[Dixielandjazz] trombonists

[Jim Kashishian]

In my little list of trombonists I listened to in my youth mentioned
earlier, I would like to go further by saying that my listening time with
J.J. & Kai was just that....always the two of them together.  I know it has
nothing to do with Dixieland, but feel the subject may be interesting to
some.  
 
I'm discussing the period when every single kid playing trombone was coming
out sounding like J.J. Johnson.  I never felt the need to imitate his style,
in particular since it had little to do with my budding style.  (I was
closer to the Freddie Assunto style than anyone else, I suppose.)  However,
I loved the interreaction between the two trombones on the many albums
called J. & K.  
 
My daily practice sessions included having a blow with these duets, along
with the aforementioned Murphy, Watters, Ory, Assunto, FH5+2 albums.  I also
had a Santo Pecora album I picked up at The Famous Door in N.O. when my
parents took me into the club (too young to be on my own) during our one
nite stop in N.O (1958).  Also, enjoyed Brookmeyer & Rossolino.
 
Somehow, I never found Teagarden, therefore today you won't hear too many
little "twiddles" (for lack of a better word!) between my notes.   :>
 
Note:  I actually tried to speak to Ward Kimball when I heard the FH5 live,
but he brushed me off.  I still remember that when kids come up to the stand
at clubs to talk to me.  I try to be civil even though I might be busy
packing up.
 
Second note:  Horrors, some might say!  "He listened to trombonists that
weren't OKOM!"  Well, good thing I did, as I concentrated later on being a
studio session musician where little of the music recorded was OKOM!  Try
maybe Spanish pop, including a lot of Julio Iglesias, a Spanish music style
called Sevillanas, Baroque & even earlier on a Sacbutt instead of a modern
day trombone, Pasadobles (Spanish marches), Coples, etc., etc.  Oh, I did
do....during 30 yrs of studio work, a few jazz records, also, but it
certainly wasn't my daily meat.  It WAS my nightly meat, though, where I
shook all that other stuff off & got back to OKOM!     :>    My music theory
has always been "if it is well done, it is good".  
 
Jim