The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 12-2010 An Analysis of the Career and Solo Style of Jazz Trombonist Carl Fontana John Wesley Parker University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Part of the Musicology Commons, and the Music Performance Commons Recommended Citation Parker, John Wesley, "An Analysis of the Career and Solo Style of Jazz Trombonist Carl Fontana" (2010). Dissertations. 727. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/727 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of Southern Mississippi AN ANALYSIS OF THE CAREER AND SOLO STYLE OF JAZZ TROMBONIST CARL FONTANA by John Wesley Parker Abstract of a Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts December 2010 ABSTRACT AN ANALYSIS OF THE CAREER AND SOLO STYLE OF JAZZ TROMBONIST CARL FONTANA by John Wesley Parker December 2010 Carl Fontana’s ability and creativity as a jazz trombonist is held in high regard by his contemporaries, as well as by those who followed him. The significant aspects of his career were highlighted in a brief biography with historical and anecdotal information provided by jazz trombonists who new him and were influenced by him. Fontana’s solo style was analyzed and compared through transcriptions of three improvisations performed during contrasting points in his career: “Intermission Riff” from 1956, “Just Friends” from 1978, and “It Might As Well Be Spring” from 1985. His influence on the jazz trombone community was discussed through interviews and surveys of successful jazz trombonists, musicians, and educators. ii COPYRIGHT BY JOHN WESLEY PARKER 2010 The University of Southern Mississippi AN ANALYSIS OF THE CAREER AND SOLO STYLE OF JAZZ TROMBONIST CARL FONTANA by John Wesley Parker A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Approved: Richard Perry________________________ Director Jennifer Shank________________________ Chris Goertzen ______________________ Joseph Brumbeloe_____________________ Thomas Fraschillo_____________________ Susan A. Siltanen_____________________ Dean of the Graduate School December 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer would like to thank the dissertation committee chair, Dr. Richard Perry, and the other committee members, Dr. Joseph Brumbeloe, Dr. Thomas Fraschillo, Dr. Christopher Goertzen, and Dr. Jennifer Shank for their guidance and support throughout this project. Dr. Richard Perry deserves a special thank you for his effectiveness in keeping me focused and his willingness to help with whatever was needed. I would especially like to thank Dr. Marta Hofacre for her influence on my career and seemingly endless confidence in my ability, and Dr. Kevin Chiarizzio for putting me on a path that would eventually lead to the completion of this document. Additionally, this research would have not been possible without the help and support of Dr. Ken Hanlon and the Arnold Shaw Popular Music Research Center. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Amy, for her love and support of my career, for putting up with the late nights of practicing, researching, and writing, and for helping to transcribe the several interviews conducted for this project. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………...ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS …………………………………………………………….....iii LIST OF EXAMPLES …………………………………………………………………...vi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………...1 Purpose of Study Need for Study Review of Literature II. BIOGRAPHY ………..……………………………………………….......7 Fontana’s Playing Style Influences on Fontana’s Career III. INTERMISSION RIFF ..………………………………………………...20 Transcription Overview Method Intermission Riff Melody Harmony Rhythm Style, Technique, and Range IV. JUST FRIENDS …………………..……………………………………..32 Melody Harmony Rhythm Style, Technique, and Range V. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING …………………………………….41 Melody Harmony Rhythm iv Style, Technique, and Range Comparisons VI. FONTANA’S INFLUENCE …………………………………………….53 VII. CONCLUSIONS ………………………………………………………..61 VIII. CHRONOLOGICAL DISCOGRAPHY ………………………………...63 APPENDIX A …………………………………………………………………………...77 APPENDIX B …………………………………………………………………………...90 APPENDIX C ………………………………………………………………………….105 APPENDIX D ………………………………………………………………………….117 APPENDIX E ………………………………………………………………………….122 APPENDIX F ………………………………………………………………………….126 APPENDIX G ………………………………………………………………………….133 APPENDIX H ………………………………………………………………………….135 APPENDIX I …………………………………………………………………………..137 APPENDIX J …………………………………………………………………………..139 APPENDIX K ………………………………………………………………………….141 APPENDIX L ………………………………………………………………………….143 APPENDIX M …………………………………………………………………………144 APPENDIX N ………………………………………………………………………….146 APPENDIX O ………………………………………………………………………….148 BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………………...150 v LIST OF EXAMPLES Example 1. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 1-4…………………………22 2. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 13-20………………………22 3. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 25-32………………………23 4. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 42-44………………………23 5. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 38-41……………………....23 6. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 1-4…………………………24 7. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 13-20………………………25 8. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 9-11………………………..25 9. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 21-23………………………26 10. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 33-35………………………26 11. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, m. 45…………………………….26 12. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 9-10………………………..27 13. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 47-49………………………28 14. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 1-4…………………………28 15. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 21-23………………………29 vi 16. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 26-27………………………29 17. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 33-36………………………29 18. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 29-30………………………29 19. Carl Fontana, “Intermission Riff” improvisation, mm. 13-18………………………30 20. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 5-15……………………………..33 21. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 69-70……………………………33 22. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, m. 107………………………………..33 23. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 53-54……………………………34 24. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 48-51……………………………34 25. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 17-21……………………………35 26. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 109-112…………………………35 27. Carl Fontana, “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 8-15……………………………..36 28. Carl Fontana “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 18-20…………………………….37 29. Carl Fontana “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 33-40…………………………….37 30. Carl Fontana “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 97-99…………………………….37 31. Carl Fontana “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 33-40…………………………….38 32. Carl Fontana “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 128-136………………………….39 vii 33. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 5-16……………..42 34. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 29-39……………43 35. Carl Fontana “Just Friends” improvisation, mm. 145-147………………………….43 36. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 69-71……………44 37. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, solo introduction……..44 38. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 153-155…………44 39. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 85-96……………46 40. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 78-79……………46 41. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, rhythmic theme .……..47 42. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 18, 23, and 27…...47 43. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 54 and 56………..48 44. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 78-79……………48 45. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 73-75……………48 46. Carl Fontana “It Might As Well Be Spring” improvisation, mm. 156-161…………49 viii 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Throughout the history of jazz, the trombonist has often taken a supportive role to performers on more popular instruments. While the trombone can produce virtuosic solos in the right hands, it is more often admired for its versatility as a section instrument. This is an opinion that has been noted at various levels of research concerning the trombone. David Lambert states this belief most efficiently in his doctoral dissertation, “A Comparison of Three Divergent Trombone Styles from 1953: Jack Teagarden, J.J. Johnson, and Frank Rosolino.” Lambert concludes that “The position of the slide trombone within the hundred-year history of jazz has been sadly neglected by many jazz critics and historians.”1 While this may be true, research and analysis will show that the lack of attention jazz trombonists have received does