Peter Friedman Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 I have heard Wycliffe Gordon live many times, including just over a week ago. He has a very large tone. at times he does play, what some might describe as "crudely". He has marvelous facility on his horn, and uses a variety of sounds and technical approaches to , in my opinion, enhance his solos. Wycliffe plays many different instruments including piano, bass, trumpet, and saxophone too. I recently heard him play the slide trumpet a few times. Gordon is also a master of using mutes and plungers. He also is a highly entertaining vocalist. To my ears, Wycliffe is one of the most interesting and enjoyable jazz trombonist currently on the scene. Gordon is stylistically highly versatile, and fits well playing swing, traditional jazz, bebop, hard bop, and down home blues and gospel. I have vivid recollectiions of seeing/ hearing Bill Watrous a few times. There are people who consider Watrous to be one of the very best jazz trombone players. Though he has great facility on his horn, his tone is so soft he needs to have a mic right in the bell of his trombone. In many ways, Watrous is the opposite of Wycliffe as a trombone player. Though I respect the talent of Bill Watrous, I would pick Wycliffe Gordon over Watrous every time. Quote
Bluesnik Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 I really like the Monk Prestige albums, they usually get overshadowed by the Blue Notes before and Riverside after. Yeah, me too. That's why I got the Complete Monk Prestiges boxset. And because it is a K2. Quote
Larry Kart Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 I have heard Wycliffe Gordon live many times, including just over a week ago. He has a very large tone. at times he does play, what some might describe as "crudely". He has marvelous facility on his horn, and uses a variety of sounds and technical approaches to , in my opinion, enhance his solos. Wycliffe plays many different instruments including piano, bass, trumpet, and saxophone too. I recently heard him play the slide trumpet a few times. Gordon is also a master of using mutes and plungers. He also is a highly entertaining vocalist. To my ears, Wycliffe is one of the most interesting and enjoyable jazz trombonist currently on the scene. Gordon is stylistically highly versatile, and fits well playing swing, traditional jazz, bebop, hard bop, and down home blues and gospel. I have vivid recollectiions of seeing/ hearing Bill Watrous a few times. There are people who consider Watrous to be one of the very best jazz trombone players. Though he has great facility on his horn, his tone is so soft he needs to have a mic right in the bell of his trombone. In many ways, Watrous is the opposite of Wycliffe as a trombone player. Though I respect the talent of Bill Watrous, I would pick Wycliffe Gordon over Watrous every time. Those two are are only choices? I pick Dickie Wells. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted September 12, 2014 Report Posted September 12, 2014 I really like the Monk Prestige albums, they usually get overshadowed by the Blue Notes before and Riverside after. Yeah, me too. That's why I got the Complete Monk Prestiges boxset. And because it is a K2. Me too. Quote
Peter Friedman Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 I have heard Wycliffe Gordon live many times, including just over a week ago. He has a very large tone. at times he does play, what some might describe as "crudely". He has marvelous facility on his horn, and uses a variety of sounds and technical approaches to , in my opinion, enhance his solos. Wycliffe plays many different instruments including piano, bass, trumpet, and saxophone too. I recently heard him play the slide trumpet a few times. Gordon is also a master of using mutes and plungers. He also is a highly entertaining vocalist. To my ears, Wycliffe is one of the most interesting and enjoyable jazz trombonist currently on the scene. Gordon is stylistically highly versatile, and fits well playing swing, traditional jazz, bebop, hard bop, and down home blues and gospel. I have vivid recollectiions of seeing/ hearing Bill Watrous a few times. There are people who consider Watrous to be one of the very best jazz trombone players. Though he has great facility on his horn, his tone is so soft he needs to have a mic right in the bell of his trombone. In many ways, Watrous is the opposite of Wycliffe as a trombone player. Though I respect the talent of Bill Watrous, I would pick Wycliffe Gordon over Watrous every time. Those two are the only choices? I pick Dickie Wells. No there are many choices, but I was comparing two living trombone players. The other trombone player currently on the scene that is one of my favorites is Andy Martin. He plays in a very different style than Wycliffe. Quote
