Review

Brian Scarborough
Best Next Thing: Michael Dease's Improvised Trombone Solos

KS, United States
Publisher: www.brianscarboroughmusic.com
Date of Publication: 2024
URL: http://www.brianscarboroughmusic.com

ebook. 38 pages

Primary Genre: Jazz Material - etude

I know of one pre-existing transcription book of Michael Dease solos, and a number of additional transcriptions exist on YouTube. Kansas City-based trombonist and composer Brian Scarborough has contributed an excellent addition to this quest via his self-published, downloadable PDF book (with physical copies also available via lulu.com). The book, with a foreword by Carol Jarvis, focuses on Dease's ten improvised solos within his 2022 album Best Next Thing (Posi-Tone Records 8232). The compositions soloed upon here include swing and even-eighth feels, from ballad through uptempo.

Many artists' solos might be less approachable for a musician attempting to learn their passages. Not so here: the pitch-range of all but a very few bars falls well within the ability of solid collegiate students. So that makes this book a very practical tool for those seeking to learn from such an accomplished artist as Dease (though mere mortals may need to address some portions of his solos at less than the marked tempos).

Choose the PDF-download format if you seek the option of arranging multiple self-printed pages freely for your playing along with Dease's recordings.

Plusses of the book (besides the wealth of great solo material) include very clear music notation and chord changes are shown above the solos. On rare occasion a tie clashes with an accidental‚ or a triplet-bracket sits so closely to an articulation as to obscure the latter. The user might notice that transcriptions appear without any notated dynamics.

Many musicians seeking this book will not find any of the above elements a concern; and everyone will find a wealth of musicality and inspiration as Scarborough provides his look at the artistry of the superb Michael Dease.