"The trombone tends to be seen as the black sheep of the horn family," band member Mark Mullins jokes. But four trombones are no joke in this band.
By LOGAN NEILL, Times Correspondent
Published November 18, 2005
NEW PORT RICHEY - If Professor Harold Hill was impressed with the booming sound of 76 trombones leading a parade in The Music Man, imagine what he might think hearing trombonists Mark Mullins, Craig Klein, Steve Suter and Brian O'Neill applying their powerful, New Orleans-inspired chops to a funky version of Jimi Hendrix's grinding rock anthem Foxy Lady, or Black Sabbath's head-banger classic The Wizard.
Although the thought of an ensemble overwhelmed by the thrusting blast of four trombones might be the perfect musical analogy for a city known to celebrate excess, members of the Crescent City sextet known as Bonerama simply believe they have given the instrument the star treatment it deserves.
"The trombone tends to be seen as the black sheep of the horn family," Mullins joked. "We think we bring an air of legitimacy to the instrument, giving it a vehicle that brings out its unique character."
Being longtime New Orleans musicians, co-founders Mullins and Klein had long celebrated the unique cross-pollination of genres and cultures found there and how much the sound of the trombone has lent to the character of the music.
In 1999, the two musicians, both of whom spent 15 years performing with Harry Connick Jr., joined with some other players for an impromptu jam session at a local club. They liked what they heard.
"When we first put the band together, we were surprised at the reaction," Mullins told the Telluride Daily Planet. "Craig and I just wanted to play with a bunch of fellow 'bone players and a great rhythm section. The fact that it has been so well accepted makes us tremendously proud."
The band, which performs tonight at the Bourbon Street Concert Club, enjoys a wide following that extends far beyond its hometown's boundaries. Music fans love the group's infectious, danceable beat. Musicians, too, find the sound enthralling. The group has made guest appearances on a number of recordings, including artists such as the Radiators, Galactica and Gov't Mule.
Lately, however, the band members have assumed a new role - musical ambassadors of a city that is slowly making a comeback from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Like many of their musician friends, the members of Bonerama lost homes and had family members displaced by the storm. However, the graciousness of audiences around the country has made the loss easier to deal with, Mullins said.
"The outpouring has been incredible," said Mullins. "It's helped to heal our hearts and soothe our souls."
Mullins reports that although the Southern music mecca is far from normal, he is nonetheless encouraged with every return visit.
"It's hard to say what the future is going to be like. It'll be a long time before guys can come back and work 30 gigs a month," he said. "But New Orleans is a place where the unexpected happens."
