Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

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JefferyJoseph
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Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by JefferyJoseph »

I am discovering trombone jazz artists and working through artists I like, which got me thinking.....what do you consider to be the definitive jazz trombone albums someone should collect/listen to?

I really like the tone of J.J. Johnson (and other's in that same vein). J is for Jazz is an album I've been digesting a lot lately.

My jazz taste is Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Lyle Ritz (jazz ukulele) etc.

What is your definitive list of jazz albums with trombone as prominent instrument that people should check out?
Thank you in advance!
Bach5G
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Bach5G »

The Incredible Kai Winding Trombones (1961) came up recently on this forum.

In addition to Kai, nice work from P Faulise and Tony Studd. Bill Evans shows up on piano for a few cuts.
Last edited by Bach5G on Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Gary
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Gary »

Jazz at the Opera House, J.J. Johnson and Stan Getz
Like Cool, Eddie Bert
Rhythm Within, Steve Turre
slipperyjoe
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by slipperyjoe »

One of my favorites is Coltrane's Blue Train with Curtis Fuller
Also Fuller's Blues-ette
Vegasbound
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Vegasbound »

The J & K recordings

Don't forget to listen to Jack Teagarden, in fact I would suggest you listen to everyone from kid Ory and Miff Mole up to the present day and just enjoy your journey of discovery
baileyman
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by baileyman »

The seldom herd Lloyd Ellis group:

Lloyd Ellis Quintet, Carl Fontana ‎– Las Vegas - 3 A.M

You'll need a turntable.
Redthunder
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Redthunder »

baileyman wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 5:05 am The seldom herd Lloyd Ellis group:

Lloyd Ellis Quintet, Carl Fontana ‎– Las Vegas - 3 A.M

You'll need a turntable.
This album is on Spotify.

One of my favorite albums is the Slide Hampton album "Life Music".
Johnstad
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Johnstad »

JJ Johnson - The Trombone Master
JJ Johnson and Stan Getz - Live at the Opera House
JJ and Kai + 6 - Trombone Octet
Massimo69
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Massimo69 »

Frank Rosolino :turn me loose, I play trombone, in Denmark, fond memories.
Carl Fontana:hanna Fontana band, Lloyd Ellis 4tet,L.Bellson Thunderbird, The great Fontana, Bobby Knoght great american trombone co.
JJ:in person, JJ, The great Jay and Kai,the Total,
Kai Winding :Caravan, incredibile KW trombones, Solo, Dirty Dog, More brass,
Urbie Green :Let's face the music and dance, sextet, 21 trombones 2 volumes, the persuasive trombone of UG vol 1 e 2,
Jimmy Cleveland :a map of Cleveland,Cleveland style, rhythm crazy
Curtis fuller:Imagination, Cabin in the sky.,soul trombone,
Slide Hampton :world of trombone, two bones with Curtis Fuller, jazz with a twist, exodus, explosion
Just a few... Not all great like Steve Turre, Bill Watrous, Eddie Bert ecc
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Ellefson
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Ellefson »

Frank Rosolino and Conte Candoli- Conversation
Carl Fontana- The Hanna-Fontana Band Live at Concord

These make me happy.

PE
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WilliamLang
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by WilliamLang »

Jacob Garchik - the Heavens
William Lang
Interim Instructor, the University of Oklahoma
Stephens Horns Artist
Long Island Brass Artist
faculty, the Longy School of Music
founding member of loadbang
www.williamlang.org
glenp
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by glenp »

Frank Rosolino & Carl Fontana; Trombone Heaven, Vancouver 1978
Fidbone
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Fidbone »

Tutti Trombones.
Bobby Knight's Great American Trombone Company.
Urbie Green's 21 Trombones.
The Eminent JJ Vol. 1 & 2.
Bill Watrous Manhatten Wildlife Refuge.
Carl Fontana The Great Fontana.
Raul D'Souza Don't Ask My Neighbours.
Mark Nightingale Destiny.
aboumaia
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by aboumaia »

...
Last edited by aboumaia on Wed Nov 22, 2023 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bach5G
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Bach5G »

I found the first couple of minutes of Carl in A Beautiful Friendship (H/F in Concord) life changing. Seriously.

