This commission arrived with the suggestion of a showcase for Andy Wood’s bass trombone playing. Noticing that Roger Argente hadn’t appeared as a soloist on the first Superbrass CD, Under the Spell of Spain, I decided to compose a jazz feature for two bass trombones where Roger’s part is composed and Andy’s is improvised. Andy Baker
This commission arrived with the suggestion of a showcase for Andy Wood’s bass trombone playing. Noticing that Roger Argente hadn’t appeared as a soloist on the first Superbrass CD, Under the Spell of Spain, I decided to compose a jazz feature for two bass trombones where Roger’s part is composed and Andy’s is improvised. This is a slow blues, alternating between major and minor keys. After a boisterous introduction, the minor key melody that bookends the piece is split between the two soloists and the ensemble. A major-key soli chorus follows featuring the conical-bored french horn and flugelhorn. Roger and Andy each take a solo chorus (the latter in double time) before they “trade fours” and accompany each other with walking bass lines. After returning to the slow melody, the coda climaxes with the soloists four octaves apart.
Since moving to Chicago from London in 2001, trombonist and composer Andy Baker has established a reputation as one of the most in-demand and versatile musicians in town. Andy is lead trombonist of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, co-leads the sextet Bakerz Million and is a first-call theatre and studio musician. He has performed and recorded with a wide array of ensembles including, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Fulcrum Point New Music Project and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra. He has had the opportunity to work with artists such as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra Jr., Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin as well as many jazz greats. An active composer and arranger, Andy’s work has been recorded by Phil Woods, SuperBrass, The Heligoats, The Bad Examples and the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble. In August 2012, Andy was appointed Jazz Ensemble Director at the University of Illinois at Chicago, having previously served on the faculties of Northwestern University and Elmhurst College.
www.andybakertrombone.com
