Andy Malloy, Paper Clips, Works for Trombone

I haven't particularly gone out of my way to look for modern classical solo trombone albums. I remember a good one on the DGG Avant Garde Series (now alas gone) and a Berio Sequenza for trombone, then Stuart Dempster did a lively one for the New World label. Otherwise, not very much.

So Andy Malloy's Paper Clips (Navona 5879), a two-CD set devoted to music for trombone solo, with or without piano accompaniment by Karolina Rojahn, is a most welcome addition.

Mr. Malloy is a fine exponent of the trombone with a nice tone and chops. He tackles seven works/suites by composers not all familiar to me: Adrienne Albert, Gernot Wolfgang, John Steinmetz, Steven J. Williams, Stephen Yip, Jason Barabba, and Rick Lane.

This is not a high-modernist, pointillist hits and jabs sort of anthology. The works vary from jazz inflected, to sound-oriented, to recitation and trombone commentary, to straightforward contemporary.

Throughout there is the trombone artistry of Malloy and some of the excitement of the brand new. There's a good deal to be had on the set, so if you respond to the sound of the trombone of this century, I think you will find this to your liking.