Carl Fontana on an old MGM ten-inch cody Herman Band, where he played a ‘of the Sun.” (There was no personnel "album cover and most people assumed Green.) Woody's “‘Jumpin’ the Line” featured Carl. What immediately caught d's melodic fluency and sense of humor. trolling him, a rare trait among trombon- ayers of any other instrument, for that H's biggest. vet least known, contribu- jjazz. trombone is his “'too-dle-oo0-dle” echnique which allows him to play those tenor trombone is the simplest of all the is of the brass family, maintenance should simple. And it is. However. since the is also the most delicate of the brasses. ‘a few important details which must be tin order to prevent damage and deterioration. s begin with a new instrument. Chances are delivered to you with the slide absolutely start playing it — rubbing two dry sur- ther will cause scratches, especially if a ist is present. Instead, the first thing you is to run clean, lukewarm water through (inner and outer); then, dry the inner slides issue or soft cloth. Next, apply slide cream to slides and spray with water. Assemble. Only @ you ready to plav playing, it is wise to clean the outer surface apty the trombone of all saliva. It is amazing damage can be caused by the perspiration iva of some individuals. Keeping a horn clean — ind out — will lengthen its life tenfold. Once ‘or so vou should give your slides a bath. Run iches of lukewarm water in the tub, sprinkle in ild soap powder, and use a flexible rod with a fat the end (trombone cleaner) to scrub both \d outer slides, as well as the bell section. Do ion at a time, thoroughly, yet delicately. Rinse vith fresh water. dry. lubricate, and you are ready W again. A regular bath is necessary because even you blow the water out after playing, a film of Temains on the surface of the metal inside the i In addition, a certain amount of slide cream will !at the end of the stroke and into the lower crook; ith will dissolve and clean both saliva and cream jing: do not use strong soap or hot water or else acquer will peel right off. Giardinelli is president of the Giardinelli Band Instru- :Co. In addition to handling all the major brands of brass ‘woodwind instruments, he maintains a well-equipped shop and does custom work on instruments ‘mouthpieces. beautiful semi-legato lines as if he were playing a tenor saxophone. I have been conscious of this since 1963 when Bill Watrous and I used to discuss Carl's tonguing technique. A great many trombone players have tried the “too-dle-ooo-dle” over the years, gen- erally finding a slightly different set of syllables to fit their own needs. Carl remains the inspiration. All three of these men have made major contribu- tions to the art and content of playing jazz trombone: Jack Teagarden gave the trombone respectability as an ‘equal melodic voice; Vic Dickenson continues to con- tribute with his feeling for colors and sense of humor; while Carl Fontana has a beautiful melodic fluency facilitated by his semi-legato tonguing technique. The influence of these great players can be heard in most trombonists on the scene today. . ‘ombone Care and Maintenance Robert Giardinelli How to Use the Cleaning Rod The cleaning rod can be a very dangerous weapon in the hands of a careless person. It is intended to be used somewhat like a rifle bore cleaner except that the trombone slide is 100 times more delicate than the gun barrel. This rod should be used only as follows: 1. Cut a piece of cheesecloth approximately 5 inches wide and 5 feet long 2. Insert one end into the slot and wrap it (in spiral fashion) around the full length of the rod. Make sure the entire rod is covered with cloth. 3. Holding the loose end of the cloth firmly around the handle. insert the other end of the rod into the outer slide. Be sure vou hold the same slide vou are swabbing — do not hold one and swab the other or you may twist the slides and throw them out of alignment 4. Swab the inner slides the same way. Do not jam the rod in 100 tightly, especially on the mouthpipe side. You may have to change the cloth — several times, if necessary — until it comes out clean. And if you have neglected the cleaning process for some time, vou will find dirt caked in the inner slide tubes. Kerosene or benzene will loosen it. How to Oil Rotors If you have an instrument with either a single or a double trigger, it is necessary to oil the rotors periodi: cally. 1. Hold the bell section with the bell flair up. 2. Put a few drops of valve oil into the slide receiver while working the trigger mechanism. This will allow the oil to flow around the rotor. For a double trigger instrument oil the E rotor is 1. Pull out the E slide. 2. Put a few drops of valve oil into the slide. 3. Replace the slide while holding the bell up, then tip the horn so that the oil will run into the rotor. This method allows the oil to run into the valve with- out picking up slide grease and gumming up the action. . the best way to FeaRuany to74/THE WSTRUMENTAUST. 51