Denver Based Musician Releases Debut CD Featuring the Euphonium as the Lead Instrument



May 18, 2005 -- Tom Ball, musician and educator living in the Denver Colorado area, has recently released his debut CD, the Tom Ball Quartet Fishleather Jacket. The CD features a traditional jazz quartet of piano, bass and drums with a euphonium as the lead instrument. The euphonium is a low brass instrument, resembling a small tuba that is usually used in a concert band setting and is rarely heard playing jazz. The euphonium plays in the same range as a trombone but has valves like a trumpet and has a smooth, mellow tone.

The CD features eight original compositions by Mr. Ball who produced the project. Other musicians of the group include Vlad Girshevich on piano, Eric Thorin on bass, and co-producer Ben Makinen on drums and percussion.

Denver is home to Mr. Ball, who is one of the only a handful of jazz euphonium players in the world actively performing and recording as a leader or sideman. Mr. Ball has been a freelance musician for over 15 years and music educator living in Colorado since 1996. He holds degrees in music from the University of Colorado Boulder and Berklee College of Music. Mr. Ball works regularly as a trombonist with several groups in the Denver area and is active in the Denver recording scene.

The Tom Ball Quartet performed in a special featured concert on Friday April 8th 2005, at The Best Western Inn in Greeley as part of the Rocky Mountain International Tuba and Euphonium Association Regional Conference. Fishleather Jacket is currently receiving heavy airplay on Denver's jazz radio station, KUVO 89.3 FM www.kuvo.org. Tom Ball's website is www.jazzeuphonium.com and the CD are available at www.cdbaby.com/cd/tball.





Denver Based Musician Releases Debut CD Featuring the Euphonium as the Lead Instrument