McConnell, Rob
Born in London, Ontario, Rob McConnell took up the valve trombone in high school and began his performing career in the early 1950s performing with saxophonist Don Thompson Edmonton, Bobby Gimby and fellow Canadian Maynard Ferguson. He studied arranging and composition with Gordon Delamont. In 1968, Rob formed The Boss Brass, a big band that would become his primary performing and recording unit through the 1970s into the early 2000s.
A unique musical voice, cutting wit and meticulous leadership on the bandstand were just a few of McConnell's trademarks. He was a consummate professional, a perfectionist and difficult task master - an arranger of the highest order and a great trombone player.
"The Best Damn Band In The Land" may have been coined by Rob McConnell himself, for one of the dozens of albums he recorded with his legendary big band, but it wasn't an undeserved boast. Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass set a standard and defined the Canadian sound for big band music for decades.
Rob McConnell assembled the original Boss Brass from Toronto's finest studio musicians. The instrumentation of the The Boss Brass was originally sixteen pieces, consisting of trumpets, trombones, french horns and a rhythm section, but no saxophones (woodwinds). McConnell introduced a sax section in 1970, and expanded the trumpet section to include a fifth trumpet player in 1976, bringing the total to 22 members.
He died on May 1, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, aged 75, from liver cancer.
ROB MCCONNELL JAZZ LINES PUBLICATIONS SERIES SIX ARRANGEMENT SET
Recorded by Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass
Six Jazz Big Band Arrangements
Jazz Lines Publications
JLP-1057
$410.00
4,679,385TH BLUES IN B FLAT, THE
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Walrus Music Publishing
W-51351
$60.00
4,679,385TH BLUES IN B FLAT, THE [DOWNLOAD]
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Walrus Music Publishing
W-51351DL
$60.00
ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND [DOWNLOAD]
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Jazz Lines Publications
JLP-7000DL
$75.00
Recorded by Rob McConnell
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Jazz Lines Publications
JLP-7037
$85.00
Recorded by Rob McConnell
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Jazz Lines Publications
JLP-7037DL
$85.00
Recorded by Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Jazz Lines Publications
JLP-7015
$75.00
Recorded by Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Jazz Lines Publications
JLP-7015DL
$75.00
CLARINET IS BLACK AND BLUE, THE
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Walrus Music Publishing
W-51374
$60.00
CLARINET IS BLACK AND BLUE, THE [DOWNLOAD]
Jazz Big Band Arrangement
Walrus Music Publishing
W-51374DL
$60.00
