It’s been just over 2 months since I posted anything, and even then it wasn’t anything substantial, so I’ll do a major update for you.
My Summer didn’t really consist of much playing, I had a thoroughly relaxing holiday. I did however get the opportunity to tour Scotland for a week with the All-Souls Orchestra, an ensemble from the All-Souls Church, Langham Place in London. This orchestra gets together once a month and performs in a church service at their home church, and then goes away for weekends or week-long tours and play somewhere else in the country. The Scottish tour consisted of 5 concerts in major cities, and the programme was a bit daunting at first, but by the end of the tour we were pretty tight. Each concert started off with Sibelius’ masterwork Finlandia, and the first 1st trombone entry on C# was pretty terrifying. I liked the conductor’s interpretation of the piece, it meant I could play with a bit of grit and very loud. After Finlandia finished, we played various hymn tune arrangements for orchestra, as well as some other classical works like selections from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, the march from Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite II, a flute soloist played extracts from John Rutter’s Suite Antique, and various others. They were long concerts, and it was a long tour, but I’m really glad I did it! It was fantastic experience working with a section and working in an orchestra.
I’m back at college now, and have been for about 2 weeks now. It’s a great feeling to be back, and to be practising regularly. Although during the Summer you have all the time in the world to practise with all the space to do it in, there’s just always something else to do. Like watch TV.
I had my first lesson this week with my teacher, Simon Cowen, and it was awesome. I’m getting there, I just need to put the hours in. It’s been very interesting, I’ve been looking into different trombones recently; not because I’m looking to get a new one, but it’s very interesting to see the differences between different makes, different metals, different techniques. I play on a Conn 88HTO (open wrap with rose brass bell) circa 2002. Conns of the 1950s were the instrument of choice, and still really are in most professional orchestras (well, the sane ones, a lot of Americans are now using Raths... oh dear). Since Conn-Elkhart seperated and just became Conn, the trombones have gone down in standard due to becoming mass-produced. When it was Conn-Elkhart, they were all hand-made and are still considered to be some of the greatest trombones ever made. The closest thing to them now are considered to be either Shires custom made trombones, or Greenhoe-Conns, both of which are exceptionally expensive.
The reason this has been on my mind this week is because I did a gig 2 weeks ago, and had to borrow someone else’s trombone because mine was damaged. I played on a Rath trombone, and I was surprisingly pleased with it. I have my own Rath, which I had for 4/5 years before I had my Conn, and I now can’t stand it! My own Rath was configured when I was 15/16, and it really wasn’t the best time to build an instrument. It has a nickel slide, which is nice and quick, it’s got the Bb/F valve, lots of lovely stuff, but it does have a small bore bright brass bell, which really isn’t ideal. Large bore slide and small bore bell? It’s an accident waiting to happen. It only encouraged my teenage desire to play as loud and sharp as possible.
This Rath, however, was very easy to play, very versatile and had quite a nice sound. I’ve had a prejudice against Raths for the past year or 2, due to them being predominantly brass banding trombones, and I therefore associate that with playing very fast, very loud, and not necessarily with a nice sound. But after playing someone else’s Rath, I realised this was all wrong. At the end of the day, it’s really how you approach the instrument that makes a difference; the instrument only takes your air and projects it. I personally think I suit a Conn, rose-brass sound, therefore my instrument compliments me very well. I can still play with a good sound on a Rath, but I don’t suit the lightweight and thinner Rath set-up.
It isn’t really a hobby horse of mine, I usually try to shy away from conversations and arguments about hardware, except when it’s just a really nerdy trombone chat. If you want some real hardcore hardware and philosophical articles on brass playing, check out my friend Mike Barkley’s blog, http://www.michaelbarkley.com/. He really knows his stuff when it comes to brass playing, especially if you’re a trumpet player. Especially if you like jazz too!
I’ve found some very VERY good recordings recently, and there’s one that has really blown me away; I’m surprised I’ve never heard of this cat before, but Dave Steinmeyer is an absolutely demon trombone player. The majority of his recordings are with the legendary Airmen of Note, the US Air Force big/dance band. He was one absolutely amazing video on YouTube that shows just how much of an amazing player he is, even at his age -> You won’t be disappointed. All great jazz trombonists, like him and my all time heroes Bill Watrous and Urbie Green, have this super-easy approach to playing. You watch that video, and see him squeeze out whatever note that is, and his face is perfectly set, with no apparent effort. It’s absolutely incredbile. I can play high, but I end up dizzy and my heartrate shooting up.
Another Steinmeyer legendary video is him with the Airmen playing Chick Corea’s spain -> The same effortless approach to the trombone. Here’s the Spotify studio version too, which is just as sick. All evidence of the no-pressure method to brass playing which we all really struggle with.
Speaking of Bill Watrous, here is his version of Spain playing WITH the legendary Chick Corea, as well as Hubert Laws with some serious YAZZ flute, and other legends on stage. Spain is without a doubt one of my favourite standards ever, and every interpretation of it seems to work so well. Any time I hear it there’s just ideas floating in my head for solos, it’s just crazy!
I also love Bill’s hair. It’s too awesome for his own good.
Another trombone legend would have to Joe Alessi. Despite being the principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic, he’s a jazzer. So much so that he’s best mates with Jiggs Whigham, possibly the greatest jazz-trombonist alive, one of the last of his era. Classically, I consider him to be the greatest trombonist alive. I know, that’s a bold statement, but considering his main rival would be Christian Lindberg, I just prefer the style and sound that Alessi makes. Lindberg is just far too European and loves vibrato too much...
That’s beside the point. He has a fantastic album now on Spotify, Joseph Alessi Plays Bernstein, Peaslee, Rush, Ewazen, et al. It starts off with a piece I did in my recital last year, Elegy for Mippy II, which is a funky short piece for unnaccompanied trombone. This album has some really fantastic gems, especially the Tribute to JJ Johnson, another one of the greatest jazz trombonists of all time.
Heading slightly away from jazz, Joe also has an album with Imperial Brass, a highly regarded American brass band. This album has blown me away. With classics like Time for Piece and the Concertino, as well as face-melting jazz stuff, this just shows how good Joe Alessi is. This is a must listen album for any trombone player -> Bone-A-Fide Brass.
I think I shall call it a day here, but I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I do writing this blog! There’s a lot of listening here, very trombone heavy, but there’s nothing wrong with that is there?
‘til next time...
Thanks ~ The Jazzbone
