Bald Trombone Players:What’s the Deal?

chabuddyg · by **chabuddyg** » 2020-11-21 9:50 p.m.

Joseph Alessi, Toby Oft, Michael Mulcahy...all incredible trombone players of course, but what else do they share in common? They’re all follicly challenged! I’m wondering if anybody’s observed any correlation between being a great trombone player and having a shiny dome (possible dissertation topic?). I figure since I probably won’t see anybody important for at least a few months, now might be a good time to take the leap of faith and shave my gorgeous mullet off. Would love to hear any and all thoughts on the matter, I’m all ears!...and no hair <EMOJI seq="1f61c" tseq="1f61c">😜</EMOJI>

BGuttman · by **BGuttman** » 2020-11-21 11:05 p.m.

See if you can find the YouTube video of Glen Dodson's Barbershop Quartet. It's a mix of brass concert and singing. Two of the players are Joe Alessi and Charlie Vernon. Both with hair.

There are plenty of great trombone players with hair. Not necessary to shave your head. Dodson was one. Also Leroy Kenfield, Boston Symphony bass trombone from the 1890s to around the mid 1940s. Urbie Green. Kai Winding. Alan Raph. That's just off the top of my (non-bald) head.

Posaunus · by **Posaunus** » 2020-11-22 12:11 a.m.

Sorry to tell you, but hirsuteness does not correlate well with trombonability. :o

Geordie · by **Geordie** » 2020-11-22 2:33 a.m.

[quote="chabuddyg"]Joseph Alessi, Toby Oft, Michael Mulcahy...all incredible trombone players of course, but what else do they share in common? They’re all follicly challenged! I’m wondering if anybody’s observed any correlation between being a great trombone player and having a shiny dome (possible dissertation topic?). I figure since I probably won’t see anybody important for at least a few months, now might be a good time to take the leap of faith and shave my gorgeous mullet off. Would love to hear any and all thoughts on the matter, I’m all ears!...and no hair[/quote]
Hedge your bets and only shave off one side .... :good:

BGuttman · by **BGuttman** » 2020-11-22 2:40 a.m.

[quote="Posaunus"]Sorry to tell you, but hirsuteness does not correlate well with trombonability. :o[/quote]

Nor does it inversely correlate. <span class="emoji" title=":wink:">😉</span>

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2020-11-22 4:21 a.m.

You forgot ... A few...

harrisonreed · by **harrisonreed** » 2020-11-22 4:24 a.m.

It actually has to do with the valve wrap:

Nhtrombone · by **Nhtrombone** » 2020-11-22 9:25 p.m.

I resemble that remark

BGuttman · by **BGuttman** » 2020-11-22 9:52 p.m.

Robbins, you had more hair when I played with you! :tongue:

robcat2075 · by **robcat2075** » 2020-11-24 2:21 p.m.

Herbert von Karajan would make the bald players in the BPO wear toupés for their film performances. I wonder if that is a deductible expense.

I recall how deadly it used to be for younger men to be bald, Yul Brynner notwithstanding.

Somehow that has turned around since the 80s but they have to shave it all off.

The classic male pattern baldness is still a seat at the un-sexy table, Patrick Stewart notwithstanding.

Finetales · by **Finetales** » 2020-12-04 1:47 a.m.

If being bald makes you great, what does having long hair do???

ithinknot · by **ithinknot** » 2020-12-04 5:24 a.m.

[quote="Finetales"]If being bald makes you great, what does having long hair do???[/quote]

No need to worry.

You're assuming the scale of hairy accomplishment is uniaxial and linear, whereas in fact it mimics the ~~[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory]~~horseshoe of male pattern baldness.

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Bald Trombone Players:What’s the Deal?