Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort

Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort is a US big band scored for low brass instruments – trombones, euphoniums, and tubas – performed by artists who are renowned in jazz or classical or both.

History

The idea was conceived by Rich Matteson and Harvey Phillips in the fall of 1975 during a T.U.B.A. Conference at Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. Phillips wanted to do something different for the First International Brass Congress in Montreux, Switzerland, the following June and suggested to Matteson that they form a group of three euphoniums and three tubas with rhythm section to debut there. Matteson enthusiastically agreed and immediately recruited trombonist Ashley Alexander and guitarist Jack Petersen. The third euphonium player for the debut performance John Marcellus; the pianist was Steve Harlos; the bassist and drummer were from the Bobby Lewis Band (Chicago). Phillips then recruited the other Tubists, Daniel Perantoni and R. Winston Morris. Rich wrote several arrangements. Phillips said that he'll never forget the first rehearsal and the wide grin on Matteson's face; It works, it really works!

The Tubajazz Consort was a hit in Montreux. And, in February 1978, at the Adelaide Festival in Australia in February 1978, Tubajazz Consort was well received. After the festival, Tubajazz performed for capacity audiences in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, where the group played at the Sydney Opera House and set attendance records at a well-known local jazz club — "The Basement."^[1]

Trademark

Tubajazz is a trademark of the Harvey Phillips Foundation, Inc., a New York not-for-profit corporation founded by Harvey Phillips in 1977 and is based in Bloomington, IN. The trademark was registered November 19, 1996, at the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Tubajazz Artists

EUPHONIUM

• Rich Matteson
• Ashley Alexander
• John Allred
• Buddy Baker
• John Marcellus

TUBA

• Harvey Phillips
• Daniel Perantoni (tuba)
• R. Winston Morris

PIANO

• Tommy Ferguson
• Dan Haerle
• Steve Harlos
• Frank Mantooth

GUITAR

• Jack Petersen

BASS

• Lou Fischer
• Billy Michaels
• Rufus Reid
• Kelly Sill

DRUMS

• Steve Hougton
• Rick Kirkland
• Ed Soph

Tubajazz Composers & Arrangers

• Rich Matteson
• Phil Wilson
• John Allred
• Dan Haerle (piano)
• Jack Petersen

Discography

• Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort - Live
• Tubajazz Superhorns

Audio samples

• Matteson-Phillips TubaJazz Consort – Spoofy

Notes and references

1. ^ Harvey Phillips, Good-Bye Rich — We'll Miss You, Jazz Educators Journal, Volume 26 #2

See also

• Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort
• The Modern Jazz Tuba Project