Biography

Rock-oriented New Orleans brass band Bonerama were formed by trombonists Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, both of whom had been members of Harry Connick's band since 1990. Mullins obtained a weekly residency at the New Orleans nightclub Tipitina's in the summer of 1998 and turned it into a trombone summit. Mullins and Klein enlisted trombonists Rick Trolsen, Steve Suter, and Brian O'Neill (who died of a heart attack in December 2005), as well as sousaphone player Matt Perrine and guitarist Bert Cotton. The drum chair has been held at various times by Walt Lundy (current), Alvin Ford Jr., AJ Hall, Eric Bolivar, Terence Higgins, Russell Batiste, and Stanton Moore. Despite its horn-heavy instrumentation, Bonerama were a rock band, known for playing such covers as "Frankenstein" by the Edgar Winter Group along with songs by Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and the Allman Brothers Band. The group's first album, Live at the Old Point, was released on October 9, 2001. Live from New York followed on August 26, 2005. Bonerama's third consecutive live album, Bringing It Home, which had been recorded at Tipitina's, was released on July 24, 2007. Studio albums followed including Shake It Baby, Hot Like Fire and Bonerama Plays Zeppelin. (photo by Dave Vann - Riviera Maya, Mexico 2019)