Jazz Trombone Info

Video: Jacob Garchik's Trombone Choir

2012-06-27T01:31:00.002-07:00

Featuring a ton of fine New York players, playing some wacky fun music, Jacob Garchik's Trombone Choir with Josh Roseman, Curtis Hasselbring, Tim Vaughn, Alan Ferber, Ryan Snow, and Brian Drye is another wonderful blast of trombone goodness from Scrootable Labs - enjoy!

Video: Joe Fiedler's Big Sackbut

2012-06-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

Further video tests from Loove Arts Brooklyn, featuring Joe Fiedler, Josh Roseman, Ryan Keberle, and Jose Davila! Production by Thane Lund.

Happy Birthday, Kai Winding!

2012-05-18T18:16:00.000-07:00

Sadly no longer with us, Kai Winding was a trombone force -- straddling swing and bebop, adding commercial music to his palette in the 60's and 70's, never straying far from his jazz roots, his music and spirit continues to live on. I've posted a gorgeous photo of him by William Gottlieb on my Jazz Photo Daily blog, as well as a large version of the logo you see here, found in one of his few published method books, over on my Jazz+Design+Art blog. And to further celebrate, here are some videos to help you in your merriment -- Happy Birthday, Kai Winding!

1978 Interview with Dicky Wells from Erling Kroner

2012-05-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, Dutch jazz trombonist Erling Kroner posted a fabulous transcribed interview from 1978 he did with legendary Basie trombonist Dicky Wells in it's entirety, including a great discussion about Wells' famed "Pepper Pot Mute". Here is a snippet from Kroner's introduction:

In May 1978 Dicky Wells and Earle Warren appeared at the Vognporten in Copenhagen accompanied by Finn Otto Hansen (tp), Torben Hertz (p), Carsten Tanggaard (b) and Sven-Erik Nørregaard (d). It was the first time ever I had a chance to hear one of my greatest inspirations live. I talked to Dicky Wells on a break, and he graciously accepted to meet me a couple of days later for an interview. As I was talking to Dicky, Earle Warren came over and heard what we were talking about. He pulled me aside and looked me deep in the eye: "Don’t bring him no booze, dig?" Earle was chaperoning Dicky, looking out for him. We met at Dicky’s room at the then Hotel Adlon, situated over the Montmartre in Nørregade, downtown Copenhagen. I recorded the interview/talk onto cassette tape. Later I transcribed the interview and translated it into Danish for use in the new jazzmag Jazz Special. I am not much of an interviewer, so I have tried to rephrase the most obnoxious trivialities on my part, but have tried to keep Dicky’s narrative as close to the way it presents itself on the tape as possible.

The interview is a rare one, to be sure -- the length and depth of the interview make it one not to miss, especially in light of the fact that Erling Kroner is no longer with us. Read the entire interview on Erling Kroner's website.

NOTE: Can anyone confirm the proper spelling for Dicky/Dickie Wells -- I have seen both and was curious if anyone has a definitive answer... apparently, there was a nightclub owner in New York named Dickie Wells, who died in 1949, so it is possible the confusion began in the years prior...

Happy 80th Birthday to Slide Hampton!

2012-04-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

A huge happy birthday to the legendary Slide Hampton, turning eighty years old today. Many have spent the past decades marveling at Hampton's technique, range, vocabulary, clarity -- you name it, Slide Hampton is, and has been for quite some time, the complete jazz trombonist. I clipped this interview with J. J. Johnson from the March 1988 Downbeat magazine many years ago while doing my studies at the University of Washington:

I remember seeing this video on TV, but I guess I didn't make it to this part of the program -- after all, I was only 14 years old when this would have been on TV, and probably had to go to bed early on a school night. I've thought of this video off and on for many years, and nobody I talked to ever seemed to have a copy. I got an itch to search for it again, and found it -- of course -- on YouTube. Someone had posted the whole concert in pieces, so I snagged Slide Hampton's solo, and edited it up for your viewing pleasure. Behold: the solo that J. J. Johnson called "The Most Articulate Trombone Performance I've Ever Heard", and a very happy eightieth birthday to Slide Hampton!

