Jeff on how he learned to play the Trombone

Jeff - Uh, well, long story short, was I wanted to play the drums. And, I remember sittin' in band and there were thirty of us, so the teacher had us put down on paper what we wanted to play, and I put drums, and then the band director opened them up, that was his job, and he said no, we can't do that. And I thought, well, why can't you, you know I thought it'd be kinda cool, and so he just pointed to everybody and told them what they would play. And so he pointed to me and said you're gonna play trombone. I didn't even know what one looked like. But I'm really fortunate, I just took it home and everything just clicked, and a , six months later I was put into a brass band. And I just really got into the instrument a lot, I like it a lot, because it's not one of the most simple instruments in the world. It's fun too, but it can be one of the hardest instruments to play too. Because it's not just like pressing a valve, and I really enjoy it quite a bit, and I just love the Tram, it's beautiful the Tram. But I quit for about five years, and I came back, and so I really enjoy doing it.


Jeff on Fame

Jeff - Um, well I don't know about the fame thing, but I think one of the conditions that, when the band first started out, before anybody knew who we were, is that everybody was really down to earth, and somebody who would be a really nice person, and I think that's what's held us together, so it's hard. The fame thing's happening right now, or it is if you wanna call it that. We just really appreciate the success that's happening with the band because you know, we've spent hundreds and hundred of nights playing gigs, when no one really knew what we were doing, and it's just nice to see that people are enjoying it and that we can do this, and people do wanna come out and see what we're doin'. So I think we just appreciate what is happening, and I think that that's what keeps us focused on what's going on, and we don't take anything for granted.


Jeff on the popularity of SWING

Jeff - Yea, you know, I think we really feel that it's a great opportunity that people have, you know, got into what we're doin' and can appreciate what we're tryin' to do. We're trying to take ourselves too seriously, you know, and once you start doing that, you know you start callin' yourself this and that, then all your credibility, and I think, who you are as a musician goes right out the window, so the one thing I think, is that I wish there were no more bands out there, so when our teeny bands get started, you know, I'd like it. And, you know, when we got started, I mean honestly, I mean, the band was nothing like it is right now, you know. I mean mistakes, and it's just a process of every band, you go through evolving. I hear new bands, you know, and listen to them a year later and they get better and better. And so, I guess my main thing is that I hope more new bands get started and that people do it, not because it's popular, that they do it just because they enjoy it. Because when they get on stage right away you can tell if they're doing it just because it's popular, or if they're really having fun. You can't fake that. So, I think that's what caused our success, it's that we really have fun with it, and if it's not fun then we're gonna do whatever we can to make it fun.


Jeff on the peoples like/dislike of BBVD

Jeff - I think my experience has been is that even people who aren't in the swing scene, they can appreciate what we're doing, because we're doing it with conviction. You know, we do it like we mean it. So, even if they don't they go, well, it's not my bad, but it's cool, you know it's cool. I like it, like hanging out. But I think everywhere we've gone we've been really fortunate to be received very well by people.


Jeff on the new album and touring

Jeff - It is exciting, because it's just something that everybody's wanted to do for their entire lives, you know, to get to this point, and so, we are excited in that sense, but the other sense is, it's just like anything you do, whether it's business, or rather it's school, or something. When you're really into something it's really hard to kinda reflect on what's actually happened, you kinda right there at that moment you're more concerned about well, today I have to be at this place by three o'clock, you know, I gotta make sure I have clean clothes, you know. So we're runnin' around so much, it's not really hitting us yet, but uh, we are excited and we are gonna miss our families a lot, but it's an opportunity that we wanna experience.


Jeff -Final Thought

Jeff - I'm glad people appreciate music, and listen to as many different types of music as possible, and to read books, and keep reading a lot. Read something inspirational every day, every half of a day.



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