Emmett Goods passionately plays his trombone for a captivated audience. Photo by James Singer.
Jazz trombone teacher practices for his doctoral performance in front of students
Emmett Goods steps on stage in front of an intimate group of 16 people and raises his brass trombone to his lips. The first notes of the performance ring through the audience and the notes are almost tangible.
Goods is a jazz trombone professor at the University of Rhode Island who is working on the last steps of his doctorate in the trombone from West Virginia University. One of the last steps in his doctorate program is a recital. With his performance coming soon he decided to hold a practice recital here in Kingston.
Goods background in trombone started at a young age. Born into a family of musicians, it was almost inevitable that he would end up playing music. Although, it was a complete fluke that he ended up playing the trombone.
“I started out as a drummer when I was a really little kid,” Goods said. “When I was in fourth grade I met my best friend. One day we were at his house and his dad pulled out this trombone and started playing. My friend picked it up and he sounded awful, he just couldn’t get it together. He started to put it away, but I said let me try and I got a sound. My friend’s dad said ‘I’m going to call your teacher tomorrow and tell him you need to play the trombone.’ So at his behest, I ended up learning to play the trombone.”
The performance included David Gilliland, a URI lecturer in collaborative piano and Jordan Jacobson, a URI professor in classical trombone. Together they played seven songs.
“This will be the second time I am performing with Doctor Gilliland in public,” Goods said. “It’s a great bonding experience and introduction to this URI family because he’s brand new. Doctor Jacobson will also play the trombone. We’ve played together in professional situations, but not as soloists, we’ve been part of larger ensembles.”
Goods and Gilliland’s performance began with “Morceau Symphonique” composed by Felix Alexandre Guilmant. The song began slowly and quietly. Soon after the trombone’s sound shifted from sorrowful to romantic and playful. Following that song, the performers played “Romance for trombone and piano” by Carl Maria von Weber. The song followed the same feeling as the previous one.
After the first two pieces Goods took a break to talk to the audience. Goods explained that he was working on his doctorate and was hoping to share a performance with the music students who have to perform for him.
“I’m giving this recital as a warm-up for a couple of recitals I have over the next month, one of which is for my doctorate,” Goods said. “When I came to URI they asked me to share the experience with the students.”
Jacobson then joined him on stage for “Passacaille” by Georg Philipp Telemann, a trombone duet. The piece was complete harmony between both Goods and Jacobson’s playing. The next piece was “Fantasia No. 2” also by Telemann. The piece seemed to be a call and response between the two trombones, a duel for dominance of the other that led to a joining of the two sounds.
Goods took another break to talk to the audience, this time about his experiences working with Gilliland and Jacobson. He stepped off the stage and let Gilliland and Jacobson play the next piece.
The two played “Cavatine, Op. 144” by Camille Saint-Saëns, a piece that felt like it should be danced to. The notes were passionate and mellow yet strong. Goods took the stage again with Gilliland to play “Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra” by Nina Rota. The song felt like it had come out of an opera, the trombone felt like a strong force.
His last song, “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” by Stevie Wonder, was dedicated to his wife and daughter