And he said it well
J. Gicking | Bryn Mawr, PA USA | 08/28/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"While it is impossible to talk about the first 50 years of jazz history without including a number of legendary trombonists, Kid Ory, Miff Mole, Jack Teagarden, JJ Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Urbie Green, Bob Brookmeyer, Frank Rosolino, Carl Fontana, you'd think from talking to the average jazz fan that the instrument had since disappeared. While guys like Brookmeyer are playing better than ever, a younger breed has also arrived,including Conrad Herwig, Michael Davis, Steve Davis, Robin Eubanks, Scott Whitfield, to name just a few! In Europe, I'd have to say Mark Nightingale and the expatriate American Ed Neumeister are the preeminent players (no slight to others including the wonderful Jiggs Whigham, intended) and to my mind both are absolute masters of the instrument, no cheap trombone tricks here, gorgeous sound, clean articulation, great ideas, and GREAT writing from both. This album from 1994 gives a taste of Mark's wide range as a player and composer. Also not to be missed, for trombonists, are Mark's best selling, musical, and challenging jazz etudes and other play-along studies for the instrument (Warwick Music, UK and available on their website). But you needn't be a trombonist to appreciate and thoroughly enjoy this man's music. Buy it."