But when Vayenas is not playing in the young entertainer's trombonesection (or lampooning him during an onstage skit), he's writing his own futuristic-sounding instrumental jazz.
In the "Ring, " four Wagner tubas join an enlarged brass section that includes other orchestral rarities like the bass trumpet, contrabass trombone and contrabass tuba, creating "choirs" of gleaming brass.