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Breathing exercises abound. The worst example I ever encountered came to me via my friend Tom Horning, who said he had encountered a band director instructing others on his secret breathing method in an undisclosed state. The band director called it the “Sip & Hiss” method, as he encouraged his band students to follow his example. Recently, another band director introduced me to “sizzling”, or hissing the rhythm. Rhythmic acuity and ensemble benefits aside, I would approach the internalization of resistance with great caution, less the tension become transferred to the act of playing. Many breathing exercises seem innocent enough, and are certainly well intended. But what if they do cause harm? Perhaps the most sensitive among us would be the first to notice; the one to whom might be one the most harm-the asthmatic.

david brubeck.com is delighted to continue our tradition of offering some of the finest material available by presenting the work of Dr. Steve Eckert, prominent South Florida trombonist. Dr. Eckert has written a dissertation re-examining the panoply of breathing exercises through the prism of his experiences as an asthmatic and a professional trombonist. We have serialized his work and are beginning with physiology…. Enjoy!

c. 2019 Steven Eckert Used by permission

An avid composer, teacher and performer, in addition to several years as principal trombonist with numerous South Florida orchestras, Dr. Campbell would play club dates and, every once in a while, the circus! Have your accent in hand, and plunge ahead! Best wish with this April March!

This six-page article is the first of a three part series on “Relaxation and Resonance”, which also includes “Trombone Slide Motion, An Alternate Position” RELAXATION AND RESONANCE PART I https://davidbrubeck.com/2013/03/trombone-slide-motion-an-alternate-position-reprint-from-the-journal-of-the-international-trombone-association/ and “A Sumo and a Loaf of Bread? Brass Articulation”-RELAXATION AND RESONANCE part III https://davidbrubeck.com/2013/03/brass-articulation-a-sumo-with-a-loaf-of-bread/

from Domingo Pagliuca of the Boston Brass

“Dr. Campbell was an amazing musician and a great teacher. “Doc”, as we used to call him in lessons, always wanted the best for each and every one of his students. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to know him and to study with him during my years at UM.

“Doc” was always pushing me as much as much as he could to be as musical as possible, as he did for all his students, and to become a better musician AND artist!

Thinking back, I was also fortunate enough to perform some of his works, including these etudes, and one of his trombone quartets.

I feel honored and privileged to have worked with Dr. Campbell throughout my college education while a student at the university of Miami.

I will always remember Dr. Campbell as one of the great teachers I had.”

c. 2020 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved

We are pleased to present the first of “Thirty Contemporary Etudes” for trombone composed by Charles J. Campbell. As part of his on going legacy of excellent service to the trombone community, david brubeck.com graciously acknowledges his widow, Mrs. Eileen Campbell, and her support of our efforts. Enjoy….

Music of Charles J. Campbell

c. 2020 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved

Image courtesy of Mrs. Eileen Campbell

Rumor has it the guitar is almost complete, a stunning skyscraper. Could it be a monument to Miami’s Own Duo Brubeck? We’ll keep our eyes out for the construction of a bass trombone, and let you know! (Any bass trombone the size of a mailbox post or larger counts!) Find out more at the FREE Duo Brubeck concert Tuesday Night, September 10th at Studio 18 in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Refreshments to be served…Grooves on hand….Lindsey Blair plugged in… and bass trombone mailbox post donations may even be accepted.

SYUDIO 18, 1101 Poinciana Drive, Pembroke Pines, FL 33025 

See You There!!!!

c. 2019 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved.

Join Duo Brubeck for an art exhibit of the AURAL kind! Be on hand for an artistic exploration of grooves with your favorite curators, Lindsey Blair & David Brubeck. From Bossa Novas to Swing, Funk to Fusion, Mambos to Waltzes, dive into the rhythms of Duo Brubeck in this interactive presentation which features the stunning duo in live performance within the beautiful visual arts studio that is STUDIO 18!

Be on hand from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at 1101 Poinciana Drive, Pembroke Pines, FL 33025 to dip your ears into a whole new palette of rhythms!

David Brubeck and Lindsey Blair are two of our most illustrious alumni! DUO BRUBECK is a really interesting combination of instruments that will blow your mind….it really, REALLY works!

-University of Miami Frost School of Music Jazz Hour-WDNA 88.9 FM

Consider the string quartet; four matched timbres. Perhaps, this is only achievable in brass by matching two trumpets and two trombones in a quartet-but the extra duty on the trumpet players makes this setting a formidable challenge. And what of the mighty resonance of the tuba-(not to mention that it is an adopted child of the trombone section)? But the traditional quintet has some limitations as well. Just now and again, you might have felt a bit of a gap in the timbres: perhaps from horn to trumpet or horn to trombone. Here and there a ten piece could fill out the timbre, or perhaps the rarer still, a sextet. Until now… Until SE-VEN brass? Until SEPTURA! As though divinely inspired and appointed, the NAXOS recording artists plunge ahead to weave their unique timbrel combinations in a Kaleidoscope of sonic delight. “Five!” tm, is swelled with pride to present Septura. Enjoy……..

1.  Why not a Quintet? Are there advantages or disadvantages to going another route?
[MK]: The main driving force behind the septet configuration was the sound concept. The brass section of the orchestra (which is what the septet is) can create such a wonderful homogenous sound, almost organ-like, and that is something that we had never experienced with the existing brass chamber formations of quintet and ten-piece. The lone horn in those formations offers the potential of a different sound (because the instrument works differently, pointing backwards with the player’s hand in the bell), but it makes true homogeneity difficult. The advantage of having seven instruments is that we have 3 trumpets and 3 trombones, so we can create that truly blended sound, with the tuba providing a rich bass. And we think that we get plenty of variety in the sound, from different combinations of those instruments, and by using a lot of mutes, so there really is no downside compared to the quintet.

2.  The British Bass Sound!  How would you describe it?  How do you make it happen?  How is it different than the Berliners or the Chicagoans?  (Are there any Conns involved…)

[SC]: In Britain we are trained from a very young age to learn how to play together – in particular we place great importance on blending our sounds, so that ensembles and orchestral brass sections can almost sound like a single entity. A lot of this comes from our backgrounds in the brass band movement, but we also have a long tradition of choral singing in this country which might have an influence. Of course Berliners and Chicagoans make wonderful sounds – perhaps the use of different equipment (e.g. rotary or C trumpets) is what makes us different.

In Septura we particularly work on the link between the trumpets and trombones, trying to match our sounds as closely as possible, so the trumpets often try to sound broader in order to blend ‘downwards’, and the trombones can use a more lively articulation to match up with us.

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3.  A democratic rehearsal, even with just four or five players is a challenge.  With Seven, you are definitely on the border.  Do you find that there needs to be a first among equals to have a productive rehearsal with 7?

If so, how is the leadership approached?

[MK]: We are lucky to have on board the finest brass musicians from London, and some of the best players in the world. So there is no doubt that everyone’s opinion is valued, and it is crucial to the success of the group that everyone takes ownership of musical issues and contributes fully to forming a coherent vision for every piece of music.

However, Simon and I do all of the arrangements for the group, and that involves absolutely immersing ourselves in the particular piece that we are arranging. Inevitably we end up knowing the piece very well, and having a strong sense of how we want it to be realised by Septura. We produce extremely detailed arrangements, taking great care over tempos, articulations, and different expressions and colours. And so a great deal of what might be considered the “interpretation” is already in the parts when we get to the first rehearsals.

That doesn’t mean we’re not open to other ideas – often things are debated and we end up changing our minds in practice. Also, we’re aiming for true chamber music, so nothing is set in stone – every concert is different, and if a particular player phrases something differently one night, or uses a little more rubato another then we all embrace it.

4.  How do you approach selecting the arrangements for the group?

Our primary aim is to make our arrangements sound like original works for brass – we want audiences to believe that these pieces could actually have been written for us. So when we’re searching for repertoire we have to discard anything that we can’t easily imagine as brass music – sometimes this means we have to reject pieces that we’ve become quite attached to, but it’s worth it in the end.

5.  What is your favorite movie music?

[MK]: For brass players composers like Hans Zimmer are favourites – he tends to use a lot of low brass in particular. In terms of incredibly well-crafted writing for brass John Williams is totally unique. But personally the composer who always seemed to create the most beautiful brass sound was John Barry – the theme from Out of Africa is something I always enjoy playing.

In Septura we don’t play any film music, but we do play its precursors – the Sinfonia of Handel’s Rinaldo, which vividly depicts Goffredo’s army tumbling into a volcano, is the film music of it’s day; and Debussy’s programmatic Préludes conjure such strong images, such as the sunken cathedral of Ys rising up from the sea.

6.  How did you conceive of the group, and how long did it take until your vision was realized?

[SC]: I had the idea to form Septura in early 2011, when I was working in Finland as a member of the Helsinki Philharmonic. Although I was enjoying orchestral playing, it started to feel like I was spending a lot of my time counting rests and watching my colleagues have all the fun! So I decided chamber music was the answer, and moved back to the UK to start the group.

I decided to develop our artistic approach through a PhD at the Royal Academy of Music, and the group launched in 2014 with its first recording and concerts. Since then we’ve undertaken performances all over the world, and recorded a further 7 CDs. Almost 9 years after the initial idea I would say the vision still isn’t 100% realised (in particular we would love to work with some of the most prominent living composers to develop original repertoire for brass septet), but we’re well on the way.

7.  Which brass, and other chamber musicians, have influenced you the most and why?

[MK] We all grew up listening to the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, and in the UK they were the group that really put brass chamber music on the map. One of the things that was really remarkable about them was that as well as playing some fantastic arrangements they commissioned a huge amount of music, some of it from really great composers like Lutoslawski. Commissioning is something that we still aim to do much more of. The influence of Philip Jones is really felt very far and wide – on our recent tour to Japan we met many people who were fans of PJBE, and hold British brass playing in high esteem as a result. So really that group has laid the foundations for everything that we do.

Outside of brass groups we are influenced by a huge range of chamber musicians. It depends what repertoire we are arranging or performing at the time, but, for example, the Gallicantus recording of Lassus’s Lagrime di San Pietro had an enormous influence on the style in which we tried to play that piece.

8.  Which types of trumpets do you use for different situations?  (piccolo in A or Bb, G cornet, Eb trumpet, C, etc..)   How do you handle the violin parts?

[SC] Our standard trumpet line up is 2 B-flat trumpets and 1 E-flat. This allows us to achieve a good blend of sound with the trombones, but also gives us the range needed to tackle some of the trickier music we play (e.g. violin parts). Occasionally we’ll use piccolo trumpet (usually in B-flat), flugelhorn or cornet to find a different colour.

9.  What is your concept of matching lines so well, whether from choir to choir or a seamless hand off of a line?

It’s very simple, we just try to listen to each other!

We often have lines that in the original piece would have been in a single instrument, and in arrangement we have to split up between two or more, and we try to make it sound like one by copying the sound and phrasing of the previous player.

It doesn’t always work out, but when it does it’s incredibly satisfying.

As with lots of brass playing, there is a huge amount of satisfaction in trying to make something quite simple sound really good.

c. 2019 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved. www.davidbrubeck.com

Images courtesy of NAXOS

Interested in more GREAT Chamber music interviews? Try these!

Canadian Brass 2014, Windsync 2014, Boston Brass 2015, Mnozil Brass 2015, Spanish Brass 2014, Dallas Brass 2014, Seraph 2014, Atlantic Brass Quintet 2015, Mirari Brass 2015, Axiom Brass 2015, Scott Hartmann of the Empire Brass 2015, Jeffrey Curnow of the Empire Brass 2015, Ron Barron and Ken Amis of the Empire Brass, Meridian Arts Ensemble 2015, Berlin Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet 2015, American Brass Quintet 2015 Triton Brass 2016, 

When the music is the most important thing, taste triumphs technique and the whole is more than its parts-you will need a virtuoso ensemble player. Someone who melds their skills, musical and non-musical, to make the whole even greater. A virtuoso ensemble player like Astrid Caroline Ellann. With a sound big enough to consume a fjord, “Seven Positions” celebrates a wonderful young bass trombonist who was refined in in the Netherlands, only to achieve great success as part of the Norwegian ensemble ten Thing! Enjoy….How do you view the bass trombone, and what drew you to it? 1. I view the bass trombone as my tool to express my musical intent, and it’s were I feel at home. Because of it’s range the instrument gives you freedom, flexibility and versatility to be sometimes delicate and light as a feather to a heavy (and sometimes brutal) monster.

How I ended up on bass trombone as my instrument of choice was a game of chance, or luck, depending on how you see it. In my local school band (which was a standard British style brass band) they needed bass trombone so I left the euphonium chair and joined the bass-clef-squad. So unfortunately there was no moment of a greater  calling which would have looked neatly in writing just a situation of an empty band chair.

2. Solo playing, chamber music and large ensemble playing; which is your favorite and why? I absolutely love chamber music, playing chamber music gives me energy and I feel like I’m very much in my comfort zone. I can easily get a chamber music high! As for solo playing – I’m not a very extroverted person so being the center of attention has never really been my thing. However when ever I have to be a soloist I like to see the accompaniment as my equal in chamber music to be able to feel more like home. Larger ensembles like planying in orchestras are fun, and I usually have time to enjoy the genuine qualities of the other instruments of the orchestra and possibly also learn some musical quirkes from them in the process.

3. Who have been your main influences on your instrument, and what main point have you taken from each? My main influences have been the musicians I have studied with which also are among  the current bass trombone heros like Ben van Dijk and Brandt Attema.

But of course I have looked to my collegues in tenThing brass ensemble, and spefically Tine Thing Helseth. I think with all of them I have looked at the ease of playing, musical interpetations and the joy while doing it. Inspiration comes with musical qualties, attitude or just the pure joy of playing. All of them of which are elements I enjoy while listening to others when they play, whether its a bass trombonist, cellist, trumpeter or pianist. 

4. What is your secret to a good legato? Difficult question! I usually try to remove any technical challenges that would disturb the listeners  experience of the music I’m playing. The goal is that the audience will think about the nice music rather than: “that’s pretty good trombone playing”. I record myself to double check that what I think I’m playing  correspond to what’s actually happening. Usually it all breaks down to airflow, timing, efficiency of movement and a clear musical idea of style and intent.

5. What was it like to visit the Thein factory and hand-select a custom bass trombone? What drew you to Thein? My current teacher played on Thein, and my Bach had to go to repair and I got to borrow one of my teachers instruments, and I fell in love with the feel of the instrument. And I suddenly got some inheretence and I had the finances to actually buy one for myself. Going to the Thein factory is a very calming experience, where they will never try to sell you something that is not your best option. Meaning if you have equipment that is better sounding then the trombone setup they offer, they advise to stick with what you have. But they always find something better for you. When you go to Thein they try to change the instrument to make you better. Which is different from the practice room where you try to change or develop yourself to make the instrumeny sound better. I always feel very well taken care of when I go to Thein and after all these years I’m still very much in love with my Thein bass trombone.

c. 2019 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved www.davidbrubeck.com

image courtesy of Astri Caroline Ellann-Facebook

“Miami’s Own” Duo Brubeck will return to WDNA, the home of serious jazz, and the University of Miami, Frost School of Music Jazz Hour on Thursday August 1st at 11:00 am. The group, featuring Lindsey Blair on guitar and David Brubeck on bass trombone, will present an hour long live performance intermingled with short interviews by host Chuck Bergeron-an outstanding jazz bassist and Professor at the University.

Duo Brubeck

Featuring Lindsey Blair, is an exciting and innovative jazz duo that celebrates the rich tradition of the jazz guitar and trombone duo, with a twist!  A favorite of numerous local concert series (Music in Miami, Cleveland Clinic Distinguished Artsists, Arts & Letters Day, Christ Church, Arts in Miami….) and international festivals, Duo Brubeck has also appeared with the Miami Civic Chorale and been featured at the Coral Gables Museum and on jazz radio station WDNA FM.

Lindsey Blair 

Was selected by Miami New Times as Best Jazz Musician 2011.  As an official guitarist for Sábado Gigante with Don Francisco, Lindsey Blair has played alongside Daddy Yankee, but it was Wes Montgomery who got him started on the guitar, and jazz is where his heart is. The Indiana native studied at the University of Miami for his bachelor and master degrees, and he has toured with Maynard Ferguson and played with Dizzy Gillespie. Blair also has collaborated with Gloria and Emilio Estefan including a performance onstage with Miami Sound Machine for Super Bowl XLI. Blair’s current chart-topping album, “All Wes All Day” is extraordinary!  Lindsey Blair also serves as a guitarist at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and with Duo Brubeck.

David William Brubeck

Graduated with distinction from Northwestern University, where he was appointed to teach in his senior year.  Brubeck was the first three-time All-American college musician recognized by Walt Disney, and has performed with Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles (Recording), Barry Gibb, The Bolshoi Ballet, ABT, Larry Elgart (Featured Soloist), Tex Beneke and as a featured artist at the conferences of the International Trumpet Guild, International Trombone Association, International Tuba and Euphonium Association and International Euphonium and Tuba Festival.  Brubeck’s compositions have been performed and recorded around the globe and he serves as a trombonist in the Miami City Ballet Orchestra and with Duo Brubeck.   Brubeck is also music director for Broward’s premier youth chamber music and orchestra, www.YouthAllStar.Org

c. 2019 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved