Bocholt, Germany -- A band musician died of a brain injury when the
trombonist behind him jerked the slide of his trombone forward and
struck the trumpeter in the back of the head. Police say the tragedy
occurred as the Gratzfeld College band was rehearsing the spirited
American jazz classic, "When the Saints Go Marching In."
According to other band members, trombonist Peter Niemeyer, 19,
"got carried away" with the music. He started gyrating and thrashing
around as he played. At one point, he jerked forward and the rounded
metal slide on his instrument hit trumpet player Dolph Mohr, 20,
dropping him instantly to the floor.
"Niemeyer was pumping the slide very hard," said medical examiner
Dr. Max Krause. "But it wasn't just the force of the blow that killed
Mohr. The slide struck him in the worst possible place -- the vulnerable spot
just behind and below the left ear. Bone fragments pierced his brain, killing
him instantly."
The incident has provoked a storm of controversy over whether or not
American jazz should be played in German colleges.
"I believe the music is to blame," said Gratzfeld band director Heinrich
Sommer. "I was pressured to play that selection by school
administrators. But I've always said jazz is dangerous music. Our
musicians can't control themselves when they play it. They move and rock
back and forth, creating chaos. If I had my way, American Dixieland
would be outlawed in Germany. I've been directing bands for 30 years
and I've never heard of anyone dying while playing a German march."
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