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A Stylistic Analysis of Jazz Trombone Through
Transcribed Solos
The trombone has been an important instrumental voice
in jazz since jazz's origins. Throughout the history of jazz many
trombonists have made important contributions that have influenced
many other performers, including non-trombonists. This article will
trace a timeline from the early styles of jazz to the present day
through analyses and performances of solos as played by some of
jazz's most influential trombonists.
Tracing these influences can show a progression from
one style to the next. It can be seen how the older players influence
the younger, after which the younger players develop their own new
styles and in turn influence the musicians to follow. This timeline
of influences can be a valuable resource for the jazz performer.
A performer who knows how musicians from each style period performed
and influenced later musicians will know how to perform within all
style periods. Knowledge of the musical roots also allows the performer
to build upon influences and create new ideas that break the traditional
rules.
Before covering jazz trombone styles there are a couple
of important points to consider. The first deals with the
importance of the transcription
process. Jazz musicians have always transcribed other
performer's solos. Up until around the 1970's the only way
to learn about jazz was through transcribing solos and imitating
what was learned, since formal jazz education was virtually
nonexistent. Even today, most jazz educators agree that there
is no replacement for transcribing solos. The transcribing
process not only teaches about the melodic, rhythmic, and
harmonic style of a performer, but also trains the ear to
hear these devices quicker and easier. Such musical expressions
such as swing feel, jazz articulations, and timbrel characteristics
can only be learned through extensive listening, since the
written word and notated music can only approximate these
concepts. As such, all jazz students should be encouraged
to take the following transcriptions and analyses as a means
to begin their own exploration into this music, and not as
an end in itself.
Secondly, while there has been made an attempt to
classify trombonists as belonging to one particular style and to
typify their solo characteristics, it is extremely difficult to
pin down a trombonist's style. Many trombonists performed in more
than one style. Furthermore, many trombonists have styles that are
difficult to summarize. Please take theses classifications of the
following trombonists are a guide to understanding their music,
and not for literal truth.
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Dixieland Trombonists and Kid Ory
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The earliest form of jazz began in New Orleans
during the early 1900s. This style, commonly referred to as
Dixieland, was usually performed by smaller bands consisting
of a trumpet or cornet, trombone, clarinet, and rhythm section.
Dixieland jazz was primarily improvised music, but each instrument
improvised in a particular way. The cornet was responsible
for playing the melody while the clarinet would improvise
an obbligato line above the cornet melody. The rhythm section
provided a march-like accompaniment.
The trombonist's role in this style was to
play a counter melody to the cornet that was melodically simple
and outlined the chords. Typical characteristics of this counter-melody
were the use of lots of glissandi and growls. This style of
trombone playing became known as ˇtailgate,™ due to the need
for the trombonist to sit at the back of the advertising wagon
in order to have enough room to maneuver the slide.
Listen for these style characteristics in this
recording of "Dipper
Mouth Blues" by King Oliver and Louis Armstrong (shown
here), featuring trombonist Honore Dutrey. 
Trombonist Kid Ory, who was born in 1886, was
one of the most well known Dixieland trombonists. He is known
for his performances with Louis Armstrong, as well as Dave
Peyton, Jelly Roll Morton, and Ma Rainey. Ory also led many
successful groups of his own. He died in 1973.
 Ory's
improvisations on the composition "When
the Saints Go Marching In" shows some typical stylistic
traits of Dixieland trombone. He employs a fast vibrato over
the entire length of the note, often referred to as terminal
vibrato. He uses lots of glissandi and growls. Harmonically
and melodically the solo is very simple, the second choruses
of each of his improvisations are virtual repeats of the first
choruses. There is also a strong blues influence through his
use of the blues scale.
There are many other important Dixieland trombonists
who deserve mention, such as Miff Mole, J.C. Higginbothan,
and Vic Dickenson. Some important Dixieland trombonists, like
Freddie Assunto, got their start during the 1940s Dixieland
revival.
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