Wanderin' Star - Mark Frost

Mark Frost has a persona and wit much revered in the music profession. But for every 'Frosty' anecdote that is fondly recited there usually follows a comment of immense respect for his musical abilities. How then has Mark's individuality paved his unique path from his roots in the brass band tradition to the echelons of international trombone stardom?

Mark's musical education began at the age of nine near his home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, when he took up playing not the trombone, but the guitar! "I never really enjoyed playing the guitar", he exclaimed, "but one day I saw another kid with a euphonium and thought, that's what I want to play! I was told that the only brass instrument left was an old tenor trombone, so that's how it all started!"

Mark had lessons at school and was soon up to the standard required to join the Rotherham Schools Junior Band. So how did Mark end up on the bass trombone? "When I was 13 there was an opportunity to join the Rotherham Schools Youth Brass Band on bass trombone and I was the only one who could read bass clef", he admits! "From there I moved into the Yorkshire Schools Brass Band under the late Brian Lingley and then at 14 I successfully auditioned for a place in the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain".

It was during his time at NYBB that Mark impressed conductor Dr Robert Childs and was invited to join the Brighouse and Rastrick Band where he remained for two years until 1989.

Mark enjoyed continued success on the banding front when he joined Black Dyke Mills Band winning the European Brass Band Championship title in 1990. Whilst at Black Dyke he met his wife Jan who often came along to see her brother, Nigel Fielding play with the Band on soprano cornet.

It was at this time that the Band's conductor, Dr David King recommended that Mark should commence the music degree course at Salford University. "Dave suggested I should study with the then Bass Trombonist of the Halle Orchestra, Neville Roberts", Mark told me. "Nev was a great teacher and I learned a lot from him, not just about how to play the trombone", he jokes!

But after a year studying at Salford, Mark transferred to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where he greatly benefited under the guidance of the then Head of Brass, Howard Snell. I asked Mr Snell about this period in Mark's career. "I was certainly instrumental in persuading Mark to come to the RNCM and then later the Fodens Band", he revealed. "Mark is simply a terrific player, a natural without any inclination towards the academic, but none the worse for that. He has what is necessary; a great pair of ears for listening to others as well as himself, he is a very cooperative person and, he will hate me for this, a sensitive and subtle soul at heart! I count myself a big admirer of his."

Mark left the RNCM after only 18 months. I asked Mr Snell about this; "Mark didn't need the 'what' and the 'how' the RNCM was trying to teach", he admits. "I feel the Einstein quote is relevant here: 'Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything learned in school!'"

So what did life after the RNCM have to offer Mark? "I was already really busy whilst I was still at the RNCM", Mark told me. "I was offered a summer season with Andy Prior's band at Blackpool Tower. It was a fairly gruelling schedule with 180 gigs in six months! That certainly kept me off the streets for a while", he added. On top of that, Mark was enjoying freelance orchestral work with the Halle, BBC Philharmonic and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras and also a run of Miss Saigon in Manchester.

It wasn't until 2003 that Mark returned to banding when he joined Grimethorpe Colliery Band for a trip to the US to play in Carnegie Hall. It was at this time that I first met 'Frosty' and not only did I learn a lot from sitting alongside him but I was also subjected to his immense wit for the first time; after an announcement from the Band's manager that a member of the Band was off sick I made the mistake of commenting that I had some 'Tunes' (cough sweets) in my pocket. Frosty immediately retorted, "Shame you've got none in your horn!"

After the America trip Mark stayed in the US to play with the celebrated Brass Band of Battlecreek under the direction of Howard Snell; a commitment which Mark still holds and cherishes to this day. "The Battlecreek gig is amazing", he beams. "To play in an ensemble along with Wycliffe Gordon, Scott Hartmann, Jens Lindemann and the like is simply like nothing else I've ever done".

It was after Mark played in Battlecreek that he was invited to record the critically acclaimed Boston Brass Stan Kenton Christmas Album. "I consider this to be one of the real high points of my career to date", Mark tells me. "The whole group were really on top form and to be alongside Sam Pilafian was a real privilege".

