(For more about the full recital, please read on here: https://www.danjenkinsmusic.co.uk/product/reaching-for-the-clouds-a-complete-trombone-recital/ and a few more words here: I wrote this series of pieces, a set of 8 new works for trombone and piano, in 2014, in what felt like a fortnight frenzy but was probably a six month compositional zone. I asked the majestic John Alley if he’d be interested in being the accompanist, and he agreed with enthusiasm. But from there the matter rested for several years, like The Ring lost in the river Anduin. Then a meeting with an old friend suddenly got the ball rolling, the possibilities were suddenly apparent, and things fell into place very quickly; the iron was hot; we recorded the whole lot a mere two months after that meeting. But why? Why on earth do this? At my age?! (51 at time of recording). Two reasons really. Firstly, after being an external examiner at the music colleges in London, I couldn’t help but notice that, although there have obviously been many additions to the trombone solo repertoire since my own college days, many students were still having to crowbar in the old favourites – the Serocki Sonatina, the Casterede, the David etc – in order to create a programme containing the correct contrasts. Recital programmes should obviously have contrasts, but these are often quite firmly stipulated, in the manner of box-ticking, and that was forcing these students into rather clunky musical selections. So I thought it would be good to create an entire recital, with the contrasts already built in. A programme where each piece has its natural place, instead of being a lumped-together series. The contrasts would certainly be there: many different styles and moods, some light music, some heavy, some descriptive, some unaccompanied; breath effects, use of mutes, quartertones (even sixth-tones), exploration of over 4 octaves; not only all that but the recital, the 7 pieces (the 8th is an encore) could be regarded as one whole event, even one piece, like a sort of symphony. It’s semi-cyclic, in that though the pieces are individually contained, in the middle and more obviously towards the end, motifs and material from earlier moments are referred to. A comparison to make would be with Progressive Rock albums of the 70s and 80s, particularly, as is the case here, where the beginning comes back at the end as a sort of reaffirming climax to the whole show. The second reason? Any psychologist would spot that as I spend much of my life playing 2nd trombone, I don’t get ‘the tune’ very much anymore. So this is a rather childlike (and childish, I admit it) desire to have a last dance in the spotlight, where we all grew up when learning to play the instrument in the first place! I hope you enjoy this concert. With love and so many thanks to: John Alley, pianist, accompanist and musician extraordinaire, and of insight and wisdom. I was extraordinarily flattered that he agreed to do this. And he really helped me regain the music of my own music; since I wrote it in 2014 the recital had become something either discarded, or simply a new set of dots to practice. John somehow saw a lot of the original feeling behind the pieces, and helped me to relax and play the music as it was meant to be. He can also do this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBVT7fGYbzA Dave Papp, who actually set this in motion when I’d all but resigned it to being a project well-formed but never to be realised. All the many friends who listened to me spouting about it and managed not to laugh. Especially Jeanette Murphy. Peter Gane, for a particular piece of inspiration 30 years ago! Lastly, and firstly, my amazing wife Helen, who encouraged and supported throughout, despite the worrying fact that we were supposed to be saving for our Scottish holiday. There’s more where this comes from. From everybody.