JAZZ CRUISE NEWS!
Jen is returning to The Jazz Cruise 2022. Make your reservations now! People are going to be HUNGRY for travel!
All posts by Jennifer
MERCH!
I set up a merchandise store where you can buy Bonegasm apparel and fun! Go forth and spend your shekels.
BONEGASM TURNS 1 TODAY!!
BONEGASM TURNS 1 TODAY!!
Our album turns one TODAY! I cannot believe the reception it’s had. In the last year, we hit #18 on the Billboard Jazz Charts, we were voted one of the top 50 albums of the year by Jazz Times, a couple of us made the 2019 Downbeat Magazine Reader’s Poll and I tied with Wycliffe Gordon (WTF?) for the third favorite trombonist in the 2019 JazzTimes Expanded Critics Poll. My FACE was on a middle eastern magazine. My name was even on a magazine cover! It’s hard for me to accept all this stuff and I do not for one second think I did any of this by myself.
My band – Nate, Alan, Mike, Evan, Don and my dear John – has carried me on their musical shoulders. Grateful does not begin to describe how I feel towards them. My only hope is that I can repay them by making more awesome music. I hope you’ll join us on our musical adventures! Speaking of musical adventures…
BONEGASM GOES WEST IN APRIL!!
That’s right! My incredible group of four intrepid trombone players is teaming up with a handpicked Bay Area rhythm section for a couple gigs. We will be in San Jose on 4/23 at Art Boutiki and in Berkeley on 4/24 at the California Jazz Conservatory. I know it’s been too long so MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!
ORDER BONEGASM!
BONEGASM, THE ALBUM
Out February 1, 2019 on Sunnyside Records
Bonegasm features music by up and coming artists like Sara Jacovino, Nate Mayland and Edward Perez as well as Grammy veterans like John Fedchock, Alan Ferber and Jim McNeely.
ORDER the physical copy AND digital download on BANDCAMP
ORDER on AMAZON
ORDER on iTunes (but sadly no liner notes or solo lineup)
Listen to Stellar now from our debut recording. LISTEN HERE
Come hear us celebrate our first Bonegasm release
Thursday, March 14 from 6-8 at Silvana
Lots of upcoming shows to announce!
Stay informed by following us on Facebook!
Trombones: John Fedchock, Alan Ferber, Nate Mayland
Bass trombone and vocal: Jennifer Wharton
Piano: Mike Eckroth
Bass: Evan Gregor
Drums: Don Peretz
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
Here is a peek inside the project!
Holiday Shopping with Jen
HOLIDAY SHOPPING WITH JEN!
Happy Holidays to everyone. If you have a brass player in your life, here are some last minute gifts to consider to complete your holiday shopping. But always remember, the best gift is the gift of your attention. Spend time with the people you love this holiday season, gifts or not!
BUT FIRST….
Can y’all do me a solid and consider signing up for my newsletter? Beginning in 2019, I’ll send out an email just once a month with gigs and other fun stuff.
And I’ll let you know how you can preorder my album, BONEGASM. CLICK HERE to subscribe!
Robinson’s Remedies
This stuff is made with unicorn tears and rainbows. Just kidding. But it does have arnica in it which is basically magic sauce for weary brass player chops. You can put it on and immediately play. I personally use Robinson’s Lip Renew every single day when I have a lot of playing to do.
CLICK HERE to buy Robinson’s Remedies.
This Holiday Season spend $30 or more you can use the code XMAS2018 and get 20% off!
Disclaimer: I am an endorser of Robinson’s but prior to that I was just a HUGE FAN.
Nicole Abissi – This is Only the Beginning
Nicole Abissi
The world-class trombonist talks about her experience navigating motherhood while freelancing in New York City.
Nicole Abissi has some serious trombone “street cred”. She’s performed and held positions in several big orchestras like Alabama and Colorado Symphony as well as being a member of two touring brass groups. And like me, her husband is pretty good at the trombone. Nikki is married to Colin Williams, associate principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic. They reside in Inwood, what we call “Upstate Manhattan” with their sons, toddler Christopher and newborn Alexander. Continue reading Nicole Abissi – This is Only the Beginning
Issue of Donating Your Time
THIS IS A FRIENDLY PSA…
Musicians get asked to perform at benefits for free a lot. Many times, we are promised a very official sounding piece of paper that says we donated our time and told we use said paper for a tax deduction.
That is wrong.
You cannot deduct these donated services. I’ve checked with musician accountant extraordinaire, Dave Roth of Roth Finance, and I’ve consulted the tax code. No matter what anyone tells you, YOU CANNOT DEDUCT YOUR TIME. Continue reading Issue of Donating Your Time
Destructive Tendencies in Playing and Practicing
I am guilty. I confess. Most days, I hate how I play. It’s been a part of who I am for as long as I can remember. I have realized that it isn’t a healthy attitude and though it does occasionally rear it’s ugly head, I thought I might share how I learned to deal with it.
SURVIVING
We can all recognize that negative self talk is detrimental to progress. The first step to surviving and moving past these thoughts is compartmentalizing them. Take the negative thought when it occurs and put it away – you are going to revisit it later. Continue through your practice/rehearsal/gig as normal. You don’t want to be that person on a live gig who screws up and then draws attention to yourself further with a look on your face or a gesture of frustration.
When you are done, examine these thoughts. Your initial reaction might have been negative but what can you learn from your mistake(s)? I can now make mistakes and move on pretty unscathed on live gigs but I’m still working on this while practicing.
Continue reading Destructive Tendencies in Playing and Practicing
A Product I Love!
In November, I was lucky enough to have a busy couple months in front of me. I had been perusing Facebook when Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Kenny Rampton popped up. His post was praising a product I’d never seen before.
Let me begin by saying that I am not being paid to endorse this***. These opinions are my own.
Robinson’s Remedies was founded by Ken Robinson, a trumpet player that had a cold sore problem. He set about to create a product that would help folks with cold sores but ended up with a product that all wind instrumentalists can use. It decreases swelling and absorbs quickly – so quickly that you can play immediately after applying it. No wax, no mess and it smells and tastes pretty good!
I used Robinson’s while playing multiple Radio City Christmas shows a day on consecutive days a few times a week and my lips weren’t nearly as swollen as they should have been. Honestly, for as much as I was playing, I should have been in much worse shape. To give you a better idea…
My triathlon coach has a saying that describes this gig:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
The holidays are usually very physically demanding for brass players. Many players have ways of dealing: good hydration (alcohol or water), aspirin, arnica, rest….the list goes on.
I feel comfortable recommending Robinson’s Lip Remedy as the newest addition to your arsenal. Go forth and blow!
***When I wrote this post, I was not endorsed by Robinson’s Remedies. As of 2019, I have been endorsed by them.
Lessons from the road…
I recently returned from a few gigs in Europe with Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society. I had multiple things go wrong on this trip and I thought I’d share some lessons I’ve learned along the way. This list is by no means exhaustive but I feel it is a pretty good start. Continue reading Lessons from the road…