass bands, Chris concentrated on his solo
career, still
performing under
the Courtois
product name. Explaining
how he became a Courtois endorsee, he said: "I have played under
the company's banner for 20 years now. My relationship with the company
began after I wrote a cheeky letter saying that I played one of their
trombones, liked it and was demonstrating it in schools. I told Courtois
that my trombone was getting worn out because all the students were playing
it'. I heard nothing for months and then, one day, a parcel arrived on
my doorstep and it was a crate full of trombones with a message saying
`thanks' for your help! Since then, I have developed a great relationship
with Courtois and have helped the company, which this year celebrated
its 200th anniversary, to develop one of the best trombones in the world."
As a soloist Chris, is very sought after both home and abroad and has
proved even more popular in France since he acquired his new title of
`lord'. Said Chris: "My title of lord came about two years ago and
my official title is either Lord Chris Jeans or Lord Blaston of Leicestershire!
I don't really go under the title, it came about as more of a PR and
marketing stunt for my work in France where no one had never come across
a top soloist who was a lord, or had any other such title. Not many people
know about the title, with the exception of everyone at Ransome, but
it is quite fun!"
It was about three years ago, whilst concentrating on his solo career
and conducting the Ancient Order of Forresters Band, that Chris was persuaded
back to the lifestyle of full-time band playing by The Ransome Band.
There, he assumed the twin positions of Resident Conductor and principal
trombonist at a time that coincided with the band developing a hunger
for top-flight banding. That hunger must have proved contagious for Chris
has just been signed as principal trombone for Yorkshire Building Society
Band and he commented: "My new appointment is great. My few years
at Ransome were good and developed a hunger for winning contests. I want
to win the `Open' and Masters again and there is no better band to do
that with than the best band in Europe. I am very much looking forward
to working Professor David King. He has so much energy and has the magic
touch."
Chris is now approaching one of the busiest periods in his career.
As well as playing with YBS, conducting Youth Brass 2000 and
teaching over
350 kids a week, he recently launched Acorn Recordings with his wife,
Lorraine. "I have always been into recording and Acorn will undertake
recordings, as well as music publishing and instrument retail. Recordings
currently in the pipeline include a solo horn CD with George Thackray
and The Ransome Band, a recorded catalogue of music from the publishing
side of Acorn and a CD with Derwent Brass. Acorn has been going six months
and it's very exciting," said Chris.
He
concluded: "I
am very lucky; I love music and bands and I am able to make an
income from
them. There
are not
many people who can say
that!"
Lord
Christopher Jeans
THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN THE BRITISH BANDSMAN SATURDAY 28 JUNE
2003 and is their copyright.
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