that was amazing....I did not even know that I liked Trombone...thank you....

Have I ever mentioned that I really like it when John A does the LNMC?

Oh, and McCain's proposal to eliminate federal taxes on gasoline for the Summer driving season is absurd...totally the wrong way to go! Great give away to the Oil Companies who are already raking in record profits. Americans better prepare to deal with ever-rising gasoline prices, and giving a tax break on gas is not how to get us ready!! Gasoline prices are too low, for a resource that will not last forever...but the extra $$ should go to developing solutions like affordable public transportation, alternative sustainable energy sources. Eliminating the federal gasoline tax is just a way to increase our national debt and coddle spoiled Americans who still want to drive their gas-guzzling SUVs and giant pickem-up trucks, and hot rod Mustangs and the rest of the muscle cars.

nice hair

Lots of chops and great range but so many more creative trombonists such as Slide Hampton, J.J., Robin Eubanks Phil Wilson, Frank Rosolino. Too many to name

Bravo John! Bless your heart for featuring a trombonist on your site! And not just any ol' trombonist but one of the greats: Bill Watrous!

I read C&L religiously every day and now have even more reasons for digging it. I knew your were hip, but featuring a trombone player?...You are now officially SUPER hip.

Thanks for all you do Sir, keep hope alive!

Steve Wiest
Associate Professor of Jazz Trombone and Composition
The University of North Texas

Bill Watrous is a god out here in Idaho! He's been inspiring the next generation of young musicians at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival for decades. He and fellow trombone great Al Grey took their lively music and fun to countless rural schools in northern Idaho during the annual week-long competition at the University of Idaho.

One of my favorite memories of that festival was the year Lionel brought out 15 trombone super stars to play front and center on the stage. Sadly, most of them, including Lionel, are no longer with us but Bill's still going strong.
BTW, Scooter, THAT WAS LOUD!

scooter @ 11:

I play trombone here in LA and have heard Watrous on several occasions as well as played with him. His technique IS impeccable, and he can play higher than the stratosphere, but it's all the same after a while. He buries the mic into his bell and never plays with any balls. I've never once heard him play loud, like a trombone player should.

I must admit that I love technique guys. I played trombone in the junior band.lol

Sweet, I audited a master class he did at my college.

Very much an authentic gentlemen.

Anyone in North Idaho knows my brother Jim Croft on trombone. It's about the tone, folks. Not being paid by the note. And to hear him take his horn outside on a well-below-zero night, just to play to the echo, is to hear a true master. No, he doesn't hit the major festivals, because what he does for a living is to teach bookbinding and papermaking. He plays only for love of playing.

I suspect he is quite talented.

He's talented alright, but this was over-long and self-indulgent. Love the ending where he harmonizes with himself! I wish he'd gotten to it sooner.

Wow... the very day I finally got "Manhattan Wildlife Refuge" and "The Tiger of San Pedro" on CD, this gets posted. In the immortal words of Father Guido Sarducci, "Coincidenza?"

Stole most of his lics from Urbie Green ,the real master bone technician.