Bill Watrous - The Tiger Of San Pedro (2007)

A few months ago, my trombone teacher recommended that I check out Bill Watrous who he described as one of the most technically amazing trombonists of all time. I was already a lover of Big Band music by the likes of Duke Ellington and Count Bassie and also owned some J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding CDs. So, I immediately liked the music on both this album from 1975 and the one from the previous year, "Manhattan Wildlife Refuge", both of which feature a big band lead by Watrous. But his big band has a much more modern sound than the Big Bands of the Swing Era (due in part to the use of some electric keyboards, synthesizers, and guitars). Both albums are exceptional.