TromboneChat

Hey all.

I often see Barry Rogers listed as one of the guys to go to for getting the style for salsa trombone playing down, but I've been having trouble finding recordings.  I know he played a lot with Eddie Palmieri.  Does anyone have suggestions for recordings to look for that feature him?

He's on some of Bobby Valentine's stuff - his album "Va a la Carcel" is a classic. Barry takes a ride on Prestame Tu Caballo and another tune I can't remember the name of. He's also on Afuera - check out "El Jíbaro y La Naturaleza" - that's the one everyone says to check out.

The Eddie Palmieri La Perfecta, El Molestoso, Mozambique, and Bomboleate (and some others I can't remember right now.) I think he takes a solo on the Bomboleate if I remember right - I think that's the one that had Cal Tjader on it. I listened to these hanging out with my familia boricua up in Tulsa on the original vinyl, I don't have those albums yet. I know he's on a bunch of the Palmieri stuff. Should be a discography or a wiki article somewhere that has that info.

He did some of the Fania All Stars stuff - Live at the Cheetah i think is one of them.

He's on a bunch of stuff uncredited, I think he had quite a studio career outside of latin music.

He's on some stuff with Conjunto Libre - the one I have is called Con Salsa Con Ritmo or something like that. At least I'm pretty sure that's him. There's a guy who played with Pancho Sanchez that sounds a lot like him, but I think that's Steve Turre (I'm Guessing, the album I got didn't have the sidemen listed on it dammit!). When Steve Turre plays latin stuff he sounds so much like Barry Rogers it is sometimes hard to tell.

If you haven't already, check out Jimmy Bosch. He's the heir apparent to BR, and he's definitely carved out his own path. In terms of guys who play with that same fire that Barry Had, Jimmy Bosch is one of the few who can carry that flame without getting burned. Jimmy has done a ton of albums under his own name so it's easy to find stuff he's on. He's probably the most in demand salsa trombonist so he's on a bunch of stuff, much of it uncredited.

Thanks for the suggestions; already having an easier time finding solos to listen to!  I am familiar with Jimmy Bosch.  I got the chance to meet him and hear him play a few years ago when my salsa band opened for his at a club.  Cool guy, great player!

Unreal trades with the chorus on Un Dia Bonito around 10:45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfH5N-F-FJA

a transcription of this became integrated into the Brecker Brothers tune "Song for Barry".

Always remarkable to me how he uses almost none of the typical "jazz trombone" vocabulary. A lot of what he does is derived from improvised Afro-cuban vocal vocabulary. Truly a model for all of us in how to avoid cliches!

Thanks for this Jacob, I was looking for this!

Un Dia Bonita is a high point for Barry Rogers, and for Eddie Palmieri overall!   Definitely dig on all of the Palmieri albums that came before, as Rogers was with him from the early days of the two-trombone "La Perfecta" front line.   But also don't discount Jose Rodrigues, who was the other trombonist - and a kick-ass player in his own right - on much of this stuff.

Ditto all of the above, but...maybe his most important characteristic was his "arranger/music director/organizer" side. Every band he was in got better the moment that he joined. It wasn't necessarily that he was hired for and/or took on the music director job, it was just that he was so organized, perceptive and clear in his actions and statements that a sloppy band sudden;y became a cleaner one without losing any passion or fire.

For example...for many years he carried a piano tuning wrench with him. If a piano was out of tune in a cub (this predates the electric piano takeover)...as were many in less expensive Nuyorican dance venues at the time... he'd do quick fixes to make it play more in tune. An in tune band is a better band, right out front.

Stuff like that.

He was a giver. He was all about the music, all the time.

S.

Sam, you're a wealth of information. Thanks for the post.

Makes me wonder... if enough people are around that a book about Barry could be written using interviews and anecdotes.

On a side note..Arturo Velasco was one of the original LA trombone players in the Pancho Sanchez band...Arturo and I lived in the same neighborhood at that time. On a second side note Mark Weinstein was often paired up with Barry Rogers, they were a mighty pair as well. This was in the mid/late '60's. Another great trombone player in that era is Lew Kahn who played with Harlows' bands including Fania. Lew also doubles on violin, is a gifted fine artist, photographer, has a bunch of beautiful old instruments and is hiz own man, fer sure. Sam has experienced much of Lews' own manness on the stand.

Check out a solo on Fania All stars live at Yankee stadium Vol. 1 on the song
"Pueblo Latino." It is intense and one of my favorites. check it out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39-rI4YOe-8

Around the 3:50 mark

Another Cool Solo of Barry is when He played for a little while with the young 19 year old
Willie Colon in Colon's album "Guisando" on the song 'No Me Den Candela"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVm8bQQhjBE

Solo is at the end of song. Really cool.
Solo by Barry Rogers
1969

Around the 5;20 mark

Check out this very original solo on Picadillo 1966
around the 5 minute mark.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4zL8LMNaJE

Barry solo on Solo Pensar en ti
1965

Super Cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjciKMmCQ7k

Mahna de Carnaval around 1965 to 1966

Barry Rogers Solo on Trombone


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU01AVX2AV0

great use of the bent and in between notes

Barry got together with Willie colon to record in 1973

Junio 73

Both Willie and Barry trade stanzas throughtout the song

Cool timbales solo too!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBRYUSQnEXM

I have lunch every Thursday with a Gentleman that was one of Eddie Palmieri`s bass players in the `60 & `70s.
He worked wit Barry. I asked about him and he said that Barry was a really nice guy knew that music inside & out.

I have lunch every Thursday with a Gentleman that was one of Eddie Palmieri`s bass players in the `60 & `70s.
He worked wit Barry. I asked about him and he said that Barry was a really nice guy knew that music inside & out.