I¹m kidding but I just like the single trigger ­ it¹s light, more resonant. I¹m going to take you down to hear a real trombone player now. I said, hello, who is this? It¹s important that they all make horns for us. Vern gave me a songbook and told me to learn the songs. My brother-in-law, Vern Grant, had a little band. Sometimes, you have to accommodate. Nat Cole. That¹s key for the bottom of the trombone section, for the bottom of the orchestra. Ferner gehört er lange Jahre der International Trombone Association an und war Namensgeber für die George Roberts Bass Trombone Competition. Yes, John wrote all the arrangements, too. Loud. About eight years later, Nelson did The Joy of Living album. Otherwise, there won¹t be anything there and you start shaking. Never. Mark picked it up and played it and remarked, I could play this anywhere. I was 13 and he comes out on the stage and starts playing the most amazing intricate passage - high and low - all over the place and my thoughts were like, am I going to have to play like that on my trombone? You don¹t get up and walk out, no matter how good you think you are. We haven¹t done anything! Too many bass trombone players want to be smart and play everything down an octave. Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Roberts began his career after service in the U.S. Navy. Zig had asked me to go to the ITF and just sit at the Kanstul table. The more of yourself that you dedicate to making beautiful music, the better you will play and the more enjoyment you will get out of it. You know ­ just kidding! It adds but does not detract from the song. I pray for all of the young people that the big bands will come back some day but it will have to be the young people who bring them back. I mentioned to some of them that all my life, I had wanted to meet Robert Isele. George, could we discuss the trombones that you have played ­ what horn you started on, what you have played, and what you are playing now? Nelson was a big benefactor of ours. Sound. They can write more notes, different combinations of positions and things like this with valves and such. The reason he wanted my name on the horn was that Olds had a reputation, at the time, for only building the student model Ambassador. That¹s what I worked toward for a long time. You could play for four hours from those CD¹s. I think that really is true. I said, yeah, when you play a concert with the Philharmonic which horn do you play? George Robert's new trombone: also see: Kanstul Musical Instruments. Doug and I are very dear friends. These were our new bikes because we couldn't afford (real) new bikes. So, we were driving down the street and there was this old fellow (he¹s 86) standing out, looking up and down the street waving to the car. Sony bought the rights from Columbia. For myself, I honestly believe that you've got to have the greatest sound in the world. I started playing trombone when I was twelve. To me, their sound goes sideways and I want my sound to go straight ahead. I played the Herrick for a long time, then went with Conn for awhile. I told dad that it was the greatest looking horn I'd ever seen. He is one of the dearest friends that I have. $5.25. Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews - For True [New Vinyl LP] $22.42. That was his warm-up! Before retiring, he had performed on over 6000 recordings. What are your thoughts about double valve and single valve bass trombones? Urbie Green, Gene Mulluns, and myself. I don¹t start off by blowing real loud. I can tell you right now that, anyone who is honest with themselves, knows their own strengths and weaknesses better than anybody in the whole world. He was always a dream for me of what a trombone player should be. I was just going to see my friend Lee, the Engineer. So, after I finished the clinic at Penn State with the kids, Jim Erdman said, George, get your horn, get in the car. I¹m not Tommy Dorsey, so I don¹t need a feather-light slide. Roberts also was … The Kanstul quality control is great. To play for two straight hours, playing every tune is not that easy. How am I going to survive in this industry with all of the electronics taking over the field? From the G pedal tone and down below, with a single embouchure, I would start to disappear. I was with the Ray Robbins Band in Milwaukee when I got a call from Gene Krupa's Band in Chicago. Mark Lawrence, principal trombonist of the San Francisco Symphony, came out to a BonesWest rehearsal and the guys asked me to play something with the group after Mark¹s clinic was finished. I could smell the slide oil already. You can be so expressive in the black and white medium. There might be one opportunity in a lifetime and you are forced to stay with it. Has there been any push to get Meet Mr. Roberts and Bottom¹s Up reissued? Over on the other side of the room, was Dick Nash, and he was playing, like, doodleoodle dee. I tell all of my kids that you must always take as much air as you can ­ you can¹t exhale and start playing. We used to mess with our photo equipment at night on the road. I just never played a double trigger bass trombone, mainly because it hurt my hand and I didn¹t need it. Do you feel that was part of Frank's success, as well? George M Roberts - P 2014 He recorded for Nelson Riddle, Frank Sinatra, Stan Kenton and John Williams and can be heard on the soundtrack for 'Jaws' George M. Roberts, … Reg felt that if a name player would help him build a bass trombone, that he could break into the pro line. The direction I went was to put that trombone sound together with songs. He took me to Drake University, which was only six blocks from where we lived, and got Jack Dalby, who was a kid getting his trombone credentials at Drake, and asked Jack if he could teach me to play trombone. Sue and I would go outside ­ I would practice outside to try to build up my lung capacity. I am really proud of Doug for getting in there and doing