Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?

JefferyJoseph · by **JefferyJoseph** » 2020-05-05 1:03 p.m.

I am discovering trombone jazz artists and working through artists I like, which got me thinking.....what do you consider to be the definitive jazz trombone albums someone should collect/listen to?

I really like the tone of J.J. Johnson (and other's in that same vein). J is for Jazz is an album I've been digesting a lot lately.

My jazz taste is Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Lyle Ritz (jazz ukulele) etc.

What is your definitive list of jazz albums with trombone as prominent instrument that people should check out?

Thank you in advance!

Bach5G · 2020-05-05 1:12 p.m.

The Incredible Kai Winding Trombones (1961) came up recently on this forum.

In addition to Kai, nice work from P Faulise and Tony Studd. Bill Evans shows up on piano for a few cuts.

Gary · by **Gary** » 2020-05-05 3:40 p.m.

Jazz at the Opera House, J.J. Johnson and Stan Getz

Like Cool, Eddie Bert

Rhythm Within, Steve Turre

slipperyjoe · by **slipperyjoe** » 2020-05-05 5:07 p.m.

One of my favorites is Coltrane's Blue Train with Curtis Fuller

Also Fuller's Blues-ette

Vegasbound · by **Vegasbound** » 2020-05-05 5:39 p.m.

The J & K recordings

Don't forget to listen to Jack Teagarden, in fact I would suggest you listen to everyone from kid Ory and Miff Mole up to the present day and just enjoy your journey of discovery

baileyman · by **baileyman** » 2020-05-06 7:05 a.m.

The seldom herd Lloyd Ellis group:

Lloyd Ellis Quintet, Carl Fontana ‎– Las Vegas - 3 A.M

You'll need a turntable.

Redthunder · by **Redthunder** » 2020-05-10 8:57 p.m.

[quote="baileyman"]The seldom herd Lloyd Ellis group:

Lloyd Ellis Quintet, Carl Fontana ‎– Las Vegas - 3 A.M

You'll need a turntable.[/quote]

This album is on Spotify.

One of my favorite albums is the Slide Hampton album "Life Music".

Johnstad · by **Johnstad** » 2020-05-10 11:39 p.m.

JJ Johnson - The Trombone Master

JJ Johnson and Stan Getz - Live at the Opera House

JJ and Kai + 6 - Trombone Octet

Massimo69 · by **Massimo69** » 2021-03-25 8:58 a.m.

Frank Rosolino :turn me loose, I play trombone, in Denmark, fond memories.

Carl Fontana:hanna Fontana band, Lloyd Ellis 4tet,L.Bellson Thunderbird, The great Fontana, Bobby Knoght great american trombone co.

JJ:in person, JJ, The great Jay and Kai,the Total,

Kai Winding :Caravan, incredibile KW trombones, Solo, Dirty Dog, More brass,

Urbie Green :Let's face the music and dance, sextet, 21 trombones 2 volumes, the persuasive trombone of UG vol 1 e 2,

Jimmy Cleveland :a map of Cleveland,Cleveland style, rhythm crazy

Curtis fuller:Imagination, Cabin in the sky.,soul trombone,

Slide Hampton :world of trombone, two bones with Curtis Fuller, jazz with a twist, exodus, explosion

Just a few... Not all great like Steve Turre, Bill Watrous, Eddie Bert ecc

Ellefson · by **Ellefson** » 2021-03-26 8:40 p.m.

Frank Rosolino and Conte Candoli- Conversation

Carl Fontana- The Hanna-Fontana Band Live at Concord

These make me happy.

PE

WilliamLang · by **WilliamLang** » 2021-03-26 8:58 p.m.

Jacob Garchik - the Heavens

glenp · by **glenp** » 2021-03-27 1:27 a.m.

Frank Rosolino & Carl Fontana; Trombone Heaven, Vancouver 1978

Fidbone · by **Fidbone** » 2021-03-27 5:25 a.m.

Tutti Trombones.

Bobby Knight's Great American Trombone Company.

Urbie Green's 21 Trombones.

The Eminent JJ Vol. 1 & 2.

Bill Watrous Manhatten Wildlife Refuge.

Carl Fontana The Great Fontana.

Raul D'Souza Don't Ask My Neighbours.

Mark Nightingale Destiny.

aboumaia · 2021-03-27 3:46 p.m.

Bach5G · 2021-03-27 5:06 p.m.

I found the first couple of minutes of Carl in A Beautiful Friendship (H/F in Concord) life changing. Seriously.

<YOUTUBE id="BEvBBileB08">https://youtu.be/BEvBBileB08</YOUTUBE>

Arrowhead · by **Arrowhead** » 2021-03-27 8:28 p.m.

Carl Fontana is on a lot of really good albums that never got put on CD:

Colorado Jazz Party double album (triple album, if you can find it!)

Blue Angel Jazz Club

The Odessa Sound of Jazz

Jazz in the Mountains

Jazz at the Troc: Colorado Jazz Party (misc.)

Jazz for a Sunday Afternoon Vol. 3 (1968; also features Frank Rosolino)

etc...

Also, any bargain bin Dixie compilation records from the 40's-60's, sometimes are really, really good! I have a bunch sitting in a milk crate, that pretty much blow away anything made today!

mbarbier · by **mbarbier** » 2021-03-28 12:04 a.m.

George Lewis- the solo Trombone record

Dick Griffin- 8th wonder of the world

Kalia Vandever- In Bloom

Ray Anderson- Hence the Reason

Melba Liston- Melba Liston and her bones

DaveAshley · by **DaveAshley** » 2021-03-28 10:39 p.m.

Check out some of the albums that feature multiple trombonists. 'Trombones Inc.', 'Trombone Scene' and '3 Bones and Quill' come to mind. More recent ones too, like Steve Turre's One4J and Slide Hampton's Spirit of the Moon and World of Trombones.

baileyman · by **baileyman** » 2021-03-29 8:52 a.m.

[quote="mbarbier"]...

Melba Liston- Melba Liston and her bones[/quote]

Democracy Now! played Pow! from this one during a story break. See? Tromboners do get airplay.

Cmillar · by **Cmillar** » 2021-03-29 9:18 p.m.

Definitive? In which way?

- musical, original, technical, 'in the tradition of', 'in the lineage' of, etc. etc.

For just being awesome, musical, original jazz trombone playing, I'll throw in a couple that haven't been mentioned:

Ed Neumeister - 'Reflections'; 'New Standards'

Mark Nightingale - 'Out of the Box'

Ian McDougall - 'The Warmth of the Horn'; 'Dry With a Twist'; 'Three'

Urbie Green - (anything); also 'Blues and Other Shades of Green'; 'The Fox'

Jim Pugh - "Pugh Taylor Project 1"; EnJ "Legend and Lion"

Bob Brookmeyer - 'Paris Suite'; 'Bob Brookmeyer and Friends'; 'The Power of Positive Swinging'

Hal Crooks - 'Only Human'

mattmce · by **mattmce** » 2022-02-17 4:55 p.m.

JJ Johnson and Al Grey: Things Are Getting Better All the Time.

I always felt like this was a hidden gem. Both players at the top of their game, and JJ looser than usual. (Feels like Al Grey had a good influence on him.)

jorymil · by **jorymil** » 2022-02-17 7:37 p.m.

"Definitive" is a pretty strong word, but check out Dicky Wells' playing with Count Basie's earlier bands--the Decca recordings. There's tons of remasters and repackages of these things, so they're pretty easy to find. "Dicky's Dream" and "Taxi War Dance" are great solos.

Doug_Elliott · by **Doug_Elliott** » 2022-02-17 11:03 p.m.

For me it has always been this one. I happen to have the LP but it's pretty rare. Absolutely unbelievable playing by everybody on the album.

Carl Fontana

Kai Winding

Trummy Young

And Urbie like you never heard him on anything else

I haven't listened to this in probably 30 years or more but right now I can't stop.

<YOUTUBE id="L19Njr5Dotk">https://youtu.be/L19Njr5Dotk</YOUTUBE>

baileyman · by **baileyman** » 2022-03-08 11:22 a.m.

I wish Dick had paired Clark and Carl on a track. Those guys could put more junk a ball than just about anybody.

jorymil · by **jorymil** » 2022-03-09 7:50 a.m.

I listened to Clark and Bob Brookmeyer's The Power of Positive Swinging over and over when I first found it. Again, "definitive" is a strong word, but it's very much a classic recording. Brookmeyer plays great counterpoint lines, something you seldom hear.

Briande · by **Briande** » 2022-03-22 7:01 p.m.

Raul DeSouza ( as Raulzinho) – À Vontade Mesmo

You can find it on Spotify:

<SPOTIFY id="album/2RxE8KPxIO5q8hbnlwwU4i"><LINK_TEXT text="https://open.spotify.com/album/2RxE8KPx ... xW-oQOukGQ">https://open.spotify.com/album/2RxE8KPxIO5q8hbnlwwU4i?si=450LNPoBTUSixW-oQOukGQ</LINK_TEXT></SPOTIFY>

Is it valve trombone: yes.

Is it REALLY good: yes

RedpBone · by **RedpBone** » 2022-03-22 8:16 p.m.

J.J. Johnson Proof Positive has been pretty huge for me.

muschem · by **muschem** » 2022-04-03 10:08 a.m.

What a great album. Thanks for mentioning it. I found the LP on discogs marketplace, and had it converted to high resolution digital. Amazing playing!

[quote="Doug Elliott"]For me it has always been this one. I happen to have the LP but it's pretty rare. Absolutely unbelievable playing by everybody on the album.

Carl Fontana

Kai Winding

Trummy Young

And Urbie like you never heard him on anything else

I haven't listened to this in probably 30 years or more but right now I can't stop.

<YOUTUBE id="L19Njr5Dotk">https://youtu.be/L19Njr5Dotk</YOUTUBE>[/quote]

jorymil · by **jorymil** » 2022-05-18 12:45 a.m.

Curtis Fuller - Blues-ette. Haruki Murakami wrote a book called _After_Dark_ where the main character is a trombonist heavily influenced by Curtis Fuller, and this album in particular.

Elow · by **Elow** » 2022-05-18 4:54 p.m.

<SPOTIFY id="album/12JCMQ79q662srkjDGoe02"><LINK_TEXT text="https://open.spotify.com/album/12JCMQ79 ... hxARFwCpZQ">https://open.spotify.com/album/12JCMQ79q662srkjDGoe02?si=HaRL9mUqQEmJhxARFwCpZQ</LINK_TEXT></SPOTIFY>

jorymil · by **jorymil** » 2022-05-18 6:22 p.m.

Heck yeah, man! That was one the first LPs I ever owned. Was ecstatic when it got released on CD (2004? 2005?).

rickfaulknernyc · 2022-05-18 6:58 p.m.

I'll throw out a few more that haven't been mentioned here yet, from various eras. Some are easier to find than others.

Vic Dickenson - The Essential...

Slide Hampton - Roots, A Day in Copenhagen (w/ Dexter Gordon)

Benny Golson - Groovin' with Golson (some of Curtis Fuller's best playing)

J.J. - Proof Positive, Say When (big band), The Eminent J.J. (both volumes)

Jimmy Knepper - Cunningbird (also, In L.A.)

Bob Brookmeyer - Blues Hot and Cold

Frank Rosolino - Free For All

Dickie Wells - In Paris

Jack Teagarden's Big Eight

Grachan Moncur III - Evolution

Roswell Rudd - Malicool (jazz/African crossover)

Tyree Glenn - Let's Have a Ball

Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band 1954 (definitive traditional New Orleans style LP)

Also: Count Basie Jam, Montreaux '77 - great playing by both Al Grey and Vic Dickenson, plus a bunch of other swing era heavies.

X200 · by **X200** » 2022-05-18 7:15 p.m.

Cinema, Circus & Spaghetti: Sexmob Plays Fellini (Steven Bernstein)

HermanGerman · by **HermanGerman** » 2022-05-19 2:52 a.m.

Conrad Herwig With every breath .............IMO his best (and first) solo album

Bill Watrous Live in London .................. I have never heard a better Watrous

Albert Mangelsdorff Jaco Pastorius Alphonse Mouzon Live in Montreux ............... A must have!!

Albert Mangelsdorff Trombirds .......................................... First solo Jazz brass album ever

Trombone Summit (Watrous, Mangelsdorff, Winding, Whigham) ....... But Horace Parlan on piano beats them all....

The great Kai and Jay ................. ........................................ Pure fun

The Third Stone (Bill Holmann with Jiggs Whigham) .......................... Beautiful trombone sound of Jiggs

Carla Bley Live ........................................ the incredible Gary Valente

Ray Anderson Wishbone or What because ..................... Something very special

Bob Brookmeyer Live at Sandy´s ............................ Beautiful quartet, beautiful playing of Bob

J.J . In Person ...................... Live or not live who knows but Jay Jay plays at the peak of his peak

Nils Wogram Nature .................. Very unique trio with organ, no extravaganzas on this album...

jorymil · by **jorymil** » 2022-05-21 7:51 p.m.

What would you all suggest as a good Robin Eubanks album? I'm personally partial to Dave Holland - Prime Directive, but all the Dave Holland Quintet/Sextet albums with Chris Potter and Steve Nelson are pretty good!

HermanGerman · by **HermanGerman** » 2022-05-22 5:53 a.m.

[quote="jorymil"]What would you all suggest as a good Robin Eubanks album? I'm personally partial to Dave Holland - Prime Directive, but all the Dave Holland Quintet/Sextet albums with Chris Potter and Steve Nelson are pretty good![/quote]

Dedication, with Steve Turre

Vegasbound · by **Vegasbound** » 2022-05-22 8:23 a.m.

Tutti’s trombones

Bobby Knight’s great American trombone company

Thelonious · by **Thelonious** » 2022-10-28 8:19 p.m.

For me:

Grachan Moncur III - Evolution

Bill Watrous - Manhattan Wildlife Refuge

Not already posted:

Bennie Green - Walkin' & Talkin'

Curtis Fuller Sextet - Sliding Easy

MaxPirone · by **MaxPirone** » 2025-10-22 8:48 p.m.

Too many

Allen Keller and trombones(faulise,Winding Green travis)

Dance to the city beat KWinding

Swingin states KWinding

The axidentals with KW trombones

Don't panic KW trombones

Trombone summit

Whigham Fontana

Trombone Panorama KW

Trombone sound KW

Four freshmen and five trombones and more FF and 5 trb

Voices and brass Four Freshmen and 10 trombones

Pete Rugolo 10 trbnes like two pianos

The trombones inc

Tutti's trombones Camarata

World of trombones Slide Hampton

JJ Broadway JJ Johnson

Jay and Kai plus Six

Dirty dog KW

Suspense themes KW

More brass KW

The incredible KW trombones

And more and more

Matt_K · by **Matt_K** » 2025-10-23 7:17 a.m.

Jay and Kai plus Six

I have listed to this album so many times. One of the worst names for an album because it's so hard to search for though :lol:

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Definitive Jazz Trombone Albums?