Open Sky Jazz Interviews Reginald Cyntje

2012-04-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

Jazz blog Open Sky Jazz recently posted a lengthy interview with Washington, D.C.-based trombonist Reginald Cyntje about his new recording, Freedom's Children, his background, and his future. For those not familiar with Reginald Cyntje, here's a blurb from the opening of the article:

One of the more impressive young musicians to arrive in DC in recent years is trombonist Reginald Cyntje. A native of the Virgin Islands, Cyntje is blessed with impressive facility and an immediacy of sound that, coupled with evident section blending proclivities, stands out in a crowd – a feat he has achieved admirably in several area big band stints (including the launch performance of the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival Orchestra last February). He is also blessed with the adroit flexibility necessary for a small ensemble team player, equipped with the skills to stand in bold relief when its his turn at bat. His current recording is “Freedom’s Children,” a DIY effort that among others boasts the quicksilver vocal skills of Christie Dashiell from that pride of Howard University, the vocal ensemble Afro Blue, and the prodigiously talented multi-instrumentalist Warren Wolf on vibes.

Read the complete interview with Reginald Cyntje at Open Sky Jazz, or enjoy a track from his latest album, Freedom's Children, below...

The Pace Report Profiles and Interviews Michael Dease

2012-04-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

The latest episode of Brian Pace's The Pace Report gives a profile and interview of New York-based trombonist Michael Dease, along with some video of his latest projects, and samples of his music in a variety of settings. Enjoy!

Straight No Chaser Podcast Interview and Music with Conrad Herwig

2012-03-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

A recent episode of the podcast Straight No Chaser, hosted by Jeffrey Siegel, featured a lengthy interview with trombonist Conrad Herwig on his career, projects, and latest recording, all with music tracks to support the interview. It's great stuff, and at an hour long, you'll certainly take something away from it -- if nothing else, you'll find that Conrad Herwig is one down-to-earth, humble, and generous cat - did I forget talented?! Be sure to visit the podcast page for complete show notes and links.

Video Interview with Wycliffe Gordon on His New Book, "Sing It First"

2012-03-29T15:41:00.003-07:00

Wycliffe Gordon released a new music-making and trombone method book back in October of 2011 called Sing It First, published by Kendor Music. In the interview above, he talks about the genesis of the ideas in the book, and how it collects many of the concepts and approaches he has gathered over the years, as well as methods he uses in private teaching. We'll be adding this to our featured method books section in the coming week, but if you want to get your hands on one now, visit Wycliffe Gordon's webstore. Thanks to Jazz Times and Irene Lee for the interview!

Help Support Roswell Rudd's New Album of Standards on Kickstarter

2012-03-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Legendary jazz trombonist Roswell Rudd is beginning work on a new album of standards -- certainly a departure, if you are familiar with his work -- and is seeking your support via a Kickstarter campaign. Check out the informational video about the project:

I first got turned onto Roswell Rudd through his performances and recordings with Archie Shepp -- Live in San Francisco is still one of my all-time favorite jazz albums, and his own album for Impulse! Records Everywhere is required listening for all my trombone students. Meeting and hearing him in person a few years ago was truly one of the highlights of my trombone education, and his work in recent years has been exciting, diverse, and fun -- this is one legend showing no signs of slowing down. Do what you can to help support this living legend of the trombone in his new endeavour, Trombone for Lovers. To paraphrase a terrible old cliche, Roswell Rudd is a truly fabulous wine who has only rippened, sweetened and grown more exciting and complex with age -- be a part of his latest recording today!

Solo Transcription: Frank Rosolino from Stan Kenton's "Prologue (This is an Orchestra!)"

2012-02-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

The latest solo transcription posted by British trombonist and educator Rob Egerton is a classic: Frank Rosolino's solo from Stan Kenton's Prologue (This is an Orchestra!), one of of my all-time favorite tracks from one of my all-time favorite records, Stan Kenton's New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm. Rosolino begins with his signature lick of the day, and swings it out with much of his classic vocabulary. There's tons of great stuff in this short-but-sweet solo, and the rest of the album is a tour de force for him, including the sizzling solo feature for Frank, Frank Speaking.

