SwingDJs

A friend asked me for suggestions for swing featuring trombones......whatcha recommend?

If they are interested in historical info on swing trombone there's a good article at http://trombone.org/articles/library/evojazz2.asp . It has a bibliography and a discography.

For a modern recommendation, The Al Grey-Jimmy Forrest Quintet, Night Train Revisted (Even more modern would be Wyclife Gordon's Sliding Home). Historically most big bands had a trombone section, and a few were led by trombone players, e.g., Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and more recently Groover Mitchell leading the Count Basie Orchestra. Jack Teagarden, one of the greats, also led a few groups too. The Count Basie and Duke Ellington Orchestras included some of the greatest trombone players. Trummy Young who recorded with Jimmie Lunceford (the vocals on "T'ain't What You Do") was another noted trombone player.

I agree with Rayned on Al Grey for modern ("groove") stuff, and Jack Teagarden for classic, dixie-style stuff.

CafeSavoy wrote:and more recently Groover Mitchell leading the Count Basie Orchestra.

On a side note, Grover just passed away yesterday.

since i was just asking about this album, and then bought it, and loved it,

Lawrence Brown, Slide Trombone (Verve)

I'm a huge fan of Booty Wood, who played with Duke, Basie & Hamp.

Wycliffe Gordon is pretty cool too, he's with LCJO. He plays in Rochester quite often, if you have a chance to see him, check him out.

Time to go start searching. Thanks!!!

Swifty wrote:I'm a huge fan of Booty Wood, who played with Duke, Basie & Hamp.

That's awesome! I have the Def Black & Blue cd of his (and love it), but that's it. Any other recommendations?

Shorty Dave wrote:That's awesome! I have the Def Black & Blue cd of his (and love it), but that's it. Any other recommendations?

I really dig on that B&B disc. I think he's only got one other album on his own, Hang in There, with some other Ellington regulars. I haven't found it anywhere but can't say I've done an exhaustive search.

He's also on some songs on Ella's Bluella album, listed as Mitchell Wood, with the Basie band (so is Al Grey btw).

One of my favorite songs of all time, "Bootie's Blues," is on Basie's On The Road from '79. I've been closing sets with this tune a lot. Mike tells me he found an alternate version of it on some Basie DVD, I haven't bugged him enough to rip it for me.

One other trombonist I forgot to mention is Benny Powell (who was rad w/ Jr. Mance at HJDF). I've got some albums of Basie's & Hamp's with him on them & they're all sweet.

Lastly, I haven't heard this album, but it looks interesting.

I want to learn trombone so bad!

Vic Dickenson played with Basie in the 40s and did a lot of small-combo stuff as well. I highly recommend the Jazz Archives' volume of Vic Dickenson tunes.

Dickey Wells played with Basie in the 30s and is also quite good, but I don't know about any of collections featuring him as a solo artist or in small groups.

Tommy Dorsey, of course.

John Watson, Sr. played with Basie in the 60s and 70s and now plays (and sings) with Yoko Noge and the Jazz Me Blues Band in Chicago. Struttin' with Yoko and Yoko Meets John are the two I'd recommend from them.

Lawrence Brown, You can't go wrong with him. Besides his solo album he is pretty much be found on most Johnny Hodges small group recordings. I'm listening to hhe Hodges/Wild bill Davis Live in Atlantic City righ now and LB is featured quite a bit. This is a hard swingin' album (One I have neglected for far too long) Everyone is in top form and the playing is inspired. You'll even find mention of this recording date in the book, The World of Duke Ellington.

-Kevin

Going through a bunch of my Black & Blue recordings this morning, I was reminded about how much I dig Gene Connor's trombone playing. I love his album "Coming Home".

Of course Al Grey is still probably my favorite. Man, he can swing! I just recently rediscovered and have been playing "Matzoh and Grits" off of his album Me N' Jack with Jack McDuff (thanks to Abdel for turning me onto that song at WCLX a few years ago).

Jesse

anything with J.C. Higginbotham...he's played in more great outfits than I can think of...

Higginbotham is awesome. i find myself commonly looking at the liner notes after a kickass trombone solo and finding his name...

i've listened to lawrence brown's "slide trombone" album so much now that i surprised myself by being able to identify him soloing on an ellington song bill b. was playing at afterhours in new orleans.

*kisses self*