Compared to, say, trumpet players or saxophonists, famous jazz trombonists are a relatively rare breed.
Ask your ordinary man on the street to name a famous jazz trombonist and he's likely to scratch his head and hem and hesitate before going all the way back to Glenn Miller - who was known more for his band-leading than his playing.Now is your chance to become more than the ordinary man on the street. Grammy nominee trombonist Bill Watrous is coming to Salt Lake City Tuesday for the season's final concert of the Jazz at the Hilton series.
He will be joined by his band and singer Sue Raney.
Watrous is relatively unknown to the masses, but take it from me, folks - he's great. This critic heard Watrous perform at the Orange County Jazz Festival in 1979, and he was truly impressive - not only in a technical, critic-friendly way, but viscerally. He made the audience sit up, tap their toes and smile. His up-tempo pieces had enormous energy, and the ballads showed off a limpid, dazzling technique. Frequently he played so high he sounded like he had a flugelhorn to his lips.
Ask him about his utterly unique version of The Pledge of Allegiance.
Watrous and Raney both started their avocations at an early age - Watrous at 6, Raney at 4. They have both performed with many famous names - Watrous with Ray Charles, Chicago, Quincy Jones and Sarah Vaughn; Raney with Johnny Mandel, Julie Andrews, Bob Hope, Henry Mancini and Dean Martin.
They are audience-pleasers, but they are also critics' darlings.
"Bill Watrous proceeded to astonish everyone in the packed room," wrote famous jazz critic Leonard Feather of the trombonist. "His attractively polished tone, rare command of the instrument and surprisingly packed melodic lines put him in a class of his own."
Regarding Raney, Feather simply described her as an "instiller of goose bumps." She has a strong, broad range and is known for giving lyrics real meaning.
Side note: Having toured with Woody Herman, Watrous was perhaps influenced by the clarinetist's unusual name for his band. Herman: "Woody Herman and his Thundering Herd." Watrous: "The Manhattan Wildlife Refuge."
This is the first time in the three-year history of Jazz at the Hilton that the season has extended into July. "It just happened," said producer Gordon Hanks. But perhaps it's for the best. The heat outside will prepare you for the heat inside. If past performances of these two artists are any indication, the joint will be jumping Tuesday.
Tickets are $18 and are available at Holladay Pharmacy, 4690 S. Holladay Blvd.