Jacob Garchik Trio in Midwest for Short Tour

2012-02-11T22:59:00.000-08:00

New York trombonist Jacob Garchik is bringing his trio to the Midwest for a brief two-day tour on Sunday and Monday. Along with Garchik in the trio are Jacob Sacks on piano and Dan Weiss on drums, both busy sidemen in New York. Here is the full itinerary:

February 12-13, 2012
Jacob Garchik Trio
Midwest Tour

Sunday, Feb 12
The Hungry Brain
2319 W Belmont Ave Chicago, IL
10PM - $10.00
as part of the Transmission Series

Monday, Feb 13
U of Michigan master class 6pm

Monday, Feb 13
Canterbury House
721 East Huron Street Ann Arbor, MI
9PM $10.00 General admission $5 students

Garchik will also be available for private lessons in the Chicago and Ann Arbor areas. For full details and contact information, visit Jacob Garchik's website. Watch a preview of the trio in the video below:

Solo Transcription: Carl Fontana on "It Might As Well Be Spring"

2012-02-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

British trombonist and educator Rob Egerton has posted another fabulous jazz trombone solo transcription, this time featuring one from perhaps Carl Fontana's most famous recording as a leader, "The Great Fontana". This up-tempo version of "It Might As Well Be Spring", with its great lines and a capella section before the head out, leaves the listener with much to admire and emulate from this solo.

Jeff Melton Interviews Julian Priester for Oregon Music News

2012-02-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

Previewing Friday night's performance in Portland by Julian Priester and Rob Scheps, Jeff Melton sat down with the trombone icon for a lengthy career-spanning interview for Oregon Music News. There are many great exchanges in the interview -- here is one of my favorites, regarding the ECM recording, Love, Love:

JM: One thing I wanted to ask was this: I’ve got a very good friend of mine who does most of my interview transcriptions, and he said: Oh, you’re going to be talking to Julian Priester. We need to get a copy of Love, Love – I’ve never heard it. Can you please tell us about the sessions for that recording? It’s a wonderful record. It seems like it’s out of the Bitches Brew kind of mold.

JP: That whole project came about as a result of Patrick Gleeson. Patrick Gleeson is a synthesist, and he was involved with the Herbie Hancock Sextet Plus One. Pat was the Plus One. He and I decided to make a statement about the impact of performing with the Herbie Hancock Sextet, and the impact it had on our personal creative aspirations. So we wrote and produced the recording of Love, Love. It reminds everybody who hears it of Bitches Brew, as you just mentioned, and the Miles Davis thing, but it is one step removed from Bitches Brew. I describe it as part of the artistic life of the Herbie Hancock Sextet. Herbie had worked with Miles, was heavily influenced by Miles, and indeed one of his goals was to be as successful as Miles was as a jazz icon. It cannot be denied that he has reached that particular goal.

Read the full interview here, and if you are in the Portland, Oregon area, he’ll be appearing at Touché with saxophonist Rob Scheps and pianist Randy Porter on Friday, February 10, 7pm.

Wycliffe Gordon to Perform with University of Puget Sound Jazz Band Sound

2012-02-09T11:33:00.000-08:00

Wycliffe Gordon will bring his particular brand of trombone playing to the great Northwest in a performance with the University of Puget Sound Jazz Band, under the direction of pianist and composer Wayne Horvitz. The concert, to take place on Ferbuary 28th at 7:30pm in the university's Schneebeck Concert Hall, will feature Gordon as a guest performer with the big band in honor of Black History Month. Admission is $7 for the general public with discounted tickets for Puget Sound campus members. For tickets visit Wheelock Information Center, order by credit card at 253-879-3419, or order online at tickets.pugetsound.edu.

Glenn Ferris in Duo Performance with Marc Dresser for Improvisers Summit at Blue Whale

2012-02-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

Blue Whale, in the heart of Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, will feature trombonist Glenn Ferris and bassist Mark Dresser in a special first-time duo performance for an Improvisers Summit on February 22nd. Here's a snippet from the website to wet your whistle:

Glenn lives in France since 32 years now and he is seldom on our shores. In February, he will be here. Mark wanted to program the trio here at the Blue Whale but Bobby was not free, so Mark and Glenn decided to duo it. Expect this duo to go in many musical directions but the high quality direction is 100% guaranteed.

With the time still to be announced, tickets will be $15 -- you can get more information on the event at the Blue Whale site.

