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2003 can already be given a Chinese calendar-type name: the year of the trombone. The resurrection of this instrument, played from the tail-gate of early jazz wagons and often left at the tail end of jazz ensembles (if included at all), is found on two new releases.
Steve Turre -
One 4 J: Playing Homage to J.J. Johnson (Telarc) Feb 25
Steve Turre’s homage to J.J. Johnson, who is the indisputable champion of bringing the trombone into the bebop era (and bringing bop to the bone, albeit mostly in a turgid lesser tempo than his alto, trumpet and piano bop colleagues), is a loving if occasionally lackluster effort.
The strength of this recording comes, first, from its inclusion of fellow trombonist Robin Eubanks in the front line, with Turre and Eubanks chased, supported or answered by a choir of additional trombones. The results show the love for Johnson’s work and the beauty of the trombone, particularly in its wide open rather than growled or muted voicings.
Unfortunately for this listener, this CD is occasionally too much like Johnson, medium paced and occasionally stilted. However, there are significant highlights to this work. "Lament" is a luxurious slow-tempo work with painful eloquence from Turre and Eubanks; on "Kelo" the multi trombone voicings criss-cross in an up-tempo, cooking melange that captures the listener; and "Enigma," a piano (Renee Rosnes, chosen because she was the last pianist to work with Johnson) and trombone (Turre) duet, is no puzzle (as the title would suggest) but rather a beautifully balanced, probing, work of art. Overall extremely well crafted, One4J is just not uniformly exciting.
Slide Hampton and the World of Trombones
Spirit of the Horn (Manchester Craftsmen's Guild) Feb 25
Slide Hampton doesn’t just believe in the trombone—he amassed 14 trombones (with guest co-leader Bill Watrous) to assay music that had happily influenced him—Bird, Armstrong, Prez, Coltrane, J.J. Johnson, and Herbie Hancock. The strength of Spirit of the Horn is that dizzying variety, along with the caressing textures achieved by the trombone choruses.
What it lacks, however, is edge. Especially given the musicians who were the inspiration, the music sounds of a repertory company—the energy of the original recordings is lost as the pieces are stylized for preservation. There is also a curious lopsidedness to this sound—the lack of any other brass, or any reeds at all, gives the mass of trombones a distorted weight and leaves a sense that something is missing.
There are beautiful moments, some good solos, and some well-charted interplay among the horns. I just wish that there were something more to this.
Steve Turre:
One4J: Playing Homage to J.J. Johnson (Telarc)
Release Date:
25 Feb 2003
Slide Hampton & The World of Trombones:
Spirit of the Horn (Manchester Crafstman Guild)
Release Date:
25 Feb 2003
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last update 27 March 2003