Bill Watrous with Bones West at NAMM Show 2007

[forceknt31]

three blind mice. this is why i love Bill

[gti84guy]

Frank Rosolino, Carl Fontana, Matt Catingub, Andy Martin. Besties

[SuperShade7]

I loves me some Bill Watrous!

[lazydave51]

Only the late Carl Fontana can be mentioned in the same sentence when you talk about great 'bone men. I had the pleasure of being at one of Bill's clinics back in the 70's. He came in a couple of minutes late and used the opportunity to show us how he warmed up for studio gigs. He assembled his horn and played an amazingly clean, smooth melody, explaining that you don't usually have any time to warm up at studio gigs, so you learn to just do it, without playing a note beforehand. Amazing!

[goinouttamymind]

Holy Shit!! Thats a lot of Trombones

[HommeElegant]

Obviously WIlliam Watrous is not only one of the most competent Tbne player of the last 40 years but also a humble chap who will play and help other to play! Although this is obviously not the best setting and best sound for Maestro Watrous who nonetheless remains as always SENSATIONAL Bruno Pierre Gebarski Hamburg Germany

[Glockyia]

Bill is an incredible trombone player.Bills the real deal

[DarthBronze]

Gosh, you can hardly hear him cause of the other crap. But billy is still the man. I don't think anyone can compare to him except Frank Rosolino who is my favorite by the way.

[alecjones]

PLayed a show with him as guest artist in 1975 at FSU-ws a perfect gentleman-blew everybody away--Kim Richmond, DOn Ellis also guest. One hell of a night. Bill's only request when we brought him from the airport is don't put him on any of Don Ellis charts. I also luckily ended up getting a slip at Daytona marina for a couple of night-our neighbors were his parents. His da and mom were living on the boat and playing a club in Daytona (1972) super nice people.

[rubendaluz]

Um dos mestres do trombone, sem dúvida!

Se ele demonstrasse um pouco de emoção e seria um dos "patrões"...

Salvé, Bill!

[6stringsdown]

We're playing Blues in Frankie's Flat now in my big band. We do have a few less bones and a few more lesser instruments though.. haha

[snauby]

Bill is God, though, even through this. Much respect.

[snauby]

A lot of pizzas weren't delivered that day. Very funny.

Seriously, this is so sad. Totally validates my decision not to pursue a career in jazz. If Bill Watrous is doing this . . . .

[ReijiThePhantom]

What playing a gig at the NAMM show, which is the show of the year for music and instrument manufacturers is considered sad? If you don't see this as a serious gig it's no wonder you're not a musician but a whiner.

[snauby]

Gosh, a music-instrument-manufacturer convention is really impressive and all, but open your ears!!! This is the very opposite of serious, brother. The very opposite. I'd rather catch the local high-school jazz combo at the Ramada lounge than endure this.

So I repeat - so sad.

[ReijiThePhantom]

I was there during this performance ..he kicked butt. This recording doesn't do it justice. "I'd rather catch the local high-school jazz combo at the Ramada lounge than endure this" ..then do it, record it and put it up to compare. Some snot nosed high school kid will never come close to this.

[snauby]

You're not getting my point. Bill is awesome, including on this clip. Just wish we could hear more from him in even better contexts. That's all.

[snauby]

Hey, you know what? My comments were out of line. Bill's amazing, and I'm sure the recording doesn't do the other guys justice. Hats off to anyone who continues to play, and please let's see more Watrous posts. Peace.

[golcowie]

Piękny dzwięk!! Ale technika, Bill jest the Best.

Pablo "Golec Orchestra".pl

[kabobjs]

jaw dropped around 1:35 daaaang

[nolan83]

I met Bill when he came to play at my high school when I was a sophomore 1st Trombone in the Jazz Band. He is the greatest!

[macree01]

a true master at work!!

[MRODB6]

Wow alot of Pizza's weren't delivered that day... LOL

[narb182]

haha, nice.

[shoegazer666]

he's my reason for playing trombone.

[kfallon318]

I was in Anaheim (thanks to the folks at Summerhays Music who brought a bunch of us band directors down to check out some instruments) and caught this show...thanks for posting the recording! As cool as this tape is, it was unbelievable live. Bill Watrous is a legend. Thanks Dad for sending me the link.

[silver3B]

Plus he's so cool in person. He was in the Selmer booth trying out all the Bach horns. I went up to him and said hello, he stopped to talk and comment on the horns, just a super nice person.

The video was tough to shoot cause it was all handheld. It's a three chip camera but the lighting was tough and the audio in the outdoor court didn't lend it's self to getting good sound.

Anthony

[raulomargarcia]

My favorite of all!

[Trombone0817]

The lick at 2:32...Is...SO...HARD...Amazin­g solo from my personal favorite Jazz Trombonist.

[NJLouis66]

He had a stroke, and he plays like that?! Man, that is just amazing. I mean, stroke aside, the playing is great anyway. But to recover from a stroke, even if it was a "mild" one, and do this at this level? That amazes me.

[drvorospeti]

gecijóóóóóóóóó!!!!!!!!!!

[tanninen112]

i met bill last saturday when he was visiting here in

finland. just fantastic sound

[robegerton]

I've met Bill a couple of times and found him to be very pleasant and encouraging chap. Didn't know about his recent ailments, and I agree, he does look a bit rough here. Still playing good though. Having said that, I much prefer his stuff back in the seventies with the Manhatten Wildlife Refuge. He was simply staggering back then.

[miamisunray]

Neat...I got a chance to play with him back in the '80's when I was lead/jazz 'bone in a local Winninpeg, Manitoba bigband. Of course, he has been my all-time favorite with his somewhat delicate sound and blistering technique. I actually transcribed his 4th-floor walkup chart for my bigband in college and attempted to play his solo note-for-note ( yes, I actually wrote out each note he played!!! Those were the days!!!

I'm glad to hear he is doing great.

Ray

[xlfutur1]

The guy is almost 70, has had a stroke, and still does ridiculous shit on the trombone. Absolutely incredible. thanks for posting!

[clinton2010]

he had a stroke back a few years ago. he talked about it when he was talkin to me and some other trombone players  a few weeks ago at my jazz contest thing.

[lxlstrombone1]

That "back-up band" is comprised of 30 or 40 bones, mostly amateur players and students and get together once a week for the sheer joy of playing. bill is one of their all-time heroes and the mututal benefit of his playing with them reaches far beyond anything musical!! Besides, it was an outdoor background concert that was never meant to be released!!

[BloozBone]

Great to see Bill Watrous playing again after a rough illness.

[trbuckley]

What illness did he have? He has long been a favorite of mine, and I saw him in person many times in the 1980s. It is a little shocking to see him here. Plays great, but looks like the walking dead.

[BloozBone]

According to Trombonesonline, he had an lung infection that put him in the hospital. I didn't know about the stroke. He doesn't look too bad for a 70 year old just out of the hospital. He has been my favorite trombone player also. He sets the bar very high.

[manthisisit]

thanks for posting such an awesome video, bill watrous is one of my favorite players of all time!! thanks!.

[claybone828]

Yea Bill...the rock star trombonist...love it. HAHA some three blind mice at the end of the first solo break ....great stuff!

[dekarthegreat]

No Wai!!! I love Bill Watrous. My first big influence as a trombone player