TromboneChat

I've been listening to a bit of Don Lusher lately and enjoying his amazing tone and musicality.

What make of trombone was he was playing in his recordings in the 1970s?

He played Kings at that point. Sometime in the late 70's 80's he teamed up with Boosey and Hawkes on the Sovereign 500 model. I have one those in storage. Good little horns!

I only ever saw Don play a King 2b. He said to us students at RCM that he tried a Bach 16M for a while since everyone in London was playing them at the time. But going back to his 2b just felt more at home.

When I was playing at the RCM Big Band in the early 1990's, Don was playing with a YAMAHA. I think it was a YSL-691 as J.J. Johnson played with it lately.

PhilE wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2019 4:44 am I've been listening to a bit of Don Lusher lately and enjoying his amazing tone and musicality.

What make of trombone was he was playing in his recordings in the 1970s?

Don's 2b was 491 single bore and the bell had been buffed down, and of course the Altman mouthpiece that he had been given which is what the DL paxman was a copy of

In the 80's he was involved with boosey and did play the sovereign with the 10cs Denis made based on an old Bach 11c as all sov's where sold with a wick mouthpiece there is to footage on YouTube of him playing it, but the 2b was always there and used in sessions etc

In the early/mid 90's the arms race had started so Don wanted something a bit bigger as he was doing a lot of guest things with brass bands and he wanted a 3b he tried all of them in London couldn't find one he liked, he was about to leave one store when the sales rep asked if he had tried the 691 Don was so impressed he bought it...... A week or so later that sales rep happened to mention on the phone to Yamaha that Don had bought one of there horns they then contacted him and asked if he would become a Yamaha artist then the last horn he had new was a 697z one of the first, I owned and played it after his death not played another like it, but again his trusty 2b was also still being used.......Diana (Don's widow told me they used to joke that the 2b was his mistress and as too which would go first him or the 2b). Don at this time was using a Bach 11c

As we approach the VE celebrations worth remembering Don didn't play from age 18 for a couple of years as he was drafted and served in the Royal artillery as a gunner and landed on the beaches at Normandy.

Vegasbound wrote: ↑Mon May 04, 2020 2:58 am
As we approach the VE celebrations worth remembering Don didn't play from age 18 for a couple of years as he was drafted and served in the Royal artillery as a gunner and landed on the beaches at Normandy.

He started playing in the local salvation Army band. I'm amazed by how so many of his generation became such good players, seemingly learning on the job.

I met Don only once or twice as he was a good friend of my Uncle who was another Salvation Army player by the name of Brian Midgely again sadly no longer with us.
I recall at one point he was telling me that both he and Don were playing on King Silversonics for solo work. Don parted with his sometime in the late 70's early 80's and he spent a long time trying to persuade Brian to sell him his.
Not sure that he ever did though.

TheBoneRanger wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 5:33 pm

From the early 1980's the .500 bore there is footage on YouTube of him playing it on a TV show and at the school proms at the RAH, he also had a large bore that was their attempt at a convertible version with a really awkward looking F section

As an aside most of the later 1960's he played a Martin

There's an old tale/myth perhaps, that after Don Lusher and Denis Wick had promoted the B&H Trombones they both switched back to their King, Conn instruments and put the B&H Counterweights on to give the appearance that they were playing B&H ............

Fidbone wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 4:40 am There's an old tale/myth perhaps, that after Don Lusher and Denis Wick had promoted the B&H Trombones they both switched back to their King, Conn instruments and put the B&H Counterweights on to give the appearance that they were playing B&H ............

It is an urban myth

Vegasbound wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 5:08 am

Fidbone wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 4:40 am There's an old tale/myth perhaps, that after Don Lusher and Denis Wick had promoted the B&H Trombones they both switched back to their King, Conn instruments and put the B&H Counterweights on to give the appearance that they were playing B&H ............

It is an urban myth

So what was that 8H with a Boosey balance weight that I saw in lessons ??

Chris

FOSSIL wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 5:22 am

Vegasbound wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 5:08 am


It is an urban myth

So what was that 8H with a Boosey balance weight that I saw in lessons ??

Chris

Yes, Chris
I saw Don's 2B with the B&H weight too

Fidbone wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 6:02 am

FOSSIL wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 5:22 am

So what was that 8H with a Boosey balance weight that I saw in lessons ??

Chris

Yes, Chris
I saw Don's 2B with the B&H weight too

Well the your eye witness comments showing that what i had always thought must be an urban myth is in fact true and the fact its true is sad on several levels

Back in 1981, I was at the last of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble International Summer Schools and Denis Wick was the trombone tutor on the course. After one of the trombone tutorials he was sitting around drinking coffee with us and someone asked him if that story was true. After a pause, he confirmed that it was so but went on to explain that the reason that he had gone back to the 8H was because the B&H Sovereign was "too easy to play".
I don't know how many of the trombonists went out and bought Sovereigns after that- I couldn't afford to and had to stick with my 88H.
It was a very rewarding week, mixing with players from all over the globe and also meeting the likes of Ray Premru and John Fletcher.

