Virginia Trombone Ensemble | Mr. Jefferson's Bones

Mr. Jefferson's Bones - Central Virginia's Premier Trombone Ensemble

Andy Lankford serves as professor of trombone at James Madison University. Prior to joining the JMU faculty in 2001, Dr. Lankford held teaching positions at Louisiana Tech University and Armstrong Atlantic State University. Currently a member of the Madison Brass (JMU's faculty brass quintet) and principal trombonist with the Massanutten Brass Band, he has performed with numerous ensembles including the Longview Symphony in Texas; North Carolina Symphony, Winston Salem Symphony, Greensboro Symphony and Brevard Chamber Orchestra in North Carolina; Lynchburg Symphony in Virginia; and the Kansas City Boulevard Big Band.

Niki Lendvay is MJB's newest member, having joined us in the fall of 2011. Niki Lendvay is a music teacher at Yowell Elementary in Culpeper, VA. She received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education at James Madison University where she studied trombone with Dr. Andy Lankford. Niki received her Kodály certification for music education at Indiana University and is currently working on her Masters in Music Education at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford during the summers. She plays second trombone with the Massanutten Brass Band in Harrisonburg, VA, and third trombone in the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra in Warrenton, VA. Niki also gives trombone lessons in the Culpeper/Madison County area. She is a charter member of Bernie’s Bones in New Bloomfield, PA.

Tom McKenzie received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Business Administration degrees from James Madison University. At JMU, he studied trombone with George West and jazz with Gunnar Mossblad, George West, and Pete Spaar. Currently, he freelances with a number of musical groups in the area, playing many different styles. Tom directs Just Jazzin’, a volunteer community big band based in Harrisonburg as well as the Jazz Band at JMU. In addition to an active music schedule, he is a self-employed computer programmer and takes on freelance writing and editing assignments from Prentice Hall.

MJB founding member Robert Mott holds a B.F.A. in graphic design from the University of Arizona where he attended for four years on a music scholarship. At Arizona, he studied with Tom Ervin and more recently with Jeff Cortazzo, bass trombonist with the U.S. Army Blues and Matthew Guilford, bass trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington D.C. Notable performances include Chris Brubeck’s Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra with the Waynesboro Symphony (April 2010); backing artists including Gladys Knight, The Temptations, and Sammy Davis, Jr., Charlottesville Symphony, Virginia Consort, among others. Robert is also the trombonist for Funk45, an active arranger, composer and a member of ASCAP (NEW SONGS ADDED NOV. 2010).

Mr. Jefferson's Bones began in 2001 as an off-season weekly sectional rehearsal of the trombone section of the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra (CUSO) of Charlottesville, Virginia. CUSO's then Principal Trombonist, Robert Graham, aspired to build a low brass section that was highly sensitive to orchestral section playing and intonation. The founding members were Robert Graham, Gary Elwell, Natalie Bucheimer Collins, and Robert Mott.

Soon therefater, the group expanded its purpose to perform publicly by building up its repertoire of Christmas music, often playing in December to benefit the Salvation Army's kettle drives, Christmas Tree lighting ceremonies, and the residents of various Charlottesville nursing homes. In addition, MJB often performed for worship services and choir concerts at a number of area churches, and in 2003, collaborated with both Sojourners UCC and First United Methodist of Charlottesville to create an original worship musical entitled "God's Trombones: Jazz and the Gospel."

In 2006, Mr. Jefferson's Bones headlined an evening of Staunton's Jazz in the Park summer concert series with an expanded lineup including local jazz trombonists Andrew LaPrade and Mark Maynard, and a jazz rhythm section. MJB provided an exciting and eclectic evening of great jazz standards and newer compositions, including songs made popular by J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, The Capitol Bones, Them Bones, Tutti’s Trombones, and The Stan Kenton Orchestra. (View photos here.)

Founding members of Mr. Jefferson's Bones: Robert Mott, Natalie Collins, Robert Graham and Gary Elwell