Las Vegas Weekly

Roll out the ’bones

Never mind the math—when UNLV’s official press release tells us the annual 76 Trombones + 4 concert is expected to draw 100 trombonists, “one of the largest gatherings of trombone players in the world,” our question is not why the title promises only 80 when clearly 25 percent more are coming. We’ll let ’em slide on the count.

Our question: “One of”?

Somewhere in the world there exists a potentially larger gathering of trombonists? Please. Surely it would take some freakish confluence of a trombone convention, a New Orleans funeral and a “musicians drink free” night at a jazz bar to convene that much brass. No, it’s hard to imagine you will ever have a better chance to experience the heavy metal of 100 trombones—soloists include Bill Booth, Elliot Mason and Irv Wagner—than at 76 Trombones + 4 (+ 20) (or so). Until, possibly, next year.

This, by the way, marks the 25th year of the annual show, which benefits the Abe Nole Scholarship Fund to assist trombone majors, thus helping ensure a steady supply of additional tromboners for future 76 + 4 concerts. Maybe someday it will no longer be one of the largest trombone gatherings, but simply the.