Cheers

Stewbones 43

Don Lusher played "I'm Getting Sentimental over You" on the "Joe Loss Big Band" record I listened to when I was a teenager and started to play trombone. It was one of three records my parents had. "Beethoven fifth symphony" "The Swan lake by Tchaikovsky" and "Joe Loss Big band". I never forget that trombone sound.

/Tom

Too easy to play......

Chris

Don lived in the house I grew up in before my parents bought it. Small world. I mentioned it to him once...he remembered the place.
I only worked with him once, on a jingle... I sat down next to him and he turned to me and said ' my name's Don Lusher'... I just said 'I know'...how embarrassing, but what young guy would expect to sit next to Don Lusher at 8.00 in the morning and play 'In the mood' ?

Chris

FOSSIL wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 1:30 pm Too easy to play......

Chris

I read that and thought "what does that even mean?"

I knew Don a bit and listened to him lots of times. I can confirm the story about Denis is also true for Don. I remember sitting in Staines Salvation Army hall listening to Don playing a King Trombone with a Besson counterweight.... I wonder why when Courtois bought out Besson they stopped making trombones?!! of course thanks to Stewbone43 we now know they were too easy to play - I always wondered why.

PS One of the lads I used to coach/teach and is now all grown up, married and a policeman actually owns one of Dons old trombones. I shall ask him about it.

PPS... So I just spoke with him about Dons old trombone. Its an immaculate King 3B with a family story (now too far back to authenticate) that it was especially made for Don by the King factory. We are talking about 32 years ago. Callum's (the owner) grandfather was a close friend of Dons and peruaded him to part with it. Callum says its the freeist easiest trombone he has - that wouldbe why the horns Dennis and Don worked on with Boosey and Hawkes were too easy to play - Kings fault not theirs

DougHulme wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 3:23 pm PPS... So I just spoke with him about Dons old trombone. Its an immaculate King 3B with a family story (now too far back to authenticate) that it was especially made for Don by the King factory. We are talking about 32 years ago. Callum's (the owner) grandfather was a close friend of Dons and peruaded him to part with it. Callum says its the freeist easiest trombone he has - that wouldbe why the horns Dennis and Don worked on with Boosey and Hawkes were too easy to play - Kings fault not theirs

Does your friend want to sell it?

No... I think he's in love with it - his grandfather died not long after aquiring it and when he started to learn to play his grandma presented it to him - lots of family ties as well as musical ones... imagine learning on Dons trombone!!!

Fantastic, I hope he's doing it justice.

I bought Nils Landgren's 70's Bach 12 off him which he used before the Red Yamaha he's known for. It was a phenomenal instrument (I guess he put all the right notes on it) I've always regretted selling it on when I needed some extra dosh

Yes he does well with it though I see he plays an Edwards more these days.

My claim to fame is owning one of George Roberts trombones - given to me by the man himself with the brass still warm! It might be for sale - after I've died!!! There are some horns that money couldnt buy (from me).

When I was a kid i used to play along to Don's "Rhapsody for Trombone" by Gordon Langford with the Black Dyke Mills band. Mum and Dad would have me perform it for family and friends. I had to transcribe the improvised cadenza so I could play it note for note. I still have the hand written transcription somewhere!
I think it was possibly the 3B your friend has that he used on that recording.
I saved up my paper round money to buy a King 3B around that time...... Mid 70's It cost me £345! As I loved the way Don sounded and I loved the photo of him with it on the cover of the LP.
Eventually upon entering the Royal College of Music in London I stupidly sold that 3B to a friend of mine in order to buy a large bore Conn 8H..... Anyway fast forward to 2 years ago I managed to persuade my friend to sell it back to me for £200!!!! I had to spend £65 to have it spruced up. GOT MY BABY BACK
When I play it I still feel my young self in there, I know it sounds daft as I am a much better player but It feels just right and does what I want it to do (Usually)

I know what you mean - horns with provenance always play better, especially if it relates back to you yourself. I have a Yamaha Bass 321 that the band bought me when I was 19 or 20 and I played on it for years. I moved, they sold it. Years later by chance, I was in conversation with a colleague and he said he had an old beaten up one at homeafter asking where it came from it turned out it was my old trombone. I bought it from him and had it renovated and it plays as well as ever. Mind you unlike you I dont think I am as good a player now as was when I was 25/26 - age, excess weight - I use stealth and experience now rather than talent!! However I keep coming back to that old Yamaha, they were such good instruments better than their successors which I have never been able to work out. That instrument holds a lot of memories and for many many years was the only new horn I ever had. Good days!