8 Comments
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Bobby Colomby's avatar

Antonio La Concha... that name doesn't ring a bell. Clifford Brown... I hear a bell.

James Beatty's avatar

This is brilliant, I've read it before anyway but even still, I still kept on reading till the end of the excerpt. If anyone is unfamiliar with Simon's writing, I've read every word he's ever published and loved the lot. Cannot recommend highly enough. (Black Vinyl White Powder is my fave)

Highland Fleet Lute's avatar

"So the next day I sold my trumpet and freed myself from seven years of daily practice. It was the most liberating thing I’d ever done."

A wise head on those young shoulders of yours.

Time was running way too fast for young men with a horn.

Time always runs too fast in music, so you have to make very wise decisions as per when to carpe diem and when not to bother carping diem.

Sam Stevens's avatar

We minstrels & troubadours cannot “ give up music” as being a musician it’s not we do .. it’s what we are .. that pervasive smouldering ember inside us & the Ready Brek glow around us … we’ve all had ‘tuxedo turnup’ moments … but that annoyingly doesn’t change the immutable & glorious fact of who we are .. x🎶

David ambrose's avatar

Can’t wait for more of your storey

Peter Brooke Turner's avatar

Brilliant - I too had the dream of being a tormented teenage trumpet terror but fortunately, realised that I’d never make the grade and packed it in after five years.