Bill Watrous - Boneified (9 tracks) +Album Reviews

One of Bill's best-Trombone playing like you've never heard!

07/29/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is in a live combo setting, and Bill really smokes! For those unacquainted with Bill Watrous, he has won the downbeat readers poll so many times for best trombonist that I believe they probably don't even bother including him anymore, as he is THE recognized, undesputed best, and certainly one of the most diverse. He took an instrument that no one thought could ever play like a sax or trumpet (speed and range wise), a clumsy trombone, of all things, and played it like a dream. Incredible chops! I still am favored to his first big band albums in the 70's, and wish they would reissue them on CD (they're unbelievable), but the probable demand for trombone recordings is (I assume) unfortunately low. People don't know what they're missing! Bill does some straight-ahead jazz and bebop (what he does best - in my opinion), and also does some avant-gardish multiphonics (creating multiple voicings or chords by simultaneously singing notes and buzzing notes on the! mouthpiece - sometimes creating extra voices via overtones, or essentially creating chords of three or more simultaneous tones/pitches) which draws some interesting crowd responses. It's done lightly, almost comedically, and there are some good laughs on a couple cuts. I would recommend this recording highly for anyone, musician or not, to get an unbelievable display of what the world's greatest trombone player can do with the instrument. Absolutely incredible! Buy it, now!"

Watrous is by far the most dynamic trombonist of his time.

Michael Ritchie | Lafayette, Indiana United States | 07/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being a trombonist myself, I have always listened to other professionals for guidance, Watrous stands out among the best. The ballads on this recording are simply fantastic. "Unforgettable" lives again with Bill's style and skyscraper range. The other tunes are very well played, especially his dedication tune to his son,"A hot one for Jason", featuring the multiphonic technique Bill likes so well. This is a great recording for any music fan of any type. The trombone rocks!!"

An all time favorite musician!!

Michael Ritchie | 04/16/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I started listening to Bill back in the 70's and wish they would re-release his earlier albums. His music is listenable, intelligent and I never get tired of it."

A spoonful of sugar (and a slice of cheese)

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 06/06/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I looked at the cast and tunes and assumed this might be the Bill Watrous album to own. Not necessarily so. At a time when "acoustic" jazz was gaining momentum--the early nineties--these four musicians deemed it necessary to enhance/supplement their efforts with a synthesizer. Despite attempts to use it tastefully and sparingly (limited to string and flute sounds on ballads), its presence is enough to make much of the album seem anachronistic, not to mention glib and background-ish. Moreover, the cause isn't helped by the curious decision to have the highly capable Fischer play electric bass throughout. Finally, the audio mix reminds me of one of those digital recordings on which tracks are recorded separately and then reassembled later. The trombone sound, beautiful as it is, lacks presence while the piano, if anything, has too much. Take the headphones off, guys--just listen to each other and play.At least Bill Watrous fans will find ample testimony to his superior command of his instrument (along with some creative whistling and humming). Rather than "adapt" the styles of more fluent instruments to the trombone, Watrous shows --especially on "Indian Summer" and "Just in Time"--that the horn can execute at the same level as a Charlie Parker on alto saxophone. On the whole, the man deserves to be better served by his producers."

A Great Studio Album, but it's a studio album

mrudlin | Sonora, CA United States | 10/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having done a clinic and private lesson with Bill, I know that he is a very competent musician and a great guy. However, this recording isn't my favorite because of the overwhelming feel of studio cheese. The tunes and players are great, but the producer simply mixed the life out of it. The intent of the album comes through it all, which is why I have to rate it 4*'s. "A Hot One For Jason" is the coolest tune by far."

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CD Details

CD Reviews

	Bill Watrous Bone-ified Genres: Jazz, Pop Track Listings (9) - Disc #1 Day In, Day Out Unforgetable Indian Summer Change Partners Answer Me Just In Time How Deep Is The Ocean Smooth Talk A Hot One For Jason
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