JAZZ BY JEREMY: POP TROMBONE

BY JEREMY PRICE

JAZZ BY JEREMY

POP TROMBONE; NOT A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS.

What place does the trombone have in the popular consciousness of the nation? Is to examine “popular trombone” to examine an oxymoron?! Let’s admit it, our BTS membership is pretty much a niche within a niche.

Within this particular bubble, metaphorical or virtual twitter bubble, we have the reassurance of our peers similarly enthusing with evangelical zeal about the trombone. But outside of that, most people aren’t really sure what a trombone is. When asked “what’s in the case mate?” by a fellow traveller, have you ever found yourself saying “no, no, you’re thinking of a trumpet. I mean the slidey one.” And you then proceed to mime and vocalise a glissando in the hope that your perplexed companion may finally get it.

I remember going through this routine once at an airport check-in. The usual hand-luggage debacle of “What’s in the case?” got a very perplexed face when I thought I had said “trombone” very clearly. “You know, musical instrument.” To be super-clear I kept saying “trom” and “bone” in separate syllables, smiling and doing the slidey-mimey thing. It wasn’t working. The orange perma-tanned assistant eventually handed me a luggage label saying, “Drum Bone.” Now that would be great instrument. Please send in your designs for the drumbone to the BTS and we’ll get Mick Rath to make one!

But onto this issue’s transcription and a quick guided tour through popular trombone. I want to give you something you can sing and mime to strangers when they ask what a trombone is, and I want them to know what you mean! Now you can say “Groove Armada, At the River” and sing them the very hip line that absolutely everybody knows. Here’s a YouTube link.

Thank you Andy Cato, founder member of Groove Armada, for launching the trombone so successfully into the public consciousness. It’s been fun researching this song. I’ve found out that Andy Cato is from Barnsley, brought up steeped in the brass band tradition and was in the Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Couldn’t have scripted that. Somebody score a brass band version quick! He co-wrote this track with Tom Findlay by sampling a Patti Page record from the 1950’s called Old Cape Cod. This opening vocal line is completely dropped in verbatim, but slowed down which moves it from Bb to Ab. Therein lies the genius moment as the trombone solo in Ab lies beautifully under the slide. If they hadn’t slowed it down, I wonder if they’d have found such an easy-going bluesey line that defines this iconic chill-out track we now all know, without having to try. As for the actual trombone solo, I love that they kept in the “burst” notes on the second time of the theme and didn’t retake for a cleaner sound. The top C down to the bluesy b5 D natural is really fun to play, along with the Cb being a lazy reach that sounds better the sloppier you are with the slide position. Ultimate chillout trombone playing on the ultimate chillout record. Here’s a live version to watch messianic level trombone worship from the masses. Incredible.

So, what else might Joe Punter know of the trombone? Little Sis Nora “blows that big trombone” at a staggering sixteen million YouTube hits although there’s not much trombone playing to report. But firmly in the

public consciousness is the great Rico Rodriguez through the Ska and Reggae scene. You will all know A Message to You Rudy and Ghost Town by The Specials for the trombone riffs.

Going further back than that, perhaps everybody has heard the trombone from Sinatra’s I’ve got You Under my Skin and the numerous versions of Mad About the Boy from Dinah Washington, Eartha Kitt and more recently Caro Emerald with Jools Holland. But otherwise, there’s plenty of room for more pop trombone but you’ll have to go far to beat the popstadium roar and recognition that Andy Cato gets in Groove Armada. Get Super-stylin’ your trombone everybody! ◆