Audio Review: Reginald Chapman – Prototype

Prototype
Fresh Selects, 2018
Reginald Chapman, Bass Trombone
Ben Ford, Trombone
Reggie Pace, Trombone
Bryan Hooten, Trombone
Karl Lyden, Trombone
Scott Flynn, Trombone
Marcus Tenney, Saxophone
John Lilley, Saxophone
David Hood, Saxophone
Rob Quallich, Trumpet
Ryan Easter, Trumpet
Devonne Harris, Keys
Macon Mann, Keys
Andrew Randazzo, Bass
Corey Fonville, Drums

The bass trombone has not always been a solo jazz instrument. As the anchor for most ensembles, the instrument does not get a lot of exciting material or solos to play. Only in the last 60 years or so have names like George Roberts, Bart Varsalona, Bill Reichenbach, and Erik Van Lier been able to demonstrate what the bass trombone can do in a jazz setting. Now, with a new generation of innovative bassbones, artists such as Matt Jefferson, Reginald Chapman, and others are saying (and showing) that the bass trombone can do pretty much anything that others instruments are capable of doing for music.

As an ensemble musician, Reginald Chapman has already made a name for himself. A member of a few groups such as the No BS! Brass Band (hopefully you’ve seen his “trigger tricks” from Brass Scene Kids) and the Richmond-based group Pressure Fit, Chapman has been on the scene of bringing the bass trombone to new, diverse audiences for quite some time.

A doctoral student of Jim Pugh at Illinois-Champaign, the Virginia native received his roots in hip-hop and jazz from Richmond, a bustling hub for hip-hop music. With training in both classical and jazz styles, Chapman has now taken on writing for the solo jazz bass trombone by melting together the styles of jazz and hip-hop. His solo debut album, Prototype, has plenty of both genres as it features his own style of trigger technique and lyrical playing, blended with the electronic backbeats heard in a hip-hop album. Produced by the hip-hop label, Fresh Selects, this albums utilizes the mixing and producing skills of some of the best engineers in the industry.

Tracks such as Hoodie show off the trombone ensemble writing skills of Chapman, while his arrangement of We Shall Overcome brings a much-needed tense and complex element to this socially charged anthem. The yearning for freedom, justice, and hope is vividly heard and exemplifies the power of music in today’s society. The closing track, Jebbish, brings back the fast technique displayed on Chapman’s custom B.A.C. bass trombone that is quickly becoming one of the more popular bass trombones on today’s market.

With the stunning and impressive sounds from this freshman album combined with the great writing skills of Chapman, Prototype is a prime example of using the bass trombone to amplify a specific voice for any genre of music. Let’s hope this is not the last solo album from Reginald Chapman.

Track List:

Prototype (Intro)
You Go To My Head, featuring Sam Reed, vocals (Coots & Gillespie)
Hoodie
Hoodie (Reprise)
Mysterious Hopes of Glory
We Shall Overcome (Traditional)
Jebbish (Prelude)
Jebbish

Click here to purchase the album

Click here to learn more about the album

Learn more about Reginald Chapman