David Gibson – Fellowship

In collective imagination—and, surprisingly, even within the jazz community—the vocabulary of the trombone is often reduced to three notes: Pom Pom Pom!

Following in the footsteps of J.J. Johnson, Frank Rosolino, Curtis Fuller, and Slide Hampton, David Gibson invites us to a trombone masterclass that proves the instrument has more than one trick up its sleeve.

A prominent figure on the New York jazz scene, Gibson is also a composer, arranger, and bandleader. He composed all the tracks on the album, showcasing his multifaceted talents. As a member of Orrin Evans’ Captain Black big band, he has recorded seven albums with various brass ensembles since 2002. He has also performed with Roy Hargrove, James Moody, Jon Faddis, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band.

Recorded in an apartment during the COVID lockdown, the session opens with “Disquietude,” instantly demonstrating the cohesion of the ensemble. Gibson’s effortless mastery of the trombone’s range and his skill in sound modulation are immediately apparent. The energetic interpretation is driven by a flawless rhythm section, with the drummer playing a key role.

The piece “Beyond Breath” showcases long, inventive breath lengths and staccato phrasing, supported by the pianist, who handles the midrange with an airy yet powerful touch. Gibson’s precision is the cornerstone of his performance; his placement within the quartet is impeccable, and his sonority’s vastness leaves space for harmonic digressions by the pianist and bassist Meek’s Wrath. An almost free-flowing, spirited improvisation on “Chief Distorsion” culminates in rapid glissandi, met with equal speed in the piano’s treble register.

Balancing meticulous interpretation with energetic originality, this album presents a form of contemporary jazz that seamlessly continues the legacy of the instrument’s greatest masters, offering a lively and invigorating update of bop style.

The final track, “Fellowship,” which gives the album its title, is played at a more relaxed tempo with bluesy accents. It highlights the rhythm section, especially the pianist Davis Whitfield, whose majestic trombone lines add a deep, velvety texture in the mid to low register—his signature sound.

This neo-bop record by one of the leading trombonists on the US scene features a palette of sounds that happily dispels the “pom-pom-pom” stereotype, inviting listeners to rediscover the trombone as a horn of astonishing sonic possibilities.