Backgrounder: Bill Watrous - In Love Again, 1967

There are trombone albums—and then there are trombone albums. This is the latter, a positively beautiful recording by Bill Watrous, who had a beautiful ballad tone, rivaled only by Urbie Green and a few others.

Recorded in New York in 1968 and backed by the Richard Behrke Strings, Bill Watrous's In Love Again: William Russell Watrous was a date album of the highest order. His playing on the ballads was mellifluous, and he had a gorgeous tone and technique.

Born in Middletown, Ct., in 1939, Watrous's father turned him onto the trombone. He recorded extensively on Kai Winding's many albums with multiple trombones. He also appeared on albums with complex scores, including those by Johnny Richards, Wes Montgomery (California Dreaming), Paul Desmond (Summertime), Pat Williams and Deodato (Prelude). As a leader, Watrous recorded more than 20 albums.

Bill Watrous died in 2018. He was 79.

Here's Bill Watrous's In Love Again in two parts, without ad interruptions...

Here's Side 1...



And here's Side 2...