[Dixielandjazz] When the trombone DOES get the melody....

[Jim Kashishian]

Mike asks:
"What role does the trumpet play? Tailgate? Countermelody? The clarinet does
what he or she usually does. Am I correct?"

And, I answer:
Maybe, Mike, the clarinet drops out, and the trumpet plays around the melody
being played by the trombone.  Or, it stays in, working with what the
trumpet is doing.  It's absolutely great when the bone takes over for even
half a chorus, giving huge strength to the melody purely because it is a
change from the norm.

Marty wrote yesterday:
"the trombone was a very unwieldy and clumsy instrument for many players in
jazz bands."

My answer to that one is:
Take a listen to those 4 girls that are honking trombones in the group
called "Bones Apart" (http://www.bonesapart.co.uk/ ) and then try to tell me
that a trombone is clumsy!
We've both been playing for the same amount of time, Marty, and if you have
kept it up as steady as I have for those 53 years I doubt if you're anything
but clumsy on the horn.

As I said in a mail yesterday, our band has broken from the 3 man front line
mode a bit by going two man, trumpet & bone.  What do we do for the 3rd
line, you ask? We have a very adapt pianist who is put into the aural mix at
almost the level of the brass, and therefore fills out the part when needed,
such as on an arrangement we do of Duke's "The Mooche".  He also does breaks
on Tiger Rag, Fidgety Feet, etc.  Makes for a new, interesting sound.

And, we (trumpet & bone) swap melody parts between the two of us all the
time.  Plus, it isn't even necessarily written in blood.  We swap deepending
on our mood at the moment, or maybe just due to the chops condition at the
moment.  All it takes is a slight movement away from the mike and the other
one is in there doing it!  Keeps you on your toes, and creates fun.

Jim (clumsy in love, but not on the trombone!) Kash