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Jennifer Wharton's Bonegasm: Not A Novelty

By Dan McClenaghan
May 25, 2021
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Jennifer Wharton's Bonegasm: Not A Novelty

The trombone came into its own as a lead and solo instrument in jazz on the shoulders of

J.J. Johnson

trombone
1924 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">J.J. Johnson, in the early days of bebop. His Four Trombones: The Debut Recordings (Prestige, 1953) celebrated the big brass instrument with three fellow 'bone men—

Kai Winding

trombone
1922 - 1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Kai Winding,

Bennie Green

trombone
1923 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Bennie Green and

Willie Davis

" data-original-title="" title="">Willie Davis, all joining Johnson in a four man front line. Now

Jennifer Wharton

trombone, bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Jennifer Wharton presents a four trombone summit of her own with Not A Novelty, the second outing of her group Bonegasm.

Trombonists

John Fedchock

trombone
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">John Fedchock,

Nate Mayland

trombone
b.1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Nate Mayland and

Alan Ferber

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Alan Ferber join her. Wharton wields the relatively unusual—in jazz—bass trombone. More often heard in classical orchestras (Wharton has been there), it has been employed in jazz by

Don Sebesky

arranger
1937 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Sebesky—who became much better known as a producer/arranger than an instrumentalist—and San Diego's

Jimmy Cheatham

trombone
1924 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimmy Cheatham in his four-horn-front-line Sweet Baby Blues Band.

Four trombones could turn into a bombast party, but it didn't on any of J.J. Johnson's multiple 'bone discs, and it doesn't on Not A Novelty. Opening with the tune "Bongasmo," from the pen of the group's pianist

Michael Eckroth

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Eckroth, the sound has a hearty feel with a smooth flow, percolating with dance-inducing Latin percussion. "Face Value" has a gentle orchestral feel, featuring gorgeous trombone harmonies—Wharton holding down the low end with leviathan-ish groans. And here—and throughout the album—the music is given a gravitational lift via Eckroth's light sparkling piano touch.

"Ice Fall," written by saxophonist

Chris Speed

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Speed and arranged by Alan Ferber, explores a majestic landscape, at dusk perhaps, Eckroth's piano coaxing the stars into view through the dimming sky, while the Wharton/Fedchock-penned "Blue Salt" gives off a robust, "onward my friends" vibe, and "Union Blues" sounds like a slow flow of hot tar (alto saxophones and trumpets couldn't do that), with Eckroth's piano igniting here-and-there flames in the inexorable movement.

Wharton and Bonegasm close with a pulsing, ominous take on Soundgarden's "The Day I Tried To Live," with

Kurt Elling

vocals
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Kurt Elling sitting in on vocals, giving the tune a grungy mood, the voice tinted with a combination of anguish and anger, sounding very trombone-ish.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Bongasm; Face Value; Ice Fall; Blue Salt; Union Blues; Twinkle; Manta Rays; La Otra Mano; Little Cupcake; The Day I Tried To Live.

Personnel

Jennifer Wharton

trombone, bass

John Fedchock

trombone

Nate Mayland

trombone

Alan Ferber

trombone

Michael Eckroth

piano

Evan Gregor

bass, acoustic

Don Peretz

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Samuel Torres: percussion (1, 8); Kurt Elling: vocals (10).

Album information

Title: Not A Novelty | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Sunnyside Records

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