BRASS
Trombonist Audrey Ochoa is a rising star on the Canadian jazz scene . After having completed studies in classical trombone at the University of Alberta , Audrey began performing professionally across Canada and abroad as a member of multiple ensembles . Audrey has found a home in jazz , composing her own tunes that often have a Latin feel and definitely convey her sense of humour . She has just released her sophomore album , Afterthought , on
Chronograph Records . www . audreyochoa . com .
By Audrey Ochoa
The Highs & Lows of Jazz Trombone
I
can still remember a local jazz jam when four trombonists ended up on stage at the same time , and the crowd began shouting , “ Lower ! Slower !” That scene basically sums up the trombonist ’ s unfortunate inferiority complex – constantly trying to prove that we can keep up tempos and that our slide doesn ’ t keep us from playing seamless lines .
Being a jazz trombonist is novel . Compared to our saxophone-wielding and trumpet-touting counterparts , trombonists aren ’ t often credited as innovators , style setters , or language developers . While the history of jazz trombone is rich , our portrayal in academia and casual conversation is not well honoured in the jazz canon . Much of the trombonist ’ s worth is linked to how well they can keep up with the facility of a saxophone or the piano or the range and ferocity of the trumpet .
I played for years in school before a teacher gave me a list of trombonists that I could transcribe . I attended many concerts at the local jazz club before there was finally a live trombonist to observe . Trombone was simply not as ubiquitous as other instruments . As a result , I was modeling my playing after vocalists , pianists , saxophonists , etc . I imagine this is a common experience .
Beginner Brass Improv Consider that when brass players begin in school concert band , low brass parts are often rhythmically simple compared to woodwind parts . For example , imagine that you are being forced to sit through a high school concert band playing an arrangement of Lady Gaga ’ s “ Poker Face .” Never mind the fact it ’ s always odd to listen to a concert band play a pop tune ; it ’ s common arranging practice to give the melody to the upper woodwinds , leaving the low brass to puff along on some boring mid-range ostinato .
We rarely get the melody . In high school or college big band , one out of every 10 arrangements might be called a “ trombone feature .” The educational repertoire does not demand the same technical skills of a trombonist that they do for woodwinds and trumpets , and yet when we arrive on stage at a jam or gig , we are asked to perform using the same bebop language . This is a huge leap to make for many students and young players .
Bebop language , while totally attainable , seems like an impossible ideal for a beginner brass improviser , so I recommend that for younger players , you actually encourage them to embrace and explore some other characteristic sounds of their instruments .
Whenever the stress of a high tempo tune would set in , I had a few improvisational tools I would use to compensate : plungers , flutter tonguing , double or triple tonguing … I reduced these skills to party tricks that I used to hide the fact my single tongue would never be as fast as I wanted it to be ; however , I ’ ve come to realize that these skills aren ’ t party tricks . They ’ re actually examples of underused brass improvisational language , as are multi-phonics , pedal tones , trilling , and high range whistling .
Suggested Listening The first brass recording that changed my perspective on tone and brass language was Nat Adderly on “ 74 Miles Away .” Nat mimics the Arabic vocalizations of an Umm Kulthum or Cheb Mami by lip slurring and half valving . Nat ended his solo with some outrageous out-of-tune pedal tones and finally by singing through his horn , because why not ?
Ku ’ umba Frank Lacy ’ s solo on “ Gunslinging Bird ” sounds like a plane taking off . Literally . Why ? Because of the slowest , lowest , loudest gliss I ’ d ever heard recorded that stretches over two choruses . Nothing but a trombone could ever have made that sound . Who wants to shred like Sonny Rollins when you can sound like a 747 ? Or , even better , do both ?
Enrico Rava Quartet ’ s “ The Fearless Five ” features Roswell Rudd sliding , growling , and whistling . Rudd ’ s motifs were not based on scalar patterns and incorporate intervallic leaps derived from the harmonic series and often reckless , sustained lip trills . Does it occasionally sound like a whale mating call ? Maybe , but it ’ s language that does not rely on scale patterns and linear lines more attributed to pianos or saxophones .
Ray Anderson is one of my favourite trombonists . The first recording of his I ever heard was “ The Gahtooze .” Not only does the head jump around the range of the horn in a way you knew it was written by a trombone player ; it was also written entirely in third position . After transcribing the tune , I realized what trombone-centric writing sounded like . Ray Anderson is also a master of tone manipulation with a plunger .
When a high school concert band is playing that boilerplate arrangement of “ Poker Face ,” it is easy to identify that not all musical mediums translate to one another . The same goes for instrument-specific improvisation language in jazz . Language and tropes that were developed by a saxophonist might not translate so well to brass and vice versa . I encourage brass players to exploit elements that make brass so unique and apply them with as much enthusiasm as we do the language of other instruments .
30 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN