Jazz Articles about Chris Washburne

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Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band: Land of Nod

by Michael P. Gladstone
January 24, 2007

Trombonist, composer and bandleader Chris Washburne heads up a spirited band called SYOTOS, which is an acronym for “See You On The Other Side," which dates back to an expression used by him just before his successful cancer surgery to his fellow musicians.

The title of this album comes from author Jonathan Swift who, in Gulliver's Travels, coined the expression “land of nod." I thought after hearing this album that no one who listens to it will be ...

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Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band: Land of Nod

by Dan McClenaghan
November 26, 2006

Call this jazz protest CD by trombonist Chris Washburne “Latin jazz with an attitude." The phrase “Land of Nod" originated with Jonathan Swift (Gulliver's Travels) in reference to a state of slumber. As a collective whole, the American public may have undergone a collective political nodding off, though recent elections seem to offer some solace--a critical thinking jolt of mind-clearing caffeine.Sometimes you just take your inspiration where you find it. For Washburne, the State of the Union has ...

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Chris Washburne: Instrumental Activist

by Jason Crane
November 22, 2006

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Chris Washburne: Instrumental Activist

by Jason Crane
October 23, 2006

Trombonist, composer and educator Chris Washburne has added another title--activist. Washburne and his longtime partners, The SYOTOS Band, are making a bold political statement on their new album, Land of Nod (Jazzheads, 2006). Like all bold political statements, this one is... danceable? You read that right. Washburne manages to pack the same punch on the dance floor as always, but he's coupling it with an ideological message intended to give listeners a meaning behind the music.In September, Washburne ...

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Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band: Paradise in Trouble

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
August 25, 2003

Chris Washburne and his Syotos Band are very special. This would be just an opinion -- however accurate -- if it weren't for the fact that they've maintained long-term weekly gigs at a top jazz club (Smoke) and a top Latin club (Nuyorican Poets Cafe), the latter for eight years. Recently, they added Tuesdays at a top blues club (B.B. King's). These gigs are notable for two reasons: one, in the current dismal climate of New York's clubs, getting one ...

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Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band: The Other Side (El Otro Lado)

by Jim Santella
September 1, 2001

Dedicated to Tito Puente, Chris Washburne's second recording with his stellar SYOTOS band brings fresh air to a staid genre. The Latin jazz umbrella covers a lot of territory. Washburne's focus is on salsa dance music for its starting point. You can dance to it. Just try to keep still. However, to the salsa formula, the bandleader adds somewhat more complex jazz elements and searing solos. You get the best of both worlds. This is music you can appreciate, while ...

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Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band: The Other Side (El Otro Lado)

by Bob Powers
August 1, 2001

The young lions of today are smart enough to have studied their elders. Chris Washburne, a young Ohioan who leads a seven-piece band, has paid close attention to some of jazz history's best.Washburne, who plays exciting trombone with agility and knowledge of his elders, intended to have his new album pay tribute to Latin master Tito Puente. Alas, Puente's death last year robbed Washburne of his final opportunity to play a role in the long Puente recording history. ...