By magicman
The A-List and The B-List represent for me all the various expressions and modes of the trombone in music – with a number of important exceptions. I haven’t listed any folk, classical or rock music just because they all interrupted the flow. So we have reggae, ska, jazz, pop, soul, salsa, funk and film soundtrack. Mean and moody, soft and sweet, raucous and punchy and irresistibly sexy, it’s all here, folks. Apologies to anyone not listed. I haven’t kept track of who posted what, but this was an extraordinary embarrassment of musical riches all weekend long and I thank you all for your time and effort and enthusiasm. I hope you find something to enjoy within these playlists.
Kid Ory (second from right) and friends
Reet Petite was cribbed from a Louis Jordan song by Berry & Gwen Gordy and Billy Davis. The trombone break was a massive part of the piece, as was Jackie Wilson’s vocal delivery. Released in 1957 and a big enough hit that the Gordys started Motown with the proceeds.
Going back – way back to Kid Ory’s Creole Trombone, the first-recorded jazz tune by a black band. This is New Orleans jazz as it was birthed, but recorded in LA in 1922.
Staying in New Orleans we fast forward 40 years to Benny Spellman’s pop hit Lipstick Traces, and as is usual for the Big Easy music scene years ahead of their time with the subtle ‘bone arrangement which became de rigeur throughout the sixties for Lee Hazelwood, Bacharach, and other pop producers. The brilliant Allen Toussaint was writer and producer of this single. 'Fortune Teller' was the B-side
Around the same time (1962) Mon Rivera, a Puerto Rican musician in New York, made the move to have trombones replace the more traditional violin and flutes in the son, mambo, guaracha & plena songs of the Latin Caribbean and it proved massively popular. Lluvia Con Nieve was how the new immigrants from the Caribbean experienced New York – rain with snow. Johnny Pacheco & Eddie Palmieri among others did the same and by the early seventies this was the accepted salsa line-up as seen in the 32-million views for El Dia De Mi Suerte (My Lucky Day) by Willie Colón & Héctor Lavoe from 1973, a curiously edited but fascinating glimpse of superstar vocalist Lavoe as a young man. Colon has the impressive moustache and trombone alongside him, opposite Cheo Feliciano.
Between these two latin gems sits the mighty sound of Don Drummond, trombone player with The Skatalites in 1963 Jamaica and his own hit Man In The Street. Rico Rodriguez learned his craft from Don and he sits in the B-list. Coxsone Dodd producing in Studio One.
My discovery of the weekend was Bill Watrous, American trombonist who produced this stunning eight-minute cadenza for his instrument in 1974 Fourth Floor Walk-Up.
Fred Wesley played in the JBs with James Brown and made some of his own slices of deep funk including this big fat dirty tune Four Play in 1977.
John Barry created one of the better Bond themes with this shadowy trombone-heavy threat On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, George Lazenby’s sole appearance in the lead part.
Jimmy Knepper played the ‘bone on the cracking opening track Better Git It In Your Soul of the first Charles Mingus LP for Colombia Mingus Ah Um in 1959. The trombone drives the piece forward.
And onto the the soothing sounds – first in 1952 with Jack Teagarden effortlessly swinging, adored by Louis Armstrong, here singing and playing the classic Basin St Blues so sweetly, then Tommy Dorsey’s outstanding instrumental version of I’m Getting Sentimental Over You from 1935, a truly swoony performance. Underneath, most of the comments are from trombone players, one caught my eye: “I didn’t know how good he was until I tried to play this.”
Groove Armada’s At The River samples Patti Page’s Old Cape Cod while adding a honeyed motif played by Andy Cato over the chord structure. This is the long version, because well, it’s never really long enough, this tune.
And that was that until last orders. So this is a bonus track from The Avalanches who compose songs with samples – Because I’m Me is from their long-delayed 2nd LP Wildflower, is a brassy reworking of Honey Cone’s ‘Want Ads’, and is the only 21st century song on the A-list.
The Excellent Embouchure A-List:
Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite
Kid Ory - Ory’s Creole Trombone
Benny Spellman - Lipstick Traces
Mon Rivera - Lluvia Con Nieve
Don Drummond - Man In The Street
Willie Colón & Héctor Lavoe - El Dia de mi Suerte
Bill Watrous - Fourth Floor Walk-Up
Fred Wesley & The Horny Horns - Four Play
John Barry - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Charles Mingus - Better Git It In Your Soul
Jack Teagarden - Basin St Blues
Tommy Dorsey - I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
Groove Armada - At The River
The Avalanches - Because I’m Me
Brassy Blow-By-Blow Big Bone B-List:
These were all on the A-list at some point. Oscar D’Leon was my second great discovery of the weekend. Includes Vin Gordon, Kai Winding, Ashley Slater & Curtis Fuller. A quick word about Dexys – beware of revisiting your youthful heroes as a guru, they may not quite pass the test. Nevertheless a fond spot in my heart for this band. Enjoy.
1. Oscar D’Leon & Dimension Latina - Lloraras
2. Louis Armstrong Hot Seven - Melancholy Blues
3. Melba Liston - Pow!
4. Rico Rodriguez - Man From Wareika
5. Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Annie I’m Not Your Daddy
6. Sound Dimension - Rockfort Rock
7. Freak Power - Turn On, Tune In, Cop Out
8. David Rose & His Orchestra - The Stripper
9. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Free For All
10. Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66 - Agua de Beber
11. Quincy Jones - Walking In Space
12. Chris Barber - Black & Tan Fantasy
13. J.J. Johnson - Misty
13. Dexys Midnight Runners - Show Me
The Guru’s Special Gut Feeling G-List:
Ravel was nominated but I couldn’t slide it in, missus. In the third movement of his genius piano concerto the influence of jazz is clear and, with the supersonic Martha Argerich on piano, the trombone is a featured element of this extraordinary piece of music.
Aswad are an old lover of mine from college days, they used to play this live. Live dub!
The Mighty Sparrow tune was on the first WOMAD LP and I have been obsessed with it ever since I first heard it. Any excuse to wheel it out.
Top Cat – needs little introduction, but the reason I keep my cats inside here in Brooklyn.
Beny Moré singing Como Fue might have to be played at my funeral. “How it was, I cannot describe how it was when I fell in love with you.” One of the greatest songs of all time.
The Banner Man was the first single I ever bought. Oompa oompa, missus.
Tannhauser Overture. Been listening to it since I was about 13. My mum bought it because it was playing in a scene in Colditz and she wrote to the BBC to ask what it was. Magnifique, and frankly where would Wagner be without trombones??
1. Maurice Ravel - Piano Concerto 3rd movement
2. Aswad - Dub Charge
3. Mighty Sparrow - Music & Rhythm
4. Hoyt Curtin - Top Cat
5. Beny Moré - Como Fue
6. Blue Mink - The Banner Man
7. Richard Wagner - Tannhaüser Overture
Old blows: where would Wagner be without the trombone?
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Slide this way: music and songs featuring the trombone. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
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