that. Bass trombone shouldn¹t have a sound like a baritone or a tuba, or anything. There¹s nothing like standing in front of a big band. So, I would go outside and practice long tones and stuff. I still believe this today and tell all my kids that your personality is going to dictate what you do on the horn. It was Urbie's lyric tenor trombone playing that inspired George to be an "Urbie" one octave lower. Conn made a copy of Burt¹s oversized 1.5G, which I liked. When I first started attending the ITA¹s, years and years ago, I played ³Send in the Clowns², which is a Sinatra thing. I think that they¹ll take care of business. We made the date that (snaps fingers) fast. Anyway, I waited 60 years to meet Robert Isele, so when we got up to leave, I turned to him and said, Robert, you don¹t know how much this means to me, and I gave him a big hug. It¹s the male voice) in Kenton¹s band, that might be the answer. This page is updated: He said, that¹s right, George, and I gave him a big hug. I like it every bit as well as what I had been playing before. The horn is light and I can last all night! He also had multiple sclerosis. The audience always loved my ballads. I was screaming, YES!!! We sat down to talk and became inseparable friends for a million years, Nelson and I. Lloyd looked at me and said, George, you know that you and I have to get a new warm-up. I wanted to play trombone! All the time? I wanted to sit and talk with him but I could never find out where he lived. Not a clam. Nelson, bless his heart, out of that meeting with Gillette and the thing with Helfer and Stravinsky and all that kind of stuff ­ if you put all of that stuff together, there¹s where your commercial business came from for all of us bass trombone players. I packed a small bag of socks and shorts and stomped out the back door of the house. I don¹t know where that¹s going to come from. I thought Lee would just be in a back room fiddling with electronics. I did a clinic last year at Penn State University with all my kids from six different colleges; trombone choirs and things and the Marine trombone section was there. If I had known what I was walking into, I might not have been able to pull it off. There is one exercise in the back of the book that came from Frank Comstock¹s Pattern album. Well, I wanted to get out, so I could go on the road with a big name band. He used to come up and talk to me during breaks because he liked bass trombone, he liked the sound. That all changed and I think it¹s because of songs and sound and that¹s part of what created the business for bass trombone players. Well, it¹s that same group of people I just mentioned. What are your thoughts about playing with Stan Kenton from 1951 to 1953? So, I'm sitting at home one morning. You know, when youngsters see a pedal tone written on the page, they just hit it, like BAM! What is your favorite aspect of the bass trombone ­ what do you like most about it? I said, that¹s what I thought! I started to think, are my thoughts right? Kenton was always a thrill because that first ensemble sound was always so powerful; it could really just knock you out! Where are they headed? A studio veteran with more than 6000 movie and recording credits, George is single-handedly responsible for bringing the bass trombone from last chair to solo voice with his lyrical and expressive playing. Helfer was just frowning, furious, sitting against the wall. You know, the bass trombone parts. By playing long tones and slurs! I played tenor trombone and was in a conservatory out here in LA. The next morning, I was in the draft for Guam, so I spent two years on Guam! That was the first time I had ever been in front of a big band audience. I played a 1.5G Bach for years and Burt made me an oversized 1.5G that I just loved. The teacher informed my mother that I would never play trombone because my arms were not long enough. I worked for Bobby Helfer from that day forward. George, if you would tell us a little bit about your time in the Navy? You have discussed the importance of long tones and lip slurs in your developmental years. That really shook me up because I absolutely adore the guy. The Chief saw this and said, Roberts, come into my office as soon as you finish. If she doesn¹t close her eyes, I¹m not sure if she liked it, or not. I dropped my slide and the band marched over it! There are many ways to approach playing the trombone and I have told you my way that has been pretty successful. Times have changed. Doug Yeo, with the Boston Symphony, plays a Yamaha and sounds fabulous. What major changes have you noticed in big bands and commercial music from when you started to where we are today? Just one note to lay the foundation for the entire orchestra. In symphony orchestras, for example, conductors want a dark, heavy sound. Dad said, okay, fine, I'll help you pack your bags. Absolutely! I'd love to do that! My parents were really proud of me (tongue-in-cheek) for making money with my trombone! Say it the right way with a great sound ­ and I think that¹s a bass trombone! If you play an Eb pedal tone like velvet, they¹ll eat you alive! That¹s just what I told him - he¹s an old friend from years ago. If it was in eighth notes, I would lip it down because you¹ll feel the note but you won¹t hear it. Lloyd Ulyate, my dearest friend (who passed away just recently) and I were playing a date. The 2021 ITA Competitions General Requirements must be strictly followed to avoid disqualification. Lee said, come in, I¹ve got somebody I want you to meet: Nelson (Riddle), this is George Roberts. Now, you listen to Doug Yeo, who can instantly transition from symphony playing to a big band style just as easily as anything. That means that you should be able to sing and whack notes just like a tenor trombone. He used to come out and record Kenton ­ he was the money behind the Kenton recordings. And they will! I said, what? He also had multiple sclerosis George Roberts, " Mr. Bass Trombone" was one of the most beloved personalities in the music world. George Roberts' nickname is "Mr. Bass Trombone" and so he is. He wouldn¹t really hire me at the very beginning because I was a jazzer. It still gives me funny feelings about it because that was a true love affair, my dad going down there and getting me a new trombone. It¹s pathetic that such a large part of our culture has simply disappeared. George Roberts Trombone - Star Wars Suite - 100 Trombones Concert (video) - Duration: 10:29. frankenbone1 104,995 views. A lot of the playing on a single trigger horn is physical. I said, wait a minute! Inception. It wasn¹t my egotism that caused the Roberts Model Olds. The movie Jaws is my favorite. Make a song out of your long tones. How about a six-hour date, that¹s the same thing. Lloyd was such a dear friend of mine. You know, I probably shouldn¹t do this but you see that plastic garbage bag? shipping: + $4.00 shipping . Go down front and play something. I thought, hey, this is really great! I thought, if you can sing to what Irv¹s got, you can play to it. All the simple things. Now, dad paid every month for that trombone, he couldn¹t afford it but he did it out of his love for me. They knew that I could play because they knew me when I was with Krupa and Urbie. Oh, we do terrible things to each other. You know, John Williams is a very dear friend ­ used to be a trombone player. It was just some dipsy hotel music but I was making money with my trombone. So, I pivot off the bottom lip and get more of my top lip into the mouthpiece and then I use a crossover thing where I can play from Eb pedal tone to G and am able to play a Bb pedal (up or down), AA, AAb, and the rest of the way down. Helfer said, how long would it take you to get in your car with your bass trombone, your bag of mutes, and everything else that you carry and get down to Radio Recorder¹s Annex? So, I grabbed the phone and Stan asked me if I wanted to join his band. Make money with my trombone? There¹s only 5% of this business that¹s stark terror. George, you have a bass trombone method that was put out several years ago. Everybody thought it was just fabulous, what I had done and I had just saved Bobby Helfer from a guy walking out on one of his calls with Igor Stravinsky. I think that¹s true. George, what are your thoughts about breath support and breath control ­ airflow management? The Chief called me in and said that my orders were in but if I accepted them, I would have to commit for an additional year. Should I be doing this more? I love all of you trombone players and wish you the best of luck. Every time I participated in developing a new horn, one thing that stayed with me was the leadpipe. I did the whole business, everything that I¹ve ever played on a single trigger bass trombone. If I didn¹t have this trombone thing, I¹d probably find some way to be involved with photography, you know, because it provides an opportunity for self-expression. Well, there are very few and it¹s just like with trombonists ­ masters of simplicity who have great sound and can control their instruments. Put some headphones on and really get into listening to the good vocalists sing and the way they phrase. My dream bands were Woody Herman and Kenton. The teacher put me on clarinet. Well, Lee Gillette was the biggest A & R man at Capitol at the time. When I pick up a double trigger, I fall over on my side. I already knew that the sound delay was going to be a son-of-a-gun but Stravinsky began to conduct and we got a little way in and he stopped and said, he (George) is right and you¹re wrong (harpist) ­ play with him! We were on the road for some time and I wrote a terrible chart. Given your experience with commercial music, is there a danger in this? Besides my family, trombone has been the biggest thing for me since the age of twelve. It would be an understatement to say that George has an adoring audience. That Doug would have a family and a life, like every normal human being could have. George Roberts Bass Trombone Competition. There was an alley beside our house. The bass trombone, by the way, is the most beautiful ballad instrument in the world. All the jobs that you get in the music business are basically from friendsŠmy friend from the conservatory got me the job in Milwaukee. My first taste of politics came from my mother. Tony Bennett. The man whose sound we so easily recognize in movies, records and television, is also the man who virtually single-handedly brought the Bass Trombone from its last low trombone status, to the forefront as a solo instrument which could stand alone and sound wonderful. As Paul Tanner observed, ³George played delicately and pretty on a clumsy instrument, he really opened up the bass trombone business². I would like to thank Mr. Roberts for taking the time to talk to us, for he is very busy and his time is extremely valuable. If you get too dark or too big, you can only play with certain groups. I wanted to meet Robert Isele to find out what kind of a guy he was that enabled him to play that way. Everybody ­ we¹re all going over to Robert Isele¹s house. Didn¹t go through the living room but went straight to dad and asked if he had seen the trombone. I¹m throwing that in because Zig waited nearly two years for me to come out and say hello and I thought that was pretty nice. Double valves are just too heavy. Anyway, when it came time to warm up, I started my soft, long tones and noticed that Lloyd was playing even softer and longer. $11.95. I was about 18 or 19 years old at the time. And, then there was his melodic brilliance. Bob Fitzpatrick and Mel Burne were the two friends who got me into that band. People used to come out to dance and really made live music a part of their lives. In those days, there were only two pro horns available for bass trombone players: Bach and Conn. 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