February 15, 2017

  • Trombonist Deb Scott's New Solo Album

     Playing Favorites
    Deb Scott, trombone. Ron Petti, piano.
    Navona Records 6075
    Total Time:  50:50
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    Trombonist Deb Scott teaches at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.  She is one of the premiere soloists for her instrument.  Also worth noting is that she was the first woman to receive a doctorate in trombone performance at the University of North Texas.  She is joined here by fellow faculty member Ron Petti.

    The program is a collection, as the album title suggests, of Scott’s favorite works and includes a piece composed specifically for her by Stephen Lias.  It certainly demonstrates her facility and the possibilities of the expressive and technical qualities of the trombone.  We can hear this cross section of the straddling the instrument does between art and jazz music in the substantial Trombone Concerto (1988) by Derek Bourgeois.  The three-movement work was composed for the first international trombone symposium held in London.  It was composed for, and premiered by, the Swedish trombonist Christian Lindberg.  The harmonic language is easily accessible here.  The opening movement has a nice energetic opening idea followed by a lyrically soaring second theme.  The central movement has some beautiful writing that has a melancholy jazz style.  In the middle, the piano has a more reflective moment while the soloist provides some semi-improvisational lines in this almost noir-ish movement.  In the last movement, we get a chance to hear some of the rapid performance work in this delightful “Presto.”

    William Goldstein’s essay for trombone, Colloquy, also explores the expressive qualities of the instrument bringing in suggestions of Copland and Bernstein along with moments of jazz.  The opening five-note motif become an important rhythmic component of the piece which has some exciting syncopated piano lines to add a forward energy to the piece as it opens.  This idea expands for longer lyric moments as well.  A bit later, things slow down for a very Copland-esque reflection of open sounds, though still against a more traditional harmonic support, but this lends a very Americana feel to the music.  All said, this is a beautiful work exploring some expressive qualities of the trombone.

    Stephen Lias’ River Runner was composed after a trip along the Big Bend Santa Elena Canyon.  The music is intended to take us on a paddling journey through the terrains and river shifts experienced by the composer and his spouse and the Scotts.  A poem by the composer is included in the notes to give the listener something to reflect upon as the piece begins.  It helps set up the many threads that shift and turn as the journey is prepared for in “Lajitas” with anticipation.  There is a flurry of activity that pulls back and then moves forward.  At times it is as if the trombone is holding a discourse that both is in awe of the surroundings but also insistent about getting started and moving along.  “The Sentinel” has a muted, reflective quality with impressionistic colors in the piano harmonies.  The final “Rock Slide” provides some rapid passage work and an exciting forward propulsion to bring the piece to its conclusion.

    Finally, Scott has programmed a perfect encore—an arrangement of Arban’s Variations on “The Carnival of Venice”.  Originally, the piece was arranged by Donald Hunsberger for trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.  Scott makes a great case for it on this instrument and it serves its purpose to confirm her place as one of our premiere trombonists.

    Playing Favorites is a perfect demonstration album for Scott’s abilities.  These are each engaging works that should appeal to fans both of classical and jazz music because the composer’s here are using that latter connection within their pieces to explore the instrument’s more familiar use.  The recording is well-balanced, though the sound image seems to dampen in the Lias recording.  Petti proves to be a fine supporter here helping to add to the nuances of this music in ways that perfectly match Scott’s interpretation.  Certainly an album for those who play the instrument and for those interested in unique solo music.