Bad News For Prof. Harold Hill

In the '80s, the Orange County Rhythm Machine was a fixture in Southern California, a big band with a regular Monday night appearance at a Seal Beach restaurant named Dunbar's. It was an excellent band with somewhat revolving personnel, when the regulars had other gigs.

One Monday night which will live in infamy among the players who worked with the band, a very large gentleman was playing alto sax. When the leader announced an intermission, this saxophonist stood and slipped, or tripped, and fell backward, right on top of one of the trombones. He didn't appear to be injured, but the instrument was crushed. Everyone witnessed the unfortunate event, and the entire room went dead silent -- but only for about ten seconds, when a voice from the trumpet section quietly intoned, "Seventy-five trombones led the big parade..."