John Fedchock

Trombonist John Fedchock, 63, carries the broad sweep of history in his head and his horn. Over the course of more than four decades he’s crossed paths or shared stages with nearly every living notable wielding a slide, garnered two Grammy nominations for his work as an arranger, put his stamp on everything from the quartet format to the big band, and willingly shared his extensive knowledge in universities across the globe.

Initially gaining notice in the ’80s during a seven-year stint with Woody Herman in the Young Thundering Herd, Fedchock went on to draw high praise for his work in other top-flight large ensembles, including the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band, Louie Bellson Big Band, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and his own New York Big Band. The mantle of leadership and a multitude of engagements on the educational front have occupied a significant amount of his time in recent years, yet he’s managed to stay fully abreast of developments in the trombone world and the players pushing the instrument forward. Never one to simply look back, Fedchock observes, absorbs, and personalizes what he encounters at every angle and from every time period, a fact made evident in his playing and writing on a recent string of leader dates for the Summit imprint.

Riding high with the July release of a sextet session, , and fresh off an online teaching gig in tandem with his wife, bass trombonist Jennifer Wharton, for the Vermont Jazz Center in August, Fedchock (and Wharton) traveled out to this writer’s home in Northport, New York, for an outdoor, socially distanced listening session. Everything from craft beer to the current climate of the music business entered into the discussion over the course of several hours of wonderfully roaming conversation,