Larry Kart Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Some who come to mind: Luis Bonilla Ed Neumeister http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axpQVqkOqAM Conrad Herwig Also the Swiss trombonist-composer Christoph Schweizer Quote
Larry Kart Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Christophe Schweizer! Sorry for misspelling his name above. He is something else and a very nice guy too. I was in contact with him for a good while several years ago -- we were planning that I'd write liner notes for an forthcoming album of his (the group that included Dave Binney) -- but the connection faded away during my late wife's final days and their aftermath and never got re-established. As much as I admire Schweizer's trombone playing, his genuinely long-form composing is at least as striking. Some echoes there perhaps of George Russell, but Schweizer is his own man. Quote
king ubu Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Ooops, I actually mentioned him because I thought he'd deserve mention here - not because you mis-spelt! I didn't see you mentioned him at all. But yes, his composing is indeed very much worth mentioning and forms an integral part of his music! Quote
Steve Reynolds Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 (edited) There are a few very fine current trombonists. IMO the most striking play in more edgy or avant-garde (for the continued lack of a more apt descriptor) modes. For me the stronger voices are Wolter Wierbos, Steve Swell, Connie Bauer, Ben Gerstein, and the great Ray Anderson who has a week at The Stone in December. The last time I saw Anderson was year in a quartet with Marty Ehrlich, Brad Jones and Matt Wilson, and his performance that night trombone was as memorable of anything I've ever heard on that horn. Blues, swing, bop, post bop and free all organically presented in his almost human voice. Edited September 13, 2014 by Steve Reynolds Quote
king ubu Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Do you actually know Schweizer? Might be a bit on the organized side for your likings, but ... And of course there's Johannes Bauer as well, and there's Giancarlo Schiaffini. And speaking Italy, Gianluca Petrella ain't half bad either. Quote
gmonahan Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 I guess the nice thing about this thread getting off onto avant-garde trombone players is that I can at least temporarily save some money on Amazon orders........ gregmo Quote
Steve Reynolds Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Jeb Bishop Maybe I forget Bishop as it's been too long I've seen him live. Very versatile and he has a powerful sound. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 yeah, he's incredible. Amen to all mentioned above. Brian Drye is a fine player too, on the inside/outside spectrum. I was impressed by Jacob Garchik recently too. Samuel Blaser I've liked in the past, "cooler" approach, but ended up passing a lot of those discs on recently (just. too. much.) Quote
gmonahan Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 Prestige CDs??? Hush! I'm saving money here! gregmo Quote
Tom 1960 Posted September 13, 2014 Report Posted September 13, 2014 I guess the nice thing about this thread getting off onto avant-garde trombone players is that I can at least temporarily save some money on Amazon orders........ gregmo That said, I must have at least a dozen new recommendations to contend with at some point. Damn this forum! Quote
Larry Kart Posted September 14, 2014 Report Posted September 14, 2014 Prestige CDs??? Anyone is free to weigh in on the original topic, which did inspire many interesting posts, but I don't see anything wrong with this thread going off in another direction, especially when it did so quite spontaneously -- no hi-jacking involved, or so it seems to me. Ideally, all the posts on trombonists could be removed and placed on a new thread about that topic alone, but a) I'm not sure myself how to do that and b) I expect that doing that would involve a fair amount of tedious effort. OTOH, if a fellow moderator knows how to do that and wants to, go right ahead. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted September 14, 2014 Report Posted September 14, 2014 everything is fine, keep moving, nothing to see here. Quote
JSngry Posted September 14, 2014 Report Posted September 14, 2014 Phil Wilson, vulgar eyebrows. Henry Southall, rude playing posture. Woody Herman seemed to hire some vulgar/rude playing guys for his trombone section. How did Jim Pugh in get there? Quote
johnblitweiler Posted September 14, 2014 Report Posted September 14, 2014 Jeff Albert, Michael Vlatkovich, Wolter Wierbos, and I hope Gunther Christmann is still playing trombone. Here's Wycliffe Gordon with Daryl Sherman - another reason I like him: Quote
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