Marshall Gilkes' "Sound Stories" Advance Review from Xombiewoof Magazine

2012-02-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

The upcoming album from trombonist Marshall Gilkes, titled Sound Stories, has received a solid and insightful advance review from Xombiewoof Magazine. From the review:

Working with a sympathetic, immensely talented quintet featuring saxophonist Donny McCaslin, pianist Adam Birnbaum, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Eric Doob, Gilkes takes his innovative composing and lyrical, hard-swinging soloing to new levels of excitement and refinement. DownBeat magazine has called Gilkes, "an important new voice in the making." On Sound Stories, he emerges as a distinctive composer of persuasive narrative power and a soloist with boundless melodic appeal.

Read the full review of the album here, or visit Marshall Gilkes' website. The official release date of Sound Stories is March 6th.

New Series at Jazz Trombone Info: Seven Sides

2012-02-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

To begin expanding our Jazz Recordings section here at Jazz Trombone Info, I'm starting a new series of articles I'm calling Seven Sides. Each Seven Sides post will detail seven essential recordings for a particular jazz trombone player. Why "sides"? I just always loved this slang term for records. Why seven? It seemed like a solid number to cover most bases of any major artist without feeling the need for a complete discography. With that said, stay tuned for our first installment of Seven Sides.

Who would you like me to cover first? J.J.? Brookmeyer? Moncur III? Someone more obscure? Would love to hear your suggestions in the comments!

David Wilken Discusses Alternate Slide Positions

2012-02-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

The use of alternate slide positions is one of the truly valuable tools-of-the-trade for legato jazz playing, and many jazz trombonists over the decades have both employed them extensively, as well as written about then, including Tom "Bones" Malone's book, Alternate Positions System for Trombone. In his latest blog post at Wilktone, trombonist David Wilken has posted an informative introduction to using alternate slide positions:

Rather than go over what positions can be used for every individual note, I’m going to focus here more on why I use alternate positions and offer strategies for when to use them. I’m also not going to cover intonation adjustments here, so keep in mind that when I suggest using a particular position for a certain passage you will want to know how that particular partial needs to be tuned. Always listen carefully and adjust your slide to correct out of tune notes.

Read the complete article by David Wilken here.

Taylor Ho Bynum on Bill Lowe at Destination: Out

2012-02-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Destination: Out, the marvelous blog from Jeff Jackson and Jeff Golick, has just posted a wonderful retrospective on bass trombonist and tubist Bill Lowe. Here's a snippet from the opening paragraph:

Bill’s musical experience speaks for itself; he has worked with most of the masters of African-American creative music across all genres and cliques. The list is almost overwhelming: from legends like Frank Foster, Clark Terry, and Eartha Kitt; to the leaders of the avant-garde like Cecil Taylor, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Bill Dixon; to under-heralded greats like Bill Barron, Makanda Ken McIntyre, and James ‘Jabbo’ Ware. He has anchored the big bands of Thad Jones, Jaki Byard, and Collective Black Artists, while performing in small ensembles with Henry Threadgill, William Parker, and Ed Blackwell. He has been involved as an active participant in an incredible diversity of musical communities over the past forty years, from the South African expats in 1960s London to New York City’s ‘70s Black Arts movement, and has been a leader and role model in the Connecticut and Boston music scenes over the past two decades.

The first half of the two-part series is posted here -- we'll update the post when the second part is available -- enjoy!

Michael Davis Launching Online Brass Instruction Site in March

2012-01-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

Jazz trombonist and educator Michael Davis is launching a new online brass instruction website called Hip-BoneU in March. Here's a snippet from his official description:

Hip-BoneU is THE source for the finest online brass instruction available. Lessons from today's top brass will cover all aspects of brass playing and become an invaluable resource for every level of player. Each month new lessons will posted from a variety of artists and instrumentalists, so stay connected! First up will be Michael's inside access to the 15 and 20 Minute Warm-Up Routines.

I can honestly say that Michael Davis is one of the coolest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting in my years as a trombone player, and on top of that, he's more than willing to share his knowledge, experience, and expertise. From the looks of the video below, he's assembled an all-star crew of brass players to bring you his Hip-BoneU. Check out the video promo below:

For more information in the coming months ahead, check out Hip-Bone Music.

