Trombonisms: A Trombone-Centric Analysis of Kid Ory, Jimmy Harrison, Jimmy Cleveland, Roswell Rudd, and Robin Eubanks

This essay examines the idiomatic styles of five trombonists from the categories of New Orleans, Swing Era, Bebop, Post-Bop, and Contemporary in order to analyze the relationship between jazz trombone technique and improvisation. Trombonists have long found ways to use the limitations of the trombone advantageously in improvisation, and the goal is to examine and present some of these devices that may be applicable across styles and genres.