Hello, I have been playing trombone for six or seven years now (jazz for about three or four), and I would like to ask for some advice from the experienced members here. I have now decided that I want to play bebop, and I am trying to get a bebop group together. Firstly, could anyone give me any links or anything about the various bebop scales and techniques necessary for playing bebop on trombone? Medium swing advice would also be appreciated, for it would be nice to have a slower song thrown in there every once in a while. Please include any books or other things that you think would be prudent to buy in learning this.

Secondly, could anyone recommend some good bebop artists to listen to besides J.J. Johnson? (He is awesome, but he is the only one I know.) Do you think it would be a good idea to try to master some of the bebop classics before trying to improvise my own bebop solos?

Lastly, do you think I should buy a custom Edwards jazz trombone or a King 2B? Remember that this is for playing lead jazz trombone and bebop.

Thanks to anyone who sees it worth their time to give a reply to this! All advice shall be greatly appreciated.

Listen to Charlie Parker!!!!

And Miles, and Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins.... And on and on. Really. Don't limit yourself to your instrument, or any other. You want ideas, and you want to absorb yourself in the beautiful history of a particular art form.

As for the horn, don't listen to anyone that says one is better then the other. I play an Edwards, but it works for me. You choose the one the feels and works best for you. Both are great horns.

Also a side note... Steve, when I first read your comment here (which, by the way, is absolutely brilliant) the first thing I though of was those "Listen to Black Sabbath" tee shirts.

Awesome.

Thank you guys for the quick replies, but what about the scales and toungueing? I know that music is not (and should not be) entirely based on scales, and it is boring if one does not divert from them, but I think there are specific bebop scales. Think you could give me a link or something?

And I will listen to some Charlie Parker. I should have thought of that myself!

Erik, I know you do not want to persuade me to buy one or the other, but what do you think about the sound differences? I am somewhat unsure about buying an Edwards because I do not think I would know how to customize it to my liking online (and I do not think I can go to the factory). Thanks!

That's the thing, the sound difference is different for every person. Remember, the sound doesn't start with the horn, it starts with you. Your airflow and your lips. Fleshy human parts. They will be different for everyone. I know folks that get big, beautiful sounds out of a 2B, but I get a little, thin, weak sound, while the Edwards gives me what I'm looking for. To each their own.

You should try as much as you can before you buy. I bought an Edwards only after testing several Edwards combos of parts and settled on what I liked and what felt good. If you can't test it, don't buy it.

If you can, make the trip out to the Edwards shop. It's worth it.

Alright, thanks for the advice.

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After a very thorough search, I was able to find the various bebop scales for trombone. Any other help (especially on the tonguing part of bebop) would still be appreciated though.

Get a book called Doodle Studies and Etudes by Bob McChesney
You can get it from www.hickeys.com
It's a bit pricey but it will open a lot of doors for you if you work hard at it.

Thank you very much for the recommendation! I think I will consider that book; it looks like it would be quite rewarding. May I ask, though, would it be useful for jazz (and especially bebop)? I just do not want to get something relatively expensive only to find it is primarily targeted for classical music (I really specify in jazz as you can tell).

I wouldn't have recommended it if it weren't beneficial to your situation.

Yeah, I read some more, and it sounds like it would be extremely beneficial. Sorry if I sounded dubious; I was thinking about "digga" tonguing (for classical) as opposed to doodle. Thanks again!

In addition to that book, do you think David Baker's: How to Play Bebop series would be helpful? It looks like it would be, but I would just like to know your opinion about it.