The Information Super-Frog

Unusual fun band with "Steam Punk" theme, COG The Confabulation of Gentry SteamCOG

We had our shakedown performance at Gallier Hall (New Orleans old City Hall) Sat night.



YouTube video of part of one tune

The International Trombone Convention is in town here in New Orleans.

The "Second Line of 100+ Trombones" event, which had been promoted on my radio station, was this afternoon.

We had great weather for it. The local Fox News TV reported that there were over 100 trombones, but of course Fox News has a problem with reporting as fact things certain people in positions of authority tell them. A friend counted exactly 77 trombones, plus 2 trumpets, 1 clarinet, tuba, 1 snare and 2 bass drums.

The Convention is at Loyola University. Before the event, a Dixieland group led by trombone virtuoso Harry Waters with Jack Mayhue on clarinet performed a Rousell Hall. After a rousing performance of "Tiger Rag", everyone was urged to get their horn and meet the courtyard. After the inevitable "Saints" was put out of the way with merciful dispatch, we did a version of "Lassus Trombone". Waters then taught the out-of-towner majority "Joe Avery's Second Line" and we headed off campus.

I was pleasantly amused at the sight of the vast heard of trombonists bringing auto and streetcar traffic on St. Charles Avenue to a stop as we crossed into Audubon Park.

I brought my standard street parade horn, and quickly got the impression that I had the cheapest horn in the crowd-- lots of symphony players with amazing shiny custom horns.

We played "Joe Avery" while marching around the park; not enough of the group had caugh on to the breaks to make them work. After doing that for 4 or 5 minutes while the tv cameras got their fill, we stopped under a tree which Waters had climbed up and he led us to stop-- and that was it.

Some second line fan friends who had shown up were quite disappointed. "Shortest second line I've ever been to." "Paradus interuptus!" "Premature jubilation". Some of the locals made some snarky comments about the rhythm problems of the players. I was told it was over 2/3rds were Classical players-- no doubt most New Orleans Brass Banders would suck much worse trying to play their music. Sure, the whole thing was a gimick-- I didn't really expect it to sound like much -- but it was a kick.

On the short piece on the tv news tonight I didn't see myself but I could hear myself. Not really that hard in a 77 piece trombone section if 70 of 'em are pretty much sticking to a straight lead.