By David Gordon, associate editor
If you’ve ever wanted to hear what Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee” would sound like in a jazz setting performed by three outstanding trombone players, Friday evening was your opportunity.
The final concert of the Chippewa Valley Jazz Orchestra’s (CVJO) ninth season featured dazzling perfomances by guest trombonists Andy Martin, Michael B. Nelson and Dr. Phil Ostrander. The trio, all with wide performance experience, entertained the audience of some 500 people as individual soloists through the first hour-plus of music-making with the 18-member CVJO.
Master of ceremonies Adrian Klenz noted that when the program expanded beyond Martin – the only guest artist in the original plans – the orchestra had to reconsider a nickname for the performance. It finally settled on “Trombon-Orama” though there was at least some support for “BoneHenge,” he joked.
Following the first of three vocals by Klenz, Ostrander led off the parade of trombone soloists with an arrangement of George Gershwin’s “Love Walked In” and later collaborated with CVJO pianist Josh Gallagher on a duo approach to “Stella By Starlight” (or, as he put it, “Stella With Josh”).
Ostrander, professor of trombone at UW-Eau Claire and (among other positions) principal trombone in the Minnesota Opera orchestra, more than held his own with Martin and Nelson. He also commented along the way that it was nice to be performing in front of the band rather than either having trumpets, a row behind him, blasting in his ear or else sitting in the farthest reaches of a pit orchestra almost isolated from the string section, not to mention the conductor.
Martin, described in the program as “unquestionably one of the finest jazz trombone players in the world today,” seemed completely at ease in working with the CVJO in such numbers as “Alone Together” and “Black Orpheus.” Among other credits, he has been the lead trombonist on “Dancing With the Stars” and “American Idol.”
Nelson’s resume includes 10 years as the Hornheads’ leader, composer, arranger and trombonist when the group toured and recorded with Prince, plus five years as the lead trombonist for Doc Severinsen. His trombone rendition of the vocal line of “People Will Say We’re in Love” melded with his own jazz improvisations to give the Rogers and Hammerstein classic (from “Oklahoma”) a whole new identity.
As it did through the entire evening, the CVJO provided solid backing for the solos. The concert marked the final one for Jeff Walk as CVJO music director, though he will continue as part of the orchestra’s trumpet section next year.
He will be succeeded by Scott Hensiak, who provided one of the two solo riffs by CVJO saxophonists on Friday. The other featured Sue Orfield and both were well received by both the audience and Martin, who was the trombone soloist of the moment.
Gallagher, in addition to his piano underpinning for much of the music, showed both dexterity and imagination in his solo efforts, notably in his duo with Ostrander.
The program’s highlight was clearly the final number – Nelson’s arrangement of the Rimsky-Korsakov piece written in 1899-1900 as an orchestral interlude for his opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.” The original was scored for strings, bassoon, flute, baritone horn and – yes – trombone.
Nelson’s “The Green Bee” arrangement provided a showcase for the three trombonists – clearly enjoying their work as a trio as well as their solo efforts. The CVJO once more provided backing without ever getting in the soloists’ way.
Martin, Nelson and Ostrander demonstrated the trombone’s wide range throughout the program and all seemed equally adept with lyrical passages or the enervated ones that required repeated double- and triple-tonguing. The acoustics in the JAMF theater at the Pablo Center at the Confluence suited the program perfectly, and the standing ovation at the end demonstrated the audience’s agreement.
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