Trumpet star Jens Lindemann has worked with Mark on several occasions. I asked him to tell me about why Mark is so popular in the States. "I have never called him Mark except once during a serious conversation at my home in Los Angeles," he jokes, "and I apologized immediately for that transgression! Frosty plays the trombone the way he lives; larger than life. His tone is phenomenal and in my opinion, his approach to the instrument is genius; always very relaxed and with a tremendous core. Once you've heard him play, you never forget," he declared! "He can anchor any style of brass section and is a world class talent on the bass trombone".

I wondered what had finally made Mark decide to move to London; "I'd worked a few times for Andy Barnwell doing 'Annie Get Your Gun' and 'Fame', so I was really pleased when he offered me the bass trombone chair on Sinatra at the London Palladium. It was an opportunity I simply couldn't miss", he smiled fondly. "The Band was terrific and all really good guys too. I remember in my last show before I went on to doing 'Wicked' I borrowed a wig from wardrobe", he chuckles. "I did the whole show sitting on stage looking like Edward Elgar until one of the trumpet players pulled it off revealing my shaved head in the middle of New York, New York"!

Since his move to London, Mark has enjoyed working with London Brass, the BBC Big Band, the Michael Nyman Band, Guy Barker's Orchestra and the Ronnie Scott's Big Band as well as touring with Gladys Knight, Jack Jones and Al Martino. Mark's orchestral experience is extensive and includes performances with both the London and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestras and trials with the London Philharmonic, Halle, Ulster and Opera North Orchestras as well as being a key player on the London session circuit.

Mark recently premiered Elgar Howarth's 'Spooks'; a piece for bass trombone and brass ensemble at the Great Northern Brass Arts Festival in Manchester. I asked Mr Howarth about the piece. "It has four movements, each with reference to one of my grandchildren", he explained. "It is in essence a humorous yet scary representation of a child's imagination which integrates the virtuosity of Marks playing with brass ensemble and percussion". I asked why he wrote the piece for Mark in particular. "I first heard Mark play whilst I was recording the History of Brass Band Music series with Grimethorpe", he said. "Whilst there are many fine bass trombonists around today it was not only Mark's talent on the instrument which appealed to me but also his exceptional personality. I had Mark in mind whilst writing the piece and it certainly paid off", he continued. "Mark's musical imagination brought out everything I had wanted and more besides".

Having heard the premiere in Manchester, I can certainly concur with these sentiments and I thought that the combination of both piece and performer worked marvellously well together.

I asked Mark how he had found preparing for the new piece. "Tough", he admitted, "I've never really practised before so I didn't know how to approach it at first". With this revelation in mind and having noticed the plethora of instruments around his house I asked him if ever practised the euphonium or tuba for example. "Not really", he laughed, "I'm playing every day with one thing or another so I just turn up and do it. It's only difficult because someone tells you it is", he smiled wryly. So what about the crossover of styles which Mark does so effortlessly; what does he suggest on how to switch from jazz to classical? "I did a lot of listening when I was younger", he proclaimed. "Technically it's the same, I just use a different sound and match what's going on around me. The hardest aspect of playing the bass trombone is getting a clear start to the note", Mark says, "the brass band training is invaluable for that".

In his show 'Wicked' Mark plays both tenor and bass trombone; I asked him what is the secret to doing this effectively? "I am fortunate to have two superb instruments in the pit. Mick Rath has worked really hard to provide me with the quality of instrument that I have at my disposal. Aside from that, Mick has also made me a custom mouthpiece for the tenor which minimises the impact of changing. I just pick it up and blow it", he says humbly.

So what does the future hold for Mark? "I've never been one for planning", he beams! "I'll just keep doing what I do and see what happens. The show is ongoing and I really enjoy working with Pete Long and Guy Barker. I'm hoping to play 'Spooks' a few more times and I'll be going to the States again soon. Apart form that I hope to spend more time with Jan and my daughter Olivia".

Mark is so lucky to have the incredible talent he has but, like all the greats, he has a wonderful personality to go with it.