What's in a rose...um, I mean a trombone album?

[tbdana]

My question is: What do trombone players want from a commercial trombone album? What will make them buy it, play it, put it in their rotation, and talk about it with others?

And by commercial I mean not classical, but so-called "popular" commercial music, from jazz to rock to easy listening to Latin to....whatever.

Is it a certain kind of tune or genre? A virtuoso performance? Is it the instrumentation? Tunes you know? Original works?

What would make YOU buy a trombone album, play it often, and tell others about it?

[mgladdish]

I want to hear something different. That the trombonist is striving for something that hasn't been heard before. That may be original works, virtuousity (although that's a hard sell to me, there's a very fine line between chops that say something and a stunt show), or anything really. Just that a ton of thought has gone in to it and produced something new.

E.g. I'm currently listening to Slide Action:REBUILD on repeat. I'm not into contemporary classical in the slightest, but this speaks to me.

https://slideaction.co.uk/listen



PS I'm a bit confused about what you mean by commercial here, I absolutely wouldn't categorise jazz as popular commercial music. But that's not the interesting bit of the question.

[EriKon]

Everyone wants to hear something different and that's good. Some strive for impressive high notes, fast lines and all of that being super clean. Others want to hear other things, easy playing that could be running in background as well. Others are in search of a higher musical or non musical message in the music.

[Schultz]

I look at the “commercial” trombone albums i currently own and can say this about what drew me to the ones I have listened to the most.

I want to hear great charts/arrangements played by great players.

I love Bill Reichenbach's Quartet album for his ease of making all the different instruments sound great.
I love Marshall Gilkes Cora's Tune with Slide Monsters, for the playing and the composition.
I love Marshall Gilkes Cyclic Journey, especially Sin Filtro for the same as above, and to see what is possible on our instrument.
I love Andy Martin's playing on The Project, and pretty much anything he does not only for his technical ability but his ballad playing.
I love 2Mani Trombones Bona Fide again for the playing and the great chart.

..so yes...great playing...great writing!

[LeTromboniste]

I want to hear something different. That the trombonist is striving for something that hasn't been heard before. That may be original works, virtuousity (although that's a hard sell to me, there's a very fine line between chops that say something and a stunt show), or anything really. Just that a ton of thought has gone in to it and produced something new.

^This! For any genre, that's what I want to hear. People exploring new repertoire, new ways of doing things, displaying their own artistic identity and not just a generic trombone sound.

[VJOFan]

It is totally subjective, but I will listen to an album again and again if it feels authentic to me. That the energy is of the musicians playing stuff that turns their cranks and that they are trying to communicate something internal and irrepressible with their playing.

It's not that it can't be fun. One of my all time favourite trombone albums is Trombone Summit with Watrous, Wigham, WInding and ..... Manglesdorf (They ran out of W's?). In some ways it's totally silly, but there is an energy of these guys, all really in good form at the time of the recording being put together in various combinations. Maybe it was a bit of a cutting contest, but it doesn't feel like that on tracks like Kai Winding and Bill Watrous playing the duet Me and Jangles. Mentor and mentee enjoying each other's company and making some great sounds.

Again, totally subjective, but sometimes I listen and feel the player cares about saying something and sometimes the care is seemingly about anything else- the paycheque, sounding "right", being hip, being current. Can't be explained or defended.

[harrisonreed]

For me? Honestly, not much. Frank isn't releasing albums any more.

[StephenK]

What would attract me is knowing the performer and their style would be something I would enjoy. So, recently bought an album by Peter Moore, who I've also heard live several times. Also, eg Caol Jarvis. Slide Action I've also heard live, quite tempted.

[Finetales]

I like jazz trombone ensemble albums the most. I'm kind of over hearing anybody (no matter how good they are) soloing on the same old standards over a rhythm section. I want to hear awesome arrangements and tight playing by a bunch of trombonists; great improvising is just a bonus. I'd love to get a grant to do a jazz trombone ensemble album myself, but until then I'll just have to keep listening to Jay & Kai +6.

[tbdana]

I like jazz trombone ensemble albums the most. I'm kind of over hearing anybody (no matter how good they are) soloing on the same old standards over a rhythm section. I want to hear awesome arrangements and tight playing by a bunch of trombonists; great improvising is just a bonus. I'd love to get a grant to do a jazz trombone ensemble album myself, but until then I'll just have to keep listening to Jay & Kai +6.

