A Unique Thrombonist
Mark "Mule" Mullins and his trombone have covered a lot of musical
territory in the past ten years. As early as age thirteen Mark was leading
his own Dixie Land Band in Mardi Gras parades. He studied jazz and classical
music in high school and college and in 1990 turned down a post-graduate
scholarship to the Manhatttan School of Music in order to begin touring
with Harry Connick Jr.'s new Big Band. After years of recording and performing
with Connick, Mark returned to New Orleans to find many projects awaiting
him. Tori Amos, Sheryl Crow, and George
Porter Jr. all recorded their horn sections with Mark's signature sound
and solid arrangements while Mark also appeared on recordings of Better
Than Ezra, Rancid, Dag and Joe Henry. In the past year Mark has created
a stir locally and nationally with his rock band Mulebone.
Augmented by a wah-wah and guitar amp Mark's trombone slides right into
the rock format creating a rock sound with a unique edge. Here at Tip's
Mark has organized shows with a unique trombone focus. As in Mulebone, Mark
is attempting to show the incredible versatility of the instrument in various
musical mediums. After years of working in what he refers to as "the musical
webs of New Orleans". Mark has assembled a varied group of trombonists for
different, and more spontaneous music combos. The main ensemble Mark created
for the Presents Shows is Bonerama; a loose collective of trombonists from
various pockets of the N.O. music web. Backed by Russell Batiste on drums
and Matt Perrine on tuba Mark brings in trombonists from jazz fusion bands,
brass bands, and even the Symphony. Mark explains that he wanted to use
this opportunity to bring something out of the ordinary to Tip's French
Quarter and showcase the versatility of the trombone. It is an instrument
able to pull off both rhythm and lead parts due to its range in high and
low registers. Furthermore, the fact that it is fretless brings a whole
new dimension to it. In this same vein Mark also began the Led Zeppelin
night. He explains that, "everyone loves the band." Here Mark brings people
from outside of the straight rock scene and, with the addition of some electronic
technology to the trombone brings a whole new slant to Led Zeppelin cover
bands. In the future Mark hopes to add still new elements to the trombone
frenzy as well as debut more of the new talent who ordinarily spend their
time on stage hidden in that brass jungle somewhere behind, and off to the
side of the main act. |
