JDMRECORDS
ALL MY CONCERTOS by TOMMY PEDERSON BUY ONLINE
Featuring:
Dick Nash, Lloyd Ulyate, Phil Teele, Alan Kaplan, Bill Booth, Bob Sanders, Bruce Otto,
Jim Boltinghouse, Bill Tole, Bill Broughton, Craig Ware and Alex Iles.
Also with: Jim Sawyer, John Ward, Gary Tole, Bob Payne and Debbie Boltinghouse
Contact Info
(323) 939-5949 office
(805) 657-4805 cell
jdmbolt@aol.com email
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Bill Tole was a very important leader in the big band and trombone community. Internationally-respected, Bill had a musical career spanning almost 8 decades when he was taken from us too soon on May 20, 2017. Bill’s trombone can be heard on the soundtrack of the 1977 movie New York, New York, where he played the part of Tommy Dorsey on Getting’ Sentimental Over You and Song of India. He led his own big band and was also the leader of the latest edition of the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra for many years.
Bill was an important part of Tommy Pederson’s musical legacy, lending his talents to Tommy’s “Terrible Tempered Trombones” groups, as well as being a regular member of Hoyt’s Garage in the 1960s and 1970s. You can hear Bill’s unmistakable lead trombone approach to Tommy’s arrangement of Jingle Bells on the Hollywood Trombones CD “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Bill’s solo on the opening lines of Cogent Caprice from Tommy’s demo recording “The Trombones are Coming” was the model for all who followed in performing this piece. His other solo contributions are indeed too numerous to mention here.
Bill was not only a great musician and big band leader, but was a mentor to many young musicians. He was ready and willing to clinic and perform with musical ensembles all over the country. We were indeed fortunate to get a short block of his time to record his beautiful duet with Bill Broughton on our CD’s What Color is the Wind? and to lead the way in the shout chorus to Marie – Tommy was indeed smiling down on Bill (“That a Boy!!”). Bill had a big heart and was a friend to all. We will miss him but try not to ever forget the big smile that Bill always seemed to wear and which is undoubtedly bigger than ever now. God Bless You Bill!
In memory of Bruce Otto
The world lost an immense musical talent and all of us lost the truest of friends when Bruce Otto passed away at the age of 57 on June 15, 2011. Bruce was one of the greatest musicians we will ever have had the privilege to know and hear, whether as a trombone soloist, side man (on all low brass) or even vocalist.
Bruce hailed from Chicago, where he attended De Paul University, later becoming a “first call” studio trombonist who could play all musical styles. His ballad playing was some of the prettiest ever heard, his solos on Emmanuel Gold from the CD “All My Concertos” and on Stardust from the Fred Mills tribute CD, “To Fred With Love”, but two of many shining examples. Bruce was also probably the most comical story teller of his day. Bruce’s dual crafts of trombone playing and story telling were honed in most every recording studio and concert hall of Chicago and Los Angeles, (not to mention live theater “pits” and “green rooms”) from the early 1970s through 2011when he performed for the musical, “Twist” at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Possessing incredibly high musical standards, Bruce was a natural leader who could quickly eliminate the extraneous so as to be able to focus on the critical, in the process helping other musicians to survive many a difficult situation. He was a true student of good music and was especially expert on Frank Sinatra. When Bruce wasn’t listening to music, he was sharing music with others, often from his vast recording collection. If one needed any big band, orchestra or jazz combo personnel trivia, Bruce was in a league by himself (“Ask Bruce” was far superior to any Google search).
Those of us in Los Angeles first met Bruce in 1978 or 1979 during his first tour of duty here. Many more counted Bruce as a musical colleague and great friend upon getting to know him better after he moved to L.A. for good in 1989. He had a heart as big as the rainbow, and if one needed someone to “hang with”, lend a hand, or merely to use as a sounding board, one could always count on Bruce Otto.
Bruce, we will miss you more than you could have ever imagined. Your heart and humanity cannot be replaced. We will always hold your memory dear. We just wish you hadn’t heeded Tommy Pederson’s call from above – “We need you up here! – so unfairly soon. May God bless you Bruce, our great friend . . . until we meet again.