Well, you certainly put out some quality content like that, yourself!

[Savio]

I can only speak for my self. When I grow up it was difficult to get hands on a LP. I listen George Roberts in a supermarket, but they didn't sell me the LP. So I visited them often just to listen. Then I got hands on the LP from Jeff Reynolds. It was heaven for me. The sound, the technique, the musician! And bass trombone!!

There it was of course some bass trombone music repertoire we all know. But on a level we all dream about. But Dana there was some thing there we never expected to listen. Yes it was everything from early baroque to modern music. But what fascinating me most was bass trombone with a choir. Very artistic but also so beautiful performed by Jeff Reynolds and the singers. I never seen or listen anything like that since. Bass trombone with choir!

So yes, doing something that no one has done before is interesting. But I listen everything I get hands on. Today I listen Colin Williams do warm up Youtube has everything

Leif

[tbdana]

...Then I got hands on the LP from Jeff Reynolds. It was heaven for me. The sound, the technique, the musician! And bass trombone!!...But what fascinating me most was bass trombone with a choir. Very artistic but also so beautiful performed by Jeff Reynolds and the singers. I never seen or listen anything like that since. Bass trombone with choir!

Leif, I just want to brag that I get to play with Jeff Reynolds all the time. In fact, I just played with him yesterday! Me on first and Jefe on bass and contra bass. And we do a good amount of vocal music, most of which are written by Jefe. I am very privileged to know Jefe and a number of truly great musicians.

Indeed, one of the great honors of my life has been that, while I never have been one of the best, I've been fortunate enough to play regularly with some of the best musicians in the world. I don't know how I got so lucky. It has been a simply incredible experience. One day I showed up to a gig and discovered that I was playing next to Dick Nash, Carl Fontana, Frank Rosolino, and Phil Teele. Hey, if you can't be one of the greats, working with them is the next best thing.

Okay, sorry for the thread drift. We now return you to the topic, already in progress.

[Savio]

Lucky you Dana! I had in fact a lesson with Jeff Reynolds in the eighties. Did you play with George Roberts? I think he was in that environment?

Leif

[tbdana]

Lucky you Dana! I had in fact a lesson with Jeff Reynolds in the eighties. Did you play with George Roberts? I think he was in that environment?

Leif

I came in at the end of George's tenure and never played with him. I got called once to sub in Nelson Riddle's orchestra and thought I'd get to meet him, but didn't. I think Kenny Shroyer was there that day. George Roberts and Urbie Green are two of my heroes who I never got to play with, sadly.

[VJOFan]

For me? Honestly, not much. Frank isn't releasing albums any more.

Frank Rosolino? Here is a case to show how subjective and unreasonable taste can be. I think anyone is absolutely correct to like, admire or emulate his playing. But...

I have known all my life as a trombonist I should really love Rosolino's playing, actually worship it. It just won't happen for me. I let out a few, "Holy F's" when I listen but then I drift off. I am not sure I've ever made it through a complete track on one of his albums (I own a handful) unless I get distracted doing something else and forget it's on.

On the other hand I am devoted to what many trombonists consider the coldest and least interesting "great" player- JJ Johnson. He is one of the few artists I'll listen to on repeat and there are several tracks that I sometimes find myself humming note for note including all the solos.

Again, this is just to point out how crazy it is to try to please the taste of listeners. You will or you won't and it won't make sense either way.

I know both Frank and JJ are masters in their own ways. I admire both, but I only regularly choose to listen to one of them. There is no good factual or logical reason for it. It is just what does something for me when I hear it.

All an artist can do is put out stuff they believe in.

[Nomsis]

I like jazz trombone ensemble albums the most. I'm kind of over hearing anybody (no matter how good they are) soloing on the same old standards over a rhythm section. I want to hear awesome arrangements and tight playing by a bunch of trombonists; great improvising is just a bonus. I'd love to get a grant to do a jazz trombone ensemble album myself, but until then I'll just have to keep listening to Jay & Kai +6.

I like the same things. And it shouldn't be destroyed by drums most of the time.