Last edited by Bach5G on Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Arrowhead
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Arrowhead »

Carl Fontana is on a lot of really good albums that never got put on CD:

Colorado Jazz Party double album (triple album, if you can find it!)
Blue Angel Jazz Club
The Odessa Sound of Jazz
Jazz in the Mountains
Jazz at the Troc: Colorado Jazz Party (misc.)
Jazz for a Sunday Afternoon Vol. 3 (1968; also features Frank Rosolino)

etc...

Also, any bargain bin Dixie compilation records from the 40's-60's, sometimes are really, really good! I have a bunch sitting in a milk crate, that pretty much blow away anything made today!
mbarbier
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by mbarbier »

George Lewis- the solo Trombone record
Dick Griffin- 8th wonder of the world
Kalia Vandever- In Bloom
Ray Anderson- Hence the Reason
Melba Liston- Melba Liston and her bones
trombone faculty at CalArts and LA City College
1/2 of RAGE Thormbones
they/them
https://mattiebarbier.bandcamp.com/
http://www.mattiebarbier.com/
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DaveAshley
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by DaveAshley »

Check out some of the albums that feature multiple trombonists. 'Trombones Inc.', 'Trombone Scene' and '3 Bones and Quill' come to mind. More recent ones too, like Steve Turre's One4J and Slide Hampton's Spirit of the Moon and World of Trombones.
baileyman
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by baileyman »

mbarbier wrote: Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:04 pm ...
Melba Liston- Melba Liston and her bones
Democracy Now! played Pow! from this one during a story break. See? Tromboners do get airplay.
Cmillar
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Cmillar »

Definitive? In which way?
- musical, original, technical, 'in the tradition of', 'in the lineage' of, etc. etc.

For just being awesome, musical, original jazz trombone playing, I'll throw in a couple that haven't been mentioned:

Ed Neumeister - 'Reflections'; 'New Standards'
Mark Nightingale - 'Out of the Box'
Ian McDougall - 'The Warmth of the Horn'; 'Dry With a Twist'; 'Three'
Urbie Green - (anything); also 'Blues and Other Shades of Green'; 'The Fox'
Jim Pugh - "Pugh Taylor Project 1"; EnJ "Legend and Lion"
Bob Brookmeyer - 'Paris Suite'; 'Bob Brookmeyer and Friends'; 'The Power of Positive Swinging'
Hal Crooks - 'Only Human'
mattmce
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by mattmce »

JJ Johnson and Al Grey: Things Are Getting Better All the Time.

I always felt like this was a hidden gem. Both players at the top of their game, and JJ looser than usual. (Feels like Al Grey had a good influence on him.)
jorymil
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by jorymil »

"Definitive" is a pretty strong word, but check out Dicky Wells' playing with Count Basie's earlier bands--the Decca recordings. There's tons of remasters and repackages of these things, so they're pretty easy to find. "Dicky's Dream" and "Taxi War Dance" are great solos.
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Doug Elliott
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Doug Elliott »

For me it has always been this one. I happen to have the LP but it's pretty rare. Absolutely unbelievable playing by everybody on the album.

Carl Fontana
Kai Winding
Trummy Young
And Urbie like you never heard him on anything else

I haven't listened to this in probably 30 years or more but right now I can't stop.

"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
baileyman
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by baileyman »

I wish Dick had paired Clark and Carl on a track. Those guys could put more junk a ball than just about anybody.
jorymil
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by jorymil »

I listened to Clark and Bob Brookmeyer's The Power of Positive Swinging over and over when I first found it. Again, "definitive" is a strong word, but it's very much a classic recording. Brookmeyer plays great counterpoint lines, something you seldom hear.
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Briande
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Briande »

Raul DeSouza ( as Raulzinho) – À Vontade Mesmo

You can find it on Spotify:


Is it valve trombone: yes.
Is it REALLY good: yes
I’m not a collector, I just have too many trombones….
King 2B. King 3B. King 3B+ w/F attachment and gold brass bell. King Duo Gravis. Getzen 1047FR. Conn 6H. Conn 48H.
RedpBone
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by RedpBone »

J.J. Johnson Proof Positive has been pretty huge for me.
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muschem
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by muschem »

What a great album. Thanks for mentioning it. I found the LP on discogs marketplace, and had it converted to high resolution digital. Amazing playing!
Doug Elliott wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 9:03 pm For me it has always been this one. I happen to have the LP but it's pretty rare. Absolutely unbelievable playing by everybody on the album.

Carl Fontana
Kai Winding
Trummy Young
And Urbie like you never heard him on anything else

I haven't listened to this in probably 30 years or more but right now I can't stop.

Mike Shirley

Tenor trombone
Austin Symphonic Band

Bass trombone
Williamson County Symphony Orchestra
jorymil
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by jorymil »

Curtis Fuller - Blues-ette. Haruki Murakami wrote a book called _After_Dark_ where the main character is a trombonist heavily influenced by Curtis Fuller, and this album in particular.
Elow
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Elow »

jorymil
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by jorymil »

Heck yeah, man! That was one the first LPs I ever owned. Was ecstatic when it got released on CD (2004? 2005?).
rickfaulknernyc
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by rickfaulknernyc »

I'll throw out a few more that haven't been mentioned here yet, from various eras. Some are easier to find than others.

Vic Dickenson - The Essential...
Slide Hampton - Roots, A Day in Copenhagen (w/ Dexter Gordon)
Benny Golson - Groovin' with Golson (some of Curtis Fuller's best playing)
J.J. - Proof Positive, Say When (big band), The Eminent J.J. (both volumes)
Jimmy Knepper - Cunningbird (also, In L.A.)
Bob Brookmeyer - Blues Hot and Cold
Frank Rosolino - Free For All
Dickie Wells - In Paris
Jack Teagarden's Big Eight
Grachan Moncur III - Evolution
Roswell Rudd - Malicool (jazz/African crossover)
Tyree Glenn - Let's Have a Ball
Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band 1954 (definitive traditional New Orleans style LP)

Also: Count Basie Jam, Montreaux '77 - great playing by both Al Grey and Vic Dickenson, plus a bunch of other swing era heavies.
Last edited by rickfaulknernyc on Wed May 18, 2022 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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X200
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by X200 »

Cinema, Circus & Spaghetti: Sexmob Plays Fellini (Steven Bernstein)
HermanGerman
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by HermanGerman »

Conrad Herwig With every breath .............IMO his best (and first) solo album
Bill Watrous Live in London .................. I have never heard a better Watrous
Albert Mangelsdorff Jaco Pastorius Alphonse Mouzon Live in Montreux ............... A must have!!
Albert Mangelsdorff Trombirds .......................................... First solo Jazz brass album ever
Trombone Summit (Watrous, Mangelsdorff, Winding, Whigham) ....... But Horace Parlan on piano beats them all....
The great Kai and Jay ................. ........................................ Pure fun
The Third Stone (Bill Holmann with Jiggs Whigham) .......................... Beautiful trombone sound of Jiggs
Carla Bley Live ........................................ the incredible Gary Valente
Ray Anderson Wishbone or What because ..................... Something very special
Bob Brookmeyer Live at Sandy´s ............................ Beautiful quartet, beautiful playing of Bob
J.J . In Person ...................... Live or not live who knows but Jay Jay plays at the peak of his peak
Nils Wogram Nature .................. Very unique trio with organ, no extravaganzas on this album...
jorymil
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by jorymil »

What would you all suggest as a good Robin Eubanks album? I'm personally partial to Dave Holland - Prime Directive, but all the Dave Holland Quintet/Sextet albums with Chris Potter and Steve Nelson are pretty good!
HermanGerman
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by HermanGerman »

jorymil wrote: Sat May 21, 2022 5:51 pm What would you all suggest as a good Robin Eubanks album? I'm personally partial to Dave Holland - Prime Directive, but all the Dave Holland Quintet/Sextet albums with Chris Potter and Steve Nelson are pretty good!
Dedication, with Steve Turre
Vegasbound
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Vegasbound »

Tutti’s trombones

Bobby Knight’s great American trombone company
Thelonious
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Re: Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

Post by Thelonious »

For me:
Grachan Moncur III - Evolution
Bill Watrous - Manhattan Wildlife Refuge

Not already posted:
Bennie Green - Walkin' & Talkin'
Curtis Fuller Sextet - Sliding Easy
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