TromboneChat

I've joined another big band here in N. San Diego County, and upon looking over some of the music I came across a chart called "Wave".  It's a bass bone feature for big band.  There is no publisher listed.  I'd like to provide this composition to the New Horizons Jazz Band at NAMM headquarters here in Carlsbad. Anyone familiar with this piece who would know how I can obtain it for this band?  I played through it and I'm sure that John Struder, the band's bass bone guy, can handle it.  Thanks

https://www.sierramusicstore.com/Wave_p/smp-182.htm

Thanks.  That's the one! 

People I used to work would just pick that up by ear, if notes were not available. That's not too complex, fast or difficult. But then, we are not a big band, we were a 6 or sometimes 7 piece band.

Not helpful, but funny coincidence.. we just dredged this chart up from the depths of my big band's library last week.

(So I've spent the week listening through a bunch of versions on YouTube... Aidan, nice job on yours  )

The time is right, the tides are turning, the Wave is coming back....!

I played Wave last summer with the Coastal Communities Jazz Band at the Carlsbad Community Church as part of their concert series. Last February I played Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week, another bass bone feature by Pat Williams, with the same band at the same place.

I'm pretty sure there's a classic recording of "Wave" w/a young Bill Reichenbach playing the bass trombone solo with the Buddy Rich Band.

Jim Scott

"Wave" is a nice arrangement (by John LaBarbera), very satisfying for the soloist and the audience IF (big IF) you've got the band to back it up.  The sax section doubles on flutes and the harmonies in the written tessitura are treacherous.  I've heard some very, very good bands muck this up.  Wise bandleaders will re-write the flute parts for saxophones if the players can't cut it.  There is a beautiful trombone soli part-way through that requires extra attention.  The lead trumpet player has to be solid as a rock to pull off the climax convincingly.  He has 52 bars rest leading up to it with nothing to do but get "cold" and worry about hitting that high "F".  More often that not, when I've heard bands play this tune, it's a miss (or at the very least, less than convincing).  Listen to some of the recordings on YouTube and you'll hear what I mean.

The solo part is not difficult.  It's an easy tune for the soloist to memorize and come out front to be featured.  Play the ink, don't stray from the melody too much and you'll be fine.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HtQknBwQdc

I heard 'Wave' for the first time in my teens, and it was the LaBarbera/Reichenbach version. It sort of killed me, and I played it for my weirdo/hipster/junkie/genius friend, who lived in an uninhabitable apartment with a real B-3 and Leslie, and he said, "Why'd they do that to the song?" Since I hadn't heard any of the bossa versions, I didn't know what his beef was. I've probably played the song a thousand times since, in a few different keys.

I revisited the Buddy Rich version a few years ago, and it still sort of killed me. Believe it or not, I had a cassette tape with McCoy playing the tune(purchased at a truck stop, no less!), and Paul Desmond does a great live version with Ed Bickert on guitar. Ahmad Jamal takes it apart and reassembles it in a delightful manner which isn't for the faint of heart.

It's an unusual Jobim song in that it doesn't rely much on repetition, except just barely in the bridge.

Here's a youtube clip of this tune, with the great bonus of Bill Reichenbach himself dispelling some myths in the comments:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HtQknBwQdc

Listening to it again made me realize how many of my harmonic concepts of the tune, to this day, were subconsciously filched from La Barbera.

My favorite bass bone big-band feature is Larry McVey's "Serenade for Bass Trombone."  I'd be happy to send you an mp3 if you'd like to hear it.

My favorite bass bone big-band feature is Larry McVey's "Serenade for Bass Trombone."  I'd be happy to send you an mp3 if you'd like to hear it.