Jun 2, 2021
Sixty-plus years ago, J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding released Jay and Kai, an album that set the standard for twin trombone jazz (to be fair, the pair did not appear on all the tracks - Wayne Andre and Carl Fontana filled in for J.J. on one track). There have not been a plethora of two trombone bands since those sessions, so its a pleasure to hear Road Trip, the latest from Slide Attack, a band fronted by trombonists Howard Levy and Alan Goidel.
Friends since their school days, the pair have brought in their steady rhythm section of Hiroshi Yamazaki on piano, Michael Goetz on bass and Chuck Zeuren on drums to ably fill out the band. The album is all new material, with tunes written by Levy, Goidel and Yamazaki.
Howard and Alan joined me for the interview, and we discussed the genesis of Slide Attack, their love for straight-ahead jazz, and their experiences working in different types of bands. Musical selections from Road Trip include Levy's "Struttin'" and "Owens," and the title track, composed by Goidel.