Selections from Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Instrumental Solos, Volume 2: Trombone Book & CD

Playing these arrangements captures the energy and swagger of landmark songs from across five decades of rock and soul. You'll feel the weight of James Brown's funk, the shimmer of the Bee Gees' disco sound, and the lyrical elegance of timeless standards, all filtered through horn-friendly idioms that let the trombone voice shine without sounding awkward or oversimplified.

Trombone students in their second or third year of study who are ready for repertoire that sounds like real music, not etudes. This book works equally well for intermediate solo recitalists, small ensemble players, and student musicians in informal performance settings.

• Listen to the demo track first to absorb the phrasing and articulation choices, then work through the play-along at a slower tempo before moving to full speed.
• Pay attention to the balance between the trombone line and the accompaniment; the orchestration is full enough that you'll need clear articulation and tone to stay audible.
• Use the sustain sections in ballads like 'You Send Me' and 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' to refine your breath control and tone quality rather than rushing through them.
• Mark your dynamics carefully in up-tempo tunes like 'Dancing Queen' and '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' so the groove sits right in the pocket with the recorded band.

Slot these into a solo and ensemble festival, mix and match with other instrumental soloists for a contemporary pops concert, or use them as rewards for students hitting practice goals throughout the year. The recognizable titles make them crowd-pleasers at informal performances, open houses, and community events where you want musicians to feel the joy of playing music people actually know.

• Swing articulation and syncopation in blues and funk contexts
• Balancing tone quality across dynamic shifts in ballads
• Rhythmic precision in disco and rock grooves
• Phrasing and breath placement in song-form arrangements
• Listening and response to recorded accompaniments