[Trombone-l] March-sized trio charts for dixieland/swing tunes?

[ROBERT SLAVEN]

Hi George,

Thanks for the info.  John Wassom himself tipped me to these, and they're on their way.  Can't wait to try 'em out.

----- Original Message -----
From: George Butler <georgebutler2003 at yahoo.com>
>   My internet connection is doing funny things, so I'm 
> having to go my memory from 1999 on this one.  Alfred 
> Publications (www.alfred.com) publishes at least three 
> collections of things that might work, if you don't mind going 
> beyond Dixieland.  If I remember correctly, the first is 
> called Combo Blasters for Pep Band, with about a dozen 
> arrangements by John Wassom.  The sequel was More Combo 
> Blasters for Pep Band, with about a dozen arrangements by Victor 
> Lopez.  I believe John Wassom did the third compilation, 
> Combo Blasters Take 3.  The titles in each volume are 
> mostly rock and R&B classics, "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky, maybe 
> even "O Canada."
>    
>   Each volume uses a flexible instrumentation of four 
> parts.  Part 1 usually has the melody, and is available for 
> flute, trumpet or clarinet, maybe even an E-flat version for 
> alto.  The Part 2 book usually had an alto line or 
> countermelody, and again was available for various 
> instruments.  You might want to get both Part 3 and Part 4 
> for trombone, and experiment.  There are also seperate 
> books for rhythm section instruments--piano, guitar, bass, drum 
> set.  If you can't get your owner to spring for a rhythm 
> section, there is also a CD with the rhythm section only that 
> you guys could play along with.  The CD also has full 
> performance versions of each song, if you guys would like to 
> fake it and just watch the game.  I suppose you'd want to 
> order the Part 1 and Part 2 books in both E-flat and B-flat 
> versions, and you could see what works well for each tune.
>    
>   The arrangements are well done, the books are flip-folio 
> size, and they all are playable.  There may be others done 
> since then.  Inexpensive, about $3 each part book, and a 
> score with the CD about $20.
>    
>   Hope this helps!  Let us know.
>