TromboneChat

Lots of good notes.

Randy Purcell and Jerry Johnson on trombones.

Randy had recently gotten out of the Navy Commodores, and Jerry had recently left the Airmen of Note.
I didn't look but I imagine this was 1974 or 1975

SIGNIFICANT pay and benefits cut going over to Maynard from the Commodores or the Note! I guess they must have had their reasons. Randy eventually left the music field I heard - not enough money in it (big shock).

I know that Jerry Johnson had decided to go back to school when he left the Note, and then left school to go with Maynard. That was when I was a freshman... In the big band, for about a month I was sitting between Jerry Johnson and Bill Reichenbach. They both left at the same time, Bill moved to L.A.

Jerry Johnson moved to Toronto and was an institution there until cancer took him too early. He played extra with the Toronto Symphony and other local orchestras on an 88H, was a first call for big bands and recording work on a 2B, and held the Bass trombone chair in the Opera on a Bach 50B.

His "false tones" on his small bore horn were legendary. Check out the Maynard recording of Chameleon - all of that low octave trombone playing on the bass line was Jerry on a 2B. Everybody I know that worked with him in those years raved about his playing and described him as a great guy.

Jim Scott

And one of Randy's best:



Someone on a previous thread had asked about saved master tapes, Randy's son Shawn has a bunch of of his Bootleg CD's available for purchase

https://www.shawnpurcell.com/

Check him out, he's a fantastic jazz guitar player
And buy one of Randy's CDs!

I did a short Artie Shaw Band tour with Randy as my roommate. He had some incredible stories of his time with Maynard! Great videos here!