The Influence of Jazz Harmony and Jazz Style

on Selected Bass Trombone Solo Literature

A Doctoral Presentation by Joel A. Keene

• Introduction
  • Historical Development
  • Blues Scale
  • Diminished Substitution
  • Trombone Techniques
• Bozza's New Orleans
  • Example 1 (1-2)
  • Example 2 (7-8)
  • Example 3 (15-29)
  • Example 4 (37-45)
  • Example 5 (57-69)
  • Example 6 (72-74)
  • Example 7 (79-91)
  • Example 8 (94-105)
  • Example 9 (109-123)
  • Lecture & Performance
• Wilder's Sonata
  • Example 1 (I, 1-9)
  • Example 2 (I, 63-66)
  • Example 3 (II, 1-7)
  • Example 4 (III, 1-9)
  • Example 5 (III, 44-58)
  • Example 6 (III, 67-75)
  • Example 7 (IV, 1-17)
  • Example 8 (V, 1-6)
  • Example 9 (V, 13-17)
  • Example 10 (V, 36-53)
  • Lecture & Performance
• Schnyder's subZERO
  • Example 1 (I, 1-12)
  • Example 2 (I, 13-24)
  • Example 3 (I, 86-93)
  • Example 4 (I, 238-245)
  • Example 5 (I, 306-312)
  • Example 6 (II, 1-16)
  • Example 7 (II, 40-47)
  • Example 8 (II, 75-78)
  • Example 9 (II, 99-105)
  • Example 10 (III, 1-9)
  • Example 11 (III, 15-30)
  • Example 12 (III, 31-43)
  • Example 13 (III, 61-69)
  • Example 14 (III, 77-83)
  • Lecture & Performance
• References
  • Published References
  • Online Links
  • Artist Profiles
    • Ben van Dijk
    • Christian Lindberg
    • George Roberts
    • Dave Taylor
    • Bart Varsalona
    • Charles Vernon

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Artist Profiles

Ben van Dijk

• Bass Trombonist in Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra 1976-1999, Rotterdam Philharmonic 2000-Present; Netherlands Wind Ensemble (15 years) and still with Dutch Jazz Orchestra
• Professor at the Rotterdam Conservatory and the Royal College of Music in Manchester; Teaches master classes extensively world-wide
• Recipient of 2003 ITA Award – “It recognizes Ben's artistic achievements and his tireless efforts in promoting and improving global trombone performance standards, brass pedagogy, and instrument design.”
• Authored a method book: Ben’s Basics
• Music: Wagner for 5 Bones – contains arrangements of excerpts from Wagner’s Ring des Nibelungen
• 3 solo recordings: His first album Nana and second album First Song each have an interpretation of Bozza’s New Orleans
• Further online information: Basstrombone.nl

Christian Lindberg

• Though didn’t pick up the horn until 17, most highly acclaimed trombonist in history
• Recorded 66 albums for labels like BIS, EMI, Decca, Deutsche Grammophone, and ECM
• Over 130 works in his current repertoire
• Has composed 34 works both in and out of the trombone shell since 1995
• Most prominent premiere is Chick a’ Bone Checkout; commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (but accepted no money) for Charlie Vernon that warranted a front page article in The New York Times
• Further online information: Christian Lindberg's Page

George Roberts - "Mr. Bass Trombone"

• After time in Navy, joined LA studio scene and played for years with both the Stan Kenton Orchestra and Frank Sinatra
• Really pushed the lyrical side of the bass trombone finding his style in the vocals of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Sarah Vaughn and sound of Urbie Green
• Further online information: Wikipedia - George Roberts

“I said, wait a minute! If I were to get a bass trombone like Bart [Varsalona] who played powerfully, like a bull. Tough. Loud. Always. Never anything beautiful like a ballad. The bass trombone, by the way, is the most beautiful ballad instrument in the world. Really, it’s like velvet. It’s the male voice in Kenton’s band, that might be the answer.” --George Roberts

Dave Taylor

• Started with American Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic and became New York studio artist as a member of the Gil Evans Band, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Band, Mingus Big Band, George Russell's Band and more
• 8 recordings feature Taylor as soloist
• Won the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Most Valuable Player Award for five consecutive years, the most it could be awarded and has been awarded the NARAS Most Valuable Player Virtuoso Award, an honor accorded no other bass trombonist
• Dozens of commissions with composers: Alan Hovhaness, Charles Wuorinen, George Perle, Frederic Rzewski, Lucia Dlugoszchewski, Eric Ewazen, David Liebman, and Daniel Schnyder
• Further online information: Dave Taylor's Page

Bart Varsalona

• First bass bone with Kenton – started in 1943
• Redefined the sound of the big band immediately offering a bigger, heavier bottom (also, 5th trumpet added)
• First bass bone feature: Invention for Bass Trombone by Gene Roland in 1947
• Kenton disbanded in 1948 after Varsalona’s wedding; Varsalona continued working: Woody Herman, Gil Evans, Nat King Cole
• Recorded Jay & Kai Plus 6 (1956) and Trombones, Inc. (1957); the former has a recording of “Rise and Shine” that has Varsalona blowing a chorus of improvisation

“I had an idea… The band was playing a lot of heavy bottom, so I happened to see this thing (bass trombone) in the window of a music store in San Francisco. I went in and tried it out...It felt pretty comfortable and the price was right...I picked it up, and I brought it out on the job that night...[Kenton] saw a difference immediately. He said, ‘Great, keep it.’” --Bart Varsalona (Pollard)

Charles Vernon

• Bass trombonist for Baltimore Symphony 1971-1979, San Francisco Symphony 1980-1981, Philadelphia Symphony 1981-1985, Chicago Symphony Orchestra 1986 to Present
• Studied with Arnold Jacobs and Edward Kleinhammer (CSO bass trombone 1940-1985)
• Two world premieres with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Concerto for Bass Trombone (1991) and Christian Lindberg’s Chick a' Bone Checkout (2006)
• “[Chick a' Bone Checkout] is full of jazzy riffs, balladic passages that bloom with passion, rapid staccato notes and low blats.” (Wakin)
• Further online information: Charles Vernon's Page