Recent Jazz Trombone Reviews from Grego Applegate Edwards: Julian Priester and Michael Dessen

2011-10-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last week, Grego Applegate Edwards posted his review for the latest album from California-based trombonist Michael Dessen titled "Forget The Pixel". Towards the end of his review, Edwards had this to say about the album:

This album is a sleeper. You must listen to it or you wont get it. That is not as obvious as it sounds. There are albums that enter your ears whether you will it or not. Forget the Pixel works with "willed listening." If you are passive about it, you'll miss it.

Reading this review pushed me back into his archive, where I discovered, just one month ago, Edwards had reviewed a recent recording from trombone legend Julian Priester and drummer Aaron Alexander in a duo program for their self-released "Conversational Music". Need a choice quote to wet your whistle? Here's a nice summary of the album:

This is a free-wheeling session where the players cover much ground: freely up swing, out-of-time double soliloquies, rhythmically non-repetitious frameworks for Julian's extremely fertile improvisational inventions, and other things besides.

For the full review, click on through to Gapplegate Music Review. Now that Gapplegate Music Review is on our radar, we'll be sure to alert you to his latest reviews as they appear. Hope you enjoy, and be sure to head on over to his blog to subscribe. And if you want a preview of the Michael Dessen album, along with his very interesting scores, look no further than the video below:

Peter McEachern Pays Tribute to Norman Mailer and Thomas Chapin with New Releases

2011-10-09T03:29:00.000-07:00

In a special article for The Hartford Courant, writer Chuck Obuchowski profiles trombonist Peter McEachern and his recordings released in tribute to band mate Thomas Chapin and his late father-in-law Norman Mailer. The lengthy piece describes much about McEachern's career, his relationship with each of these two figures, and the recorded projects themselves. Here's a bit regarding the Norman Mailer tribute work:

The genesis for this work dates back several years when McEachern performed one of his compositions at a memorial service for Mailer, which took place at Carnegie Hall on April 9, 2008. He created a piece called "Requiem for a Boxer," using Mailer's speaking voice as a repeated motif; he added a recorded trombone segment and a boxing ring bell, then played live at the hall to accompany what he'd stored on computer.

About the same time, Mailer's biographer, Michael Lennon, asked the Connecticut native to digitize an archive of Mailer lectures, interviews and readings that he'd amassed for his research. While doing this, McEachern became fascinated by the actual sound of these recordings.

While I wasn't able to find any information about the latest recording in tribute to Norman Mailer, I was able to find a video of Peter McEachern performing his composition from the album titled "Requiem for a Boxer" at Norman Mailer Memorial Tribute at Carnegie Hall in 2008, which you can view below. The album with Thomas Chapin, Shockwave, is available in MP3 or CD. Be sure to click through for the full article at The Hartford Courant by Chuck Obuchowski.

Conrad Herwig Performs with Convergence

2011-10-06T23:58:00.000-07:00

Conrad Herwig comes to Denver on Thursday and Friday, October 6th and 7th, for a pair of performances Dazzle Jazz Club with local sextet Convergence. As described in their press release:

Convergence is dedicated to the idea of sharing the intimacy and the spark of improvised music with our audience. We have been creating music together for the last 20 plus years and are excited to be sharing the whole journey with you now. Whether you’re a student, professional, or jazz fan, there will be something of interest to you... so in the spirit of Convergence… enjoy!

The group features some of the best Denver has to offer, with Greg Gisbert (trumpet), John Gunther (saxes), Eric Gunnison (piano), Mark Patterson (trombone), Paul Romaine (drums) and Mark Simon (bass). The group with special guest Conrad Herwig will perform two sets nightly.

Solo Transcription: David Gibson on "Maya"

2011-10-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

British trombonist and educator Rob Egerton has posted another fabulous jazz trombone solo transcription, this time featuring David Gibson's wonderful solo on his own tune, "Maya", the title track of his album on Nagel Hayer Records. The tune has some beautifully organic changes, which are sadly not notated in the transcription, but thankfully the rhythm section of Jeremy Manasia, Dwayne Burno and Tony Leone are laying it down. So put your ears in gear, and dig it... and if you find it to your liking, David Gibson's "Maya" is available both on CD and in MP3... and did you notice we've got his latest under our "Featured Recordings" section at the top of the sidebar?