Trombones under the Tree

All the warm weather we have been having has made me thought about Christmas, naturally, and when it comes to Christmas there is one trombone quartet album that never goes out of style: Trombones Under the Tree.

This is a super group consisting of Joseph Alessi, Mark Lawrence, Carl Lenthe, M. Dee Stewart. Joe, Mark, and Carl were former students of Dee Stewart at Curtis and came together at Indiana University one hot summer to record this album on the Musical Arts Center stage. This was all done over a week when they also held a summer seminar for students to pay for the album. Following the completion of the album, the quartet went out to a go-cart track in Brown county where Joe's go-cart malfunctioned and infuriated him as the rest of the ensemble lapped him over and over.

I asked Carl when they would reunite and come out with another album, but he said the best part about doing a Christmas album is that it comes back in style every year, so there is no need for another one. 

Vienna Trombone Quartet

Another favorite European trombone quartet, the Vienna Trombone quartet consists of Vienna Philharmonic trombonists Dietmar Küblböck, Otmar Gaiswinkler, Erik Hainzl and Hans Ströcker or Wolfgang Pfistermüller depending on recording.  This group showcases technical ability as well as musicality and deserves as much recognition as other groups from the 90's such as Four of a kind and Triton Trombone quartet.  I've linked two of their albums below, take a listen and find out just how good the Vienna Philharmonic trombone section is.

Nay Palm Bones

This group is a little personal, because it was founded by my former teacher and I am playing on three tracks on their album. 

The Nay Palm Bones is a group consisting of Mark Hetzler (Professor at the University of Wisconsin, former Empire Brass), Jeffery Peterson (Jacksonville Symphony), Jeffery Thomas (Orlando Symphony), and Harold Van Schaik (Florida Orchestra).  The first recording they did was a transcription of Shostakovich's 8th String Quartet on Mark Hetzler's 20th Century Architects album which showcases the  virtuosity that a trombone quartet is capable of.  I highly reccomend checking this recording out, especially the second and third movements.  

Recently they released a full album as an ensemble entitled Sonic Horizons which I have linked below.  I was fortunate enough to play on three tracks: Mountain Nights by Kodaly, and the Bernstein Simple Song and In Nomine Patris.  Enjoy!

Four of a Kind

Arguably one of the most definitive trombone quartets out there, Four of a Kind is made up of Joe Alessi (Principal, New York Phill), Scott Hartman (Former Empire Brass, Professor at Yale), Mark Lawrence (Former Principal San Francisco), and Blair Bollinger (Bass Trombone, Philadelphia orchestra).  The group hasn't been together for some time, but they have two CD's with definitive recordings of standard trombone repertoire to difficult arrangements.  Both are linked below.  These CD's are some of the finest trombone quartet playing to this day, and despite the fact they were released over 20 years ago, I imagine it will be a while before there's a group that can surpass this one.

Triton Trombone Quartet

The Triton trombone quartet is one of my favorite European quartets and has-in my opinion- definitive recordings of some of our standard repertoire.  Unfortunately, the group disbanded a while ago and has no online presence, so little is known about them.  Recently, however, I've discovered liner notes for one of their albums which includes a lot of information on the group.

The ensemble was formed in 1982 originally under the name of Bielefeld Trombone Quartet.  It's origional focus was early music - sometimes on authentic instrument - and some twentieth-century compositions but eventually expanded to cover all repertoire.  In 1986 the group won first prize at the third International Chamber Music Competition for Brass in Barcs, Hungary, which was followed by numerous concert tours across the globe.

The ensemble consisted of Olaf Ott (solo trombonist of the Berlin Phil), Ulrich Behrends, Ulrich Dieckmann, and Hermann Baumer, who was a member of the Bamberg Symphony and Berlin Phil and now a prominent conductor in Germany.  

I've left my favorite album below, but they have three more on spotify that are also worth checking out.  

Quartet and Rhythm section

Here are two jazz band charts featuring the trombone section.  These are both with Dave Matthew's Manhattan Jazz Orchestra featuring an all-start trombone section of Jim Pugh, Conrad Herwing, Larry Farrell, and Dave Taylor.  Enjoy!

Bones Apart- All Female Trombone Quartet

This is one of the first trombone quartet videos I remember hearing as a young student- an all-female group from the UK called Bones Apart playing the snot out of the Stars and Stripes Forever.

There was little else I knew about this group since the internet was still somewhat new at the time and they didn't have any other videos up or much of an online presence, but that has changed significantly.  First off, they now have a website and very active facebook page with member names and bios.  All of the members are prominent trombonists in the U.K. and hold positions with orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Scottish Symphony. 

The group also has many more recordings.  Besides what is now on their facebook page and Youtube channel, they have also released a number of Cd's.  I've linked two of them on spotify below, go check them out now!!!