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John Hines/Hines DeVine Jazz

Contemporary Jazz Trombone Performance & Instruction

About Me

John Hines has been playing in and around the Denver area for the past 15 years, and is now starting to reach beyond his home marketplace.

“Hines plays his ax with prime advanced harmonic ideas, certainly with liquid phrasing, & an attendant voicelike, yet abstract sound. His robust & bright sonority interacts with ease with his group as he deftly weaves his wonderful web of solo artistry.” - George w. Carroll, The Musician's Ombudsman, April 2004 http://www.ejazznews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2953&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

After studying under Ray Smith (Brigham Young University)in Provo, Utah, he played with the internationally known big band, Synthesis, including opening for Gerry Mulligan's big band at the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival, and for Wayne Shorter at the 1988 Antibbes Jazz Festival outside Monte Carlo, France. After building a successful career in advertising and technology marketing (he is currently the Director of eServices for a technology arm of General Electric called GE Access), he picked up his playing pace when he moved to Denver in 1993. While still doing it on the side, he plays professionally for several orchestral and jazz groups in and around the Denver area, including lead bone for the Joe Diamo Big Band and the swing-jazz small group, Primetime.

He sits in regularly with many of the local bands, including the VSO Big Band, the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, and various show bands. He played for the 2003 Colorado Mormon Chorale performance of 'The Secret Garden,' and enjoys playing and composing for music theater. He has been an active supporter of the Colorado Jazz Workshop for four years,primarily under the tutelage of Hugh Ragin, and is involved with several efforts to bring more jazz to Denver.

His playing has been described as being a mix of Curtis Fuller and Steve Turre, but with an almost “vocal quality” that makes him easy to listen to. According to Ann Braithwaite: “Hines's trombone voice is striking in its tonal clarity, and he never succumbs to mawkishness. Hines has an attractive musical personality that's shaped by familiarity with his instrument in the jazz past and present. His articulate lines suggest those of Curtis Fuller, the renowned Jazz Messenger and Count Basie sideman, in their pleasing melodic disposition. Hines's musical ideas draw on swing and bebop but also on jazz from present times; contemporary trombonists Steve Turre and Robin Eubanks would join older players Slide Hampton and Bob Brookmeyer in approving of what results from his creative thought. The colors and accents Hines tucks into the flow of each of [his] tracks keep the flow of the music constantly riveting to the ears. Glad to say, first-rate musicianship goes hand in hand with the carefully managed emotion at the core of his playing.”

'In The Pocket' is John's debut CD project with the Capri Records label.

'Pag's Groove' features the big band and original compositions from Michael Pagan, which features John on solos and in the section, both on Lead and 2nd Trombone.

'Jazz Stew' shows John's section work with the 'What's Cookin'' big band.

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