TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

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AndrewMeronek
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TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by AndrewMeronek »

My folks have been glued to this series lately. I gotta admit, that theme is catchy and does feature a well-done trombone countermelody.



What other TV theme songs have nice 'bone work?
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EriKon
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by EriKon »

Just what immediately comes into my mind: Two Mancini soundtracks.
Mr. Lucky theme with some nice bone section work.
Peter Gunn theme with a great trombone solo.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by JohnL »

That's a cover of You're Wondering Now. They went to a new arrangement a few series (seasons) back; the trombone is less prominent now.

A couple bits from the golden age of TV themes.

One that comes up from time to time is the theme from Johnny Quest

Lots of trombone work. The trombone solo is short, but it (and the rest of the tune, for that matter) is pretty cool...

A bit of tasty bass trombone work (though not really a solo) in the theme from Ellery Queen


EDIT
Gotta add Hawaii Five-O

Not a solo, but prominent trombone section work.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by AndrewMeronek »

Yeah! JohnL, thanks for the additions. :)
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by robcat2075 »

Connoisseurs know that Season 2 Munsters Theme was the good one.




First three notes...



When a Hollywood producer writer thinks "trombone," this is what he's thinking...
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by brassmedic »

Oh yeah, and of course:

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by JohnL »

So much of the theme music in the 1950's and 1960's was in the big band style - and so many of the musicians "cut their teeth" playing during the big band era...

another goodie...
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by jthomas105 »

Watrous playing and whistling

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by Finetales »

No melody, but the trombones are throwing down nonetheless (especially 1:44 to the end):


Lots of low goodness:
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by chromebone »

I remember this well from when I was a kid, the trombone part still plays in my head



On a related general brass player you should know note, the great Vince DeRosa passed away a few days ago at the age of 101. One of the greatest horn players who ever lived and almost certainly the most recorded brass player of all time, maybe the most recorded musician of all time over over his 75 year career for that matter: we should all be emulating his sound:
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by WGWTR180 »

Can't believe no one has mentioned Johnny Quest.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by brassmedic »

WGWTR180 wrote: Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:03 am Can't believe no one has mentioned Johnny Quest.
It's there, you just didn't see it.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by robcat2075 »

Regarding Jonny Quest starting at about 0:52... It sounds like they've just roughly faded from a take in one tempo to a take in another tempo... what's happening there?


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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by Posaunus »

chromebone wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 6:30 am ... the great Vince DeRosa passed away a few days ago at the age of 101. One of the greatest horn players who ever lived and almost certainly the most recorded brass player of all time, maybe the most recorded musician of all time over over his 75 year career for that matter: we should all be emulating his sound:
Peter Gunn! Vince DeRosa, Dick Nash, et al. The soundtrack of my youth! :good:
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by WGWTR180 »

brassmedic wrote: Mon Jul 25, 2022 12:58 pm
WGWTR180 wrote: Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:03 am Can't believe no one has mentioned Johnny Quest.
It's there, you just didn't see it.
:good:
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by bellend »

Here's the BBC's I Claudius from the 70's , always liked this

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by Bleek »

Another recent one

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by robcat2075 »

This compilation of openings to failed TV shows of the 1970s has quite a few with prominent horn sections like we do not hear today.

Two with notably audible trombones:
  • 2:47 Viva Valdez
  • 5:42 The New Temperature's Rising
Did we really watch dreck like this? I know I did!

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by AtomicClock »

I'm partial to The Prisoner.

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by sacfxdx »

AtomicClock wrote: Tue Oct 24, 2023 8:38 pm I'm partial to The Prisoner.

Great show. Way ahead of its time.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by baileyman »

British TV seems to have lots of well-played small bore. Still?
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by Kbiggs »

Atomic Clock and sacfxdx beat me to it.

I’ve often wondered whether Ray Premru was playing on this track.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by AtomicClock »

brassmedic wrote: Sun Jul 17, 2022 4:19 pm
Video was taken down. Does anyone remember what brassmedic linked?
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by tepposal »

The Matlock theme hasn't been mentioned yet.
We played it just a little while ago, and let's be honest, it is a bass trombone solo! :D

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by AtomicClock »

I'm surprised these all sound so good, given they were surely written for the tinny mono TV speakers of the day.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by TonyNeal »

Two British children's programmes spring to mind. The Flumps. And Johnny Briggs theme was the Acrobat.
Sitcom Steptoe and Sons had a prominent trombone.
More recently Death in Paradise
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by AndrewMeronek »

tepposal wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:39 am The Matlock theme hasn't been mentioned yet.
We played it just a little while ago, and let's be honest, it is a bass trombone solo! :D
Yeah, this is great!
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by WGWTR180 »

AtomicClock wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:53 am I'm surprised these all sound so good, given they were surely written for the tinny mono TV speakers of the day.
Makes perfect sense to me. Digital recording has ruined the great sound of the past.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by tjonz »

There's a very nice section soli in "Meet Mr. Solo".

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by brassmedic »

tjonz wrote: Thu Oct 26, 2023 8:57 am There's a very nice section soli in "Meet Mr. Solo".

Sounds like French Horn to me.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by brassmedic »

AtomicClock wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:14 am
brassmedic wrote: Sun Jul 17, 2022 4:19 pm
Video was taken down. Does anyone remember what brassmedic linked?
Not sure I remember, but I think it was the little trombone solo on The Oblongs end credits.

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by VJOFan »

Not the most prominent, but I remember rushing home from school with my band part to play along when the repeats played on afternoon TV. It must have been in the same key as my school arrangement.

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by Mikebmiller »

The Foundation series on Apple TV has some epic low brass writing. Also, it is a fantastic show.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by robcat2075 »

Further forgotten trombone follies:

5:54 Calucci's Dept.
6:28 Lotsa Luck
16:24 Tenafly

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by NorthernEuph »

Check out an old British cooking show called “Two Fat Ladies”. Go a little past the intro into the start of the show.
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by robcat2075 »

More echoes from the vast wasteland...

0:10 "The Ropers" - painfully prominent trombone solo w/ plunger
1:12 "Detective School" - trombone counter-lines
4:38 "Working Stiffs" - nice brass section
6:51 "Big Shamus/Little Shamus" - opens with sad-trombone solo, some bass trb lines later

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by Bonearzt »

I can't believe NO ONE hit this one!!!

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by Posaunus »

Bonearzt wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 6:48 pm I can't believe NO ONE hit this one!!!
Perhaps because no one ever watched it, so it died in obscurity? :idk:
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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by brassmedic »

Bonearzt wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 6:48 pm I can't believe NO ONE hit this one!!!
That reminds me, Thunderbirds theme song had a bunch of trombone stuff.

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Re: TV theme songs with prominent trombone parts

Post by dbwhitaker »

Bleek wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 10:21 pm Another recent one

I noticed that the 4th actor listed in the opening credits is named Pankow. Wikipedia indicates that the actor is James Pankow's younger brother. I wonder if James might be playing the theme?
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