Bill Watrous solo

[xlfutur1]

My father did a radio jingle for his company back in 1982 and the band on the session was chocked full of the best LA players - Tommy Newsom, Ray Brown, Conti Condoli, and of course Bill Watrous. I tagged along and went to the session and it was incredible. Lennie Niehaus did the jingle and Bill played an 8 bar solo during the 60 second spot. Every take was a masterpiece - lines up to high F, etc. Classic Watrous. I got to hang out some and talk with him afterwards. I'll never forget it.

[DrumTchr]

I played several gigs with Watrous and and in the middle of the show he would blow into the bell and the mouthpiece would be at the mic and he would play Confirmation. Never saw/heard that before or since.

Yes, no joke, seriously he did this.

[RussellUpsomgrubb]

I saw him do that singing and playing at the same time that Mangelsdorff did except that Watrous was playing moving lines all over the horn.

[DrumTchr]

Glad you confirmed this Russell or people wouldn't believe it.

[cmandial]

yea its called multiphonics

[killertromboner]

@cmandial I've been trying to master that shit for weeks now. It's tough to do.

[e1lio1t]

10 stars out of five

[Tromboneuse]

he is a god! nothing more to say.

[trombonepardal]

FENOMENAL

[jazzlover10000]

Watrous did great albums... was one of those performers that helped make the 1970s less of a drag. He and his band was always fun to listen to and watch.  Saw him several times in person.

[Berial01]

i just got done watching bill watrous, jeff jarvis and rob pemberton do i concert with abac community college jazz group. it was amazing

[smaertpot04]

OMG! Dude I was there too! It was incredible huh? What school you from?

[basskid0]

im so happy i get to play with bill tomorrow at my schools jazz night

its gonna be so exciting

[jgardner307]

Hope he's not still the same dick he was in 1976 when i played with him. What an asshole.

[luistrombon]

waooo tremenda improvisacion que maestro de verdad

[Glooomp]

does anyone know what year this is?

[NINOJAZZPERU]

hello my name is child of peru and am a collector of jazz ... I'm an admirer of Bill Watrous and I have this video I have a complete list of dvd's and jazz concerts in my country so contestame to view this email as I can have .. thanks

[familypaladin]

Bill still plays! I saw him in Redlands, CA, about 18 monthys ago. Sounded just as sweet as ever.

[TexasTikiGod]

I got to see him in '77 at Knotts Berry Farm....WOW!

[Troyhas3]

He accomplishes this technically difficult solo with amazing tone

[sheriffKane]

Hey Horsepussy,

If you play trombone and listen to Bill carefully here, you may realize that no one else can accomplish this feat, technically or otherwise. Yes, JJ is more pure raw soulful jazz, but Bill is a master of the bone.

[HorsePussy]

Saw Bill in 1980 at a music festival in Chattanooga TN. Always a technically brilliant musician with staggering chops.

Still, JJ Johnson's ideas always struck me as more imaginative.

[dtingleff]

his haircut looks like it's hardly changed.. and he's a young guy here!!

[LLJtbone]

Yeah his hair style has much to be desired! Smokin' player though.

[Glockyia]

Bill in his prime was the best trombone player on the planet.

[werehavinaparty]

KC, thanks for the posting. I'm amazed at how some of the YouTube people find and posts these videos. Great stuff!

[werehavinaparty]

In 1975, I had the amazing pleasure to have Bill work with us in high school. Although he was a little "weird", I chalked that up to being a professional musician (and probably on a few drugs). That being said, he was a gentleman. And.....what an amazing performer! His range is crazy. It was embarrassing for some of the trumpet players that couldn't hit higher notes than Bill did on his trombone. There are very few trombonists more memorable than Watrous.

[mpppadre]

Nagyon jó!!!váó

[reyalejandre]

gran solo..

[marco8808]

Does anyone have Tiger of San Pedro?

[JukeboxTenor]

It's posted here on YouTube. Do a search for Watrous San Pedro and it will turn up! :-)

[rjksoccer06]

he barely uses any pressure on the mouthpiece..i'd be surprised if his lips even touch it at all anymore!

[kidavid77]

Yep, I heard that he used to hang his horn from the ceiling with fishing string, parallel to the ground, and he would walk up to it and try and play with as little pressure as possible. Ye Gods, what flexibility.

[trombonistry]

This "zero pressure" stuff is myth. Ever seen anyone actually DO this? Not me. I've only heard "stories" and a couple of guys brag about being able to do it. Bill himself has said that he DOES use pressure -- just enough to keep things together, to keep the lips from popping off the mouthpiece, which is the sane and realistic version of the myth.

[dtingleff]

well, not that kidavid77 said "try to play with as little pressure as possible".  so i suspect he might've actually done it--but only in private practice sessions, y'know? ..just to practice the concept.

[danylongshaft]

its all up to the player

its harder to play with little pressure, and a challenge to someone who uses a lot of pressure, like me for example, i always used enough pressure, but sometimes when i want to have a good intense practice, ill purposely use little or no pressure on long tones,,man that burns the shit out of yo lips

and if you use tooooo much pressure, plus tons of playing every day, youll have lips like Satchmo , its your choice

[sailorcarom]

Trop hot!!!!

[thefolding]

man this guy is a prick.

i love his style sure,

his talent is also unprecidented,

but when you shake his hand, he thinks he's freaking God.

screw that ego, kudos to the music though

[swiftninja1234]

who cares if he's something to listen to =/

[kidavid77]

I heard the same thing from my old trombone teacher who met him out in LA back in the late 70s. Said was very full of himself, even at the softball game they were playing. That being said, the guy's talent was unmatched.

[circuscbx]

bill used to be a bit crass long ago, but trust me, he is the nicest guy you would ever meet nowadays. he is always willing to talk to anyone about trombone, no matter what their experience level.....and by the way, almost every trombonist out there cut his teeth on bills licks. every one of them. if you are a trombonist, i would bet you that you tried it too....its guys like us that give him the god complex, and its well deserved, and bill is very uncomfortable with it, btw.

[Michelenergy]

I can top all of your comments!

I went to the High School of Music and Art and was best friends with Bill's daughter, Melody! We all used to go bowling together. On my birthday, Melody's dad (Bill) would play happy birthday to me on the trombone. I was so embarassed and looked at Melody like to say "HELP!" What the heck did I know???

[sackbut80]

haha i met him in an elevator at the witchita jazz festival years ago... i was like... wait, your... and he finished it haha awesome...

[FalcoLX]

He's been to my school twice before and I wasn't in Jazz Band. DOH! but he's coming again in April. I play Bass Trombone in Jazz band now and regular trombone in marching and symphonic. I am so pumped for him coming.

[golcowie]

Bill jest zajebisty. Jego granie mnie powala !!!

Bill the best !!

Pablo "Golec uOrkiesta"

[davetrombone1]

what do you mean rare? search "bill watrous space available" Same solo in the middle. Who made it grainy and reduced quality sound?

[kancellar3]

try to buy this Watrous video somewhere! - it means rear

[CycloniteKiller]

@kancellar3 how about you fucking download the video simple. i didn't think people were that stupid but damn...you're getting there.

[Wizari]

Bill is soo cool he came to our school. Hes soo pimp. He plays really high, verry soft, and has the mouthpiece verry high on his face.

[kabobjs]

so smooth

[jacpenner]

Thinking back now, I don't know how he pulled it off, but in grade 9, my band teacher got Bill Watrous in to teach a lesson. He played with the trombone section (which I was a part of). We all soloed for him, and he gave us some tips and tricks, and was very complimentary. I had no idea then what sort of a legend he was. That was crazy!

[tbonemercy]

He's a trombonist legend! I've seen him at the Fullerton Jazz Fest when I was in HS. My band teacher back in those days was a trombonist and Bill was her idol.

[clinton2010]

haha. i met him in real life too, he's da shiz, what a hippy man but he keeps it real all time...and i pretty much STARED at his trombone for about 4 seconds when he was talkin to someone else just like wow but hes a nice guy, good thing my jazz director is friends with him haha

[suprmunky]

i wish i was that good

[Wizari]

I met him in real life. :PP Im soo happy.

[clinton2010]

Mr. Watrous is not a jerk at all. He's good people. I got to talk to him in person and everything, I guess he thinks i'm a decent musician since he didn't YELL at ME. tehehe.

[Zombbg4]

My friend goes to USC where bill directs the jazz band. But man, he told me some crazy stories about bill....good guy over all though

[raulomargarcia]

My idol!

[rjksoccer06]

My teacher had a lesson with him. He showed up to Mr Watrous' door and he started yelling at him in a drunken rage.

[Toimisaki]

Bill Watrous does NOT DRINK.

He has had alot on his plate for the past few months but as you can see from this video he has come through with flying colors.

[thatcrazyeffinkid]

bill's great. he's one of my mentors. and he's not a jerk, he's only a jerk to shitty musicians who think they can play.

[bonnie251]

Very humble when I met him. Seems like a good bloke to me...and Cherokee in all 12 keys at about 300 clics? What a freak! Can you do that RadioJack?

[RadioJack]

probably cuz he sucked.

[bonnie251]

Sorry radiojack! That one was meant forjAMFKru

[JAMFKru]

too bad he's a jerk

[Glooomp]

No he isn't. He's a very nice mn actually. I had a good talk with him last year in Melbourne.

[JAMFKru]

o...my trombone teacher has a friend who took a lesson from him (really expensive by the way) and bill fell asleep while his student was playing.

[richardwigley]

Great vid!! Sounds like the tune Space Available to me!!

[kancellar3]

Yes, Richard - it is "Space Available"!

[richardwigley]

Thought so.. one of my favorite Watrous albums!

[NSchunks]

Fantastic!! Bill is one of the all time great trombone soloists with a that gorgeous tone and amazing technique. Gid bless him!!