egroj world: Vic Dickenson • Gentleman of the Trombone

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Vic Dickenson • Gentleman of the Trombone

Review by Steve Loewy
Vic Dickenson was one of the great trombone stylists whose relaxed sound, slurred notes, and impeccable feel invested every solo with a unique warmth never duplicated by anyone else. While he was often recorded as a sideman, he was rarely captured as a leader. This mid-'70s studio session, recorded late in his career, features a mature Dickenson leading a sympathetic rhythm section of pianist Johnny Guarnieri, bassist Bill Pemberton, and drummer Oliver Jackson. The real treasure is the chance to hear the trombonist playing tunes with which he was comfortable and improvising at length. His renditions of "Sweet Sue, Just You," "Christopher Columbus," and "Bye Bye Blackbird" are perfect expositions of his classy way of capturing the essence of a tune. The trombonist sings on a couple of tracks ("Just Too Late" and "More Rain"), but his vocals are more of interest as novelty items for completists. Johnny Guarnieri struts his stuff on "Shine," with a hot solo worthy of the era in which the piece was written.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/gentleman-of-the-trombone-mw0000232307

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Reseña de Steve Loewy
Vic Dickenson fue uno de los grandes estilistas del trombón, cuyo sonido relajado, notas arrastradas y tacto impecable dotaban a cada solo de una calidez única nunca duplicada por nadie. Aunque a menudo se le grababa como músico de acompañamiento, rara vez se le captaba como líder. Esta sesión de estudio de mediados de los 70, grabada al final de su carrera, muestra a un Dickenson maduro al frente de una simpática sección rítmica formada por el pianista Johnny Guarnieri, el bajista Bill Pemberton y el batería Oliver Jackson. El verdadero tesoro es la oportunidad de escuchar al trombonista tocando melodías con las que se sentía cómodo e improvisando largo y tendido. Sus interpretaciones de "Sweet Sue, Just You", "Christopher Columbus" y "Bye Bye Blackbird" son exposiciones perfectas de su elegante manera de captar la esencia de una melodía. El trombonista canta en un par de temas ("Just Too Late" y "More Rain"), pero sus voces tienen más interés como novedad para los completistas. Johnny Guarnieri se pavonea en "Shine", con un ardiente solo digno de la época en que fue escrita la pieza.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/gentleman-of-the-trombone-mw0000232307

Tracks:
1 - Too Marvelous For Words - 5:01
2 - Nice And Easy Blues - 5:58
3 - Just Too Late - 4:14
4 - Shine - 4:58
5 - Sweet Sue, Just You - 4:53
6 - Bye Bye Blackbird - 6:14
7 - More Rain More Rest - 2:56
8 - S'Posin' - 7:55
9 - Love Letters In The Sand - 4:24
10 - Christopher Columbus - 5:23
11 - I Ain't Got Nobody - 5:33

Credits:
    Bass – Bill Pemberton
    Drums – Oliver Jackson
    Engineer – Gerhard Lehner
    Layout – Chris Olesen
    Photography By – Raymond Ross
    Piano – Johnny Guarnieri
    Producer – Henry Dufresne, Karl Emil Knudsen
    Trombone, Vocals – Vic Dickenson

Recorded: July 25, 1975
Location: Studio 16, La Fontonne, Antibes

Label:    Storyville – STCD 5008
Country:    Denmark
Released:    2000
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Swing
https://www.discogs.com/release/14231609-Vic-Dickenson-Gentleman-Of-The-Trombone