Each time I think: maybe no one should ever have to play trombone besides him? It affects all my thinking, all my writing, all my daily routines, my aesthetic, and even my life aspirations. He also freelanced with Jones and Ferguson, and in 1965 became a member of the Merv Griffin Showband. William Russell Watrous was born on June 8, 1939, in Middletown, Conn., and raised in Niantic, Conn. His father, Ralph, a trombonist who had played in vaudeville and regional bands, became his first role model. Now she's rebuilding her life. Seven studies also found COVID rates "fell significantly" with universal masking. A self-described "bop-oriented" player, he was well known among fellow trombonists as a master technician and for his mellifluous sound. Post Read a 1997 JazzTimes short profile of Bill Watrous. In the late 60s and early 70s he was a studio musician in New York, but kept his jazz career alive playing in several bands for club and record dates. It's not the mouthpiece, it's the player and players come in all shapes and sizes. And be careful about calling them natural talents. Watrous taught for two decades at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, before retiring in 2015. In high demand as a player and beloved as an educator, he was an exemplar on his instrument. I spent countless hours transcribing his solos to musical staff paper. Giovanni Russonello is a New York Times writer. I was curious what the mighty trombonist Bill Watrous was doing these days. We lived through hundreds of thousands of years of human experience without the ability to record and preserve genius. There is endless hard work built into every note they play. Indulge me for one final paragraph on why I gave up the trombone. Thanks to a commercial culture that gives us access. By the time I was in high school, I was playing for the university jazz ensemble. He played in bands led by artists such as Billy Butterfield, Kai Winding, Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman. William Russell Watrous III, 8 June 1939, Middletown, Connecticut, USA. The younger Watrous developed a habit of sneaking away to play his father’s trombones. His feeling for jazz runs deep and he has never allowed his work to be tainted by the use of technique for its own sake. "The Warburton mouthpiece is an excellent mouthpiece. What I did not realize then — though my father constantly warned me — was that there comes a point when you can no longer live off your potential. From what I know, Bill was anything but a gear guy. I even saved up money to have a special instrument built that was exactly like his. This is the first I’ve heard about it. A dazzling technician with an endless supply of intriguing ideas and concepts, Watrous is one of the most formidable of all contemporary trombonists. He taught for two decades as a professor at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, retiring in 2015, and co-wrote a widely used textbook, Trombonisms. Relocated in Los Angeles from the mid-70s onwards, he continued to work in studios but made records with Stiles and others. He made the trombone do things that no one even thought possible. He continued to work as a bandleader, studio musician, and performer at jazz clubs. He speaks widely on topics of economics, technology, social philosophy, and culture. I do of course recall his absolute perfection. He also performed and recorded prolifically under his own name. Sometimes billed as “the world’s greatest trombonist,” Watrous was universally admired among jazz musicians for the beauty and fluency of his playing, as well as both his speed and lyricism. It seems he played the same modified Bach 16 for his entire career although you’d think it must have worn out at some point. He is perhaps best known by casual fans of jazz music for his rendition of Sammy Nestico's arrangement of the Johnny Mandel ballad "A Time for Love" which he recorded on a 1993 album of the same name. It’s a miracle. His first professional performances were in Billy Butterfield's band.[1]. … Read More “Stanley Crouch 1945–2020”, Gary Peacock, a jazz bassist who was hailed as a key innovative force on his instrument, died September 4 at his home in Claryville, New … Read More “Gary Peacock 1935–2020”, Steve Grossman, a tenor and soprano saxophonist who played fusion and bop with equal brawny authority, died August 13 at Glen Cove Hospital on Long … Read More “Steve Grossman 1951–2020”, Terry Coen, a record and music promotion executive who spent nearly 50 years advocating for the music he loved, died July 28 at Suncoast Hospice … Read More “Record Promotion Veteran Terry Coen Dies at 73”, America's jazz resource, delivered to your inbox. How rich this makes us! This 55 inch 4K Roku Smart TV is $148 & will sell out in... Get this 2-in-1 HP Chromebook for $179 at Walmart. © 2020 American Institute for Economic ResearchPrivacy Policy, AIER is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 04-2121305. But his music never stops inspiring me. Published since 1970, JazzTimes—“America’s Jazz Magazine”—provides comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the jazz scene. The author wrote something I thought was rather odd: The 6 1/2 AL is a high tenor mouthpiece. Bill Watrous, a jazz trombonist acclaimed for his clear, round tone and boundless virtuosity on his instrument, died on Tuesday, July 3, in Los Angeles after a short illness. This is the first I’ve heard about it. We can only listen, be inspired, be in awe. Good blow through, good sound, and comfortable to play. You have to actually be good. Now back to the real story. It was not a major commercial success, but it cemented Watrous’ reputation as a composer and bandleader as well as a virtuoso instrumentalist. He was 79 years old. I needed to move on in life. Bill Watrous, trombonist and bandleader, is dead at 79. He stayed in New York after being discharged, and in 1965 he joined the “Merv Griffin Show” band. Great Barrington, MA 01230-1000, Contact AIER Bach 11C Jiggs Whigham(1943~) 楽器:King 2B Jiggs Whigham Model MP:King Jiggs Whigham 1A、Marcinkiewicz ET-1.7、Conn 175JW He began his wind studies in LA schools at age 13. Watrous’ mpc of choice, he said, was a Bach 11C, which I’ve always thought of as the basic Bach small bore mouthpiece. During that period, he studied with Herbie Nichols and learned to read music for the first time. [email protected]. My heart just sank. Bill Watrous, whose crisp and graceful playing made him one of the world’s most respected trombonists, died July 3 … Watrous is survived by his wife, Maryanne, and son Jason. My heart just sank. In fact, Bill plays better in that register than most trumpet players do. Bill Watrous with Carl Fontana in 1973 (photo Dede Briscoe) William Russell Watrous III, 8 June 1939, Middletown, Connecticut, USA. Trombone of Theseus perhaps? Though briefly a member of the jazz-rock band Ten Wheel Drive in 1971 (with bandmates including fellow trombonist Tom “Bones” Malone, who would become Watrous’ lifelong friend), the trombonist’s major breakthrough came in the form of his own big band. [2], 'With Ingrid James and San Gabriel 7 (JGS-SG7, 2012), "Bill Watrous, Trombonist and Bandleader, Is Dead at 79", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Watrous&oldid=974647607, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 August 2020, at 05:41. The Death and Life of the Great Third Place, The Economic Way of Thinking Brings Clarity, James M. Buchanan’s Normative Vision Fifteen Years Later, A Warning from Two Hedge Fund Managers: Rigged to Fail, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. None of us know who we influence and how. I counted the days. ↳ Schools, Colleges, and Conservatories, ↳ Repairs, Modifications, and Maintenance, It is currently Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:12 am. He did a short stint with rock group Ten Wheel Drive before the influential producer John Hammond signed Manhattan Wildlife Refuge to Columbia. Now every genius can be immortalized and forever contribute to the capital base of civilization. I met him only briefly, and implausibly, one night in a jazz club and was honored to play alongside him for a song or two. At the end of 1996, his big band, renamed Refuge West to suit the California location, recorded Space Available. He also formed his own big band, colourfully named Manhattan Wildlife Refuge Big Band, which included Wayne Andre (trombone), Danny Stiles (trumpet), Dick Hyman (piano) and Ed Soph (drums). The music world would have missed him: For most of his career, in addition to his work at USC, Watrous gave frequent master classes across the country. Although Watrous took some formal musical tuition and also learned trombone from his father, he was largely self-taught. Trombonist Bill Watrous Courtesy photo via the New York Times. The management of vibrato, the range extending probably two octaves (or more!) But back to Watrous. As for my skill, I was the classic case of a young kid who always had enormous potential. And move on I did. Bill Watrous with Carl Fontana in 1973 (photo Dede Briscoe) William Russell Watrous III, 8 June 1939, Middletown, Connecticut, USA. From what I know, Bill was anything but a gear guy. Bill Watrous, Trombonist & soloist, USA, Bill Watrous in Belgium October 2015 (photo: Jos.L.