You want trombones? We’ve got ‘em!
Bass trombonist Jennifer Wharton exercises her buccinators alongside fellow sliders John Fedchock, Nate Mayland and Alan Ferber, supported by a hip team of Nichael Eckroth/p-key, Evan Gregor/b, Don Peretz/dr and a couple guests on a mix and match of covers and originals. The brass shines in a Latin fashin with Samuel Torres’ sizzling percussion on “Bogasmo” and bops like a Blue Note session with him on “La Otra Mano”, with Eckroth giving some Hancockian finger work. The horns get dreamy for “ Twinkle,” creamy on “Ice Fall” while producing a rich mix of arias on “Little Cupcake”. Solos abound, and it’s fun to hear the differences in the types of slides, with hooks, head firsts and straight-ahead slides abounding, as Fedchock gives an aria on “Little Cupcake” and Wharton splats like a water balloon on “Union Blues”. Vocal guest Kurt Elling goes out of character and belts out some gutbucket blues on a fun and swampy “The Day I Tried To Live” alongside Wharton’s greasy glide. No bones to pick here!