Trombone in different musical settings — some examples
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2026 11:15 pm
I’ve been trying to think of some examples of trombone in music that sit outside academic and experimental contexts — more in the world of bands, scenes, records. This is obviously a bit subjective, but I was looking for situations where the role of the trombone feels more exposed than usual, so it’s easier (at least to my ears) to hear what it’s doing within the music and sometimes to it. Certain settings seem to leave the instrument a bit less fixed or smoothed out, so one way I’ve been approaching this is by listening for what the trombone does to the setting it appears in — and it ended up helping me hear the instrument a bit differently.
1. Dub reggae and related 1960–70s Jamaican studio styles — where trombone often works as a lead voice in space. Major trombonists: Vin Gordon, Ronald “Nambo” Robinson, Rico Rodriguez, Calvin Cameron, with Don Drummond paving the way.
2. United House Of Prayer trombone gospel shout bands — massed trombone sound as the main carrier of energy.
Recent example: Bailey Master Brass Band, Logan Circle Tribute 2019 —>
3. Arthur Russell and related projects, with Peter Zummo and Garrett List — trombone often shaping the pieces rather than being arranged into them.
4. Bocato, especially late 1980s releases — electric / effects-heavy trombone in Brazilian pop/funk; familiar material made strange through clever processing and rhythmic interlocking of parts.
5. Deveykus, with Dan Blacksberg — trombone inside rhythmically complex ensemble writing; klezmer mixed with heavier styles.
6. Annie Whitehead projects — very direct, almost spoken phrasing. Elusive but somehow quite distinctive.
7. Native Son, album "Resort" — with Hiroshi Fukumura; trombone often carrying the tunes in a fusion setting.
'Bay Street Talkin'' from album "Resort" —>
8. Black Bourrée, album "Au-Dessus du Monde" — trombone-led French folk/jazz songs.
9. Dan Blacksberg, album "Radiant Others" — trombone/guitar duo; many pieces built around layered or lead trombone.
10. Ottone Pesante, between 2015–2018 — metal format rebuilt around brass instead of guitars.
11. Nelson Patton — trombone/drums duo with electronics; trombone sound often central to the pieces.
12. Akagera — bass trombone, vibraphone/marimba, drums; unusual instrumentation with trombone in a leading role.
13. Andreas Tschopp — trombone-led group drawing on gamelan-like textures.
14. Elephant Wrecking Ball — trombone, bass, drums; electronically enhanced trombone as main melodic voice.
15. Generoso “Tojo” Jiménez — occasional lead trombone role in Afro-Cuban music.
16. Hasan Gözetlik — lead trombone within Turkish traditional music.
17. Sebastian Koelman — trombone versions of Balkan and Turkish Roma material (originally without trombone).
Examples on YouTube: Roma Style Balkan Music, Dzambo Agusev —>
Turkish Music, Serkan Çağrı Clarinet —>
This is obviously not a balanced list, and in some cases the trombone may still be replaceable or only partly central. Still, it seemed to suggest a few interesting directions, so I thought it might be worth asking if others have come across similar examples where the role of the trombone becomes particularly clear or unusual.
1. Dub reggae and related 1960–70s Jamaican studio styles — where trombone often works as a lead voice in space. Major trombonists: Vin Gordon, Ronald “Nambo” Robinson, Rico Rodriguez, Calvin Cameron, with Don Drummond paving the way.
2. United House Of Prayer trombone gospel shout bands — massed trombone sound as the main carrier of energy.
Recent example: Bailey Master Brass Band, Logan Circle Tribute 2019 —>
3. Arthur Russell and related projects, with Peter Zummo and Garrett List — trombone often shaping the pieces rather than being arranged into them.
4. Bocato, especially late 1980s releases — electric / effects-heavy trombone in Brazilian pop/funk; familiar material made strange through clever processing and rhythmic interlocking of parts.
5. Deveykus, with Dan Blacksberg — trombone inside rhythmically complex ensemble writing; klezmer mixed with heavier styles.
6. Annie Whitehead projects — very direct, almost spoken phrasing. Elusive but somehow quite distinctive.
7. Native Son, album "Resort" — with Hiroshi Fukumura; trombone often carrying the tunes in a fusion setting.
'Bay Street Talkin'' from album "Resort" —>
8. Black Bourrée, album "Au-Dessus du Monde" — trombone-led French folk/jazz songs.
9. Dan Blacksberg, album "Radiant Others" — trombone/guitar duo; many pieces built around layered or lead trombone.
10. Ottone Pesante, between 2015–2018 — metal format rebuilt around brass instead of guitars.
11. Nelson Patton — trombone/drums duo with electronics; trombone sound often central to the pieces.
12. Akagera — bass trombone, vibraphone/marimba, drums; unusual instrumentation with trombone in a leading role.
13. Andreas Tschopp — trombone-led group drawing on gamelan-like textures.
14. Elephant Wrecking Ball — trombone, bass, drums; electronically enhanced trombone as main melodic voice.
15. Generoso “Tojo” Jiménez — occasional lead trombone role in Afro-Cuban music.
16. Hasan Gözetlik — lead trombone within Turkish traditional music.
17. Sebastian Koelman — trombone versions of Balkan and Turkish Roma material (originally without trombone).
Examples on YouTube: Roma Style Balkan Music, Dzambo Agusev —>
Turkish Music, Serkan Çağrı Clarinet —>
This is obviously not a balanced list, and in some cases the trombone may still be replaceable or only partly central. Still, it seemed to suggest a few interesting directions, so I thought it might be worth asking if others have come across similar examples where the role of the trombone becomes particularly clear or unusual.
