Music Education Monday: Jazz trombone tips from Robin Eubanks, and more

This week for Music Education Monday, here's a grab-bag of material of interest to trombonists, including a video in which Robin Eubanks (pictured) talks about "music, jazz, and developing as a musician."

The brother of guitarist Kevin Eubanks and trumpeter Duane Eubanks, Robin Eubanks probably is best known for his work with bassist Dave Holland and as a member of the SFJAZZ Collective, but he's also released nine albums as a bandleader, the most recent of which is 2014's kLassik RocK Vol. 1 with his band Mental Images.

Over the course of more than 30 years in the music business, he's also played with Slide Hampton, Sun Ra, Stevie Wonder, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Elvin Jones, and more. You can see the video of Eubanks in the embedded window at the bottom of this post.

But first, a few more links for jazz trombonists current and future, starting with Trombone.org's Online Trombone Journal, which has a large archive of articles and regularly adds new content, and the list of transcribed jazz trombone solos collected at DigitalTrombone.com.

For more tips from working trombonists on video, check out the YouTube series "Bone Masters" on trombonist Paul Nowell's YouTube Channel. Nowell to date has released 46 episodes, most ranging from five to 10 minutes in length and featuring a different guest trombonist.

If you're interested in a deep dive into the work of one of the greatest jazz trombonist of all time, take a look at "Transcription and Analysis of Selected Trombone Solos from J.J. Johnson's 1964 Recording Proof Positive," a dissertation completed in 2009 by trombonist Rodney Lancaster for his doctorate at the University of Miami.

Another dissertation available in full online, "Teaching and Learning Jazz Trombone" by Ohio State University doctoral candidate Julia Gendrich, has some interesting material for both students and teachers.

Or if doctoral dissertations are bit much to take in, there are some easily digestible yet useful ideas in "listicles" such as JazzTbone.com's "Seven Habits of Effective Trombonists" and the University of Colorado music department's "100 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Trombone Playing That Require Absolutely No Talent," which contains a number of tips that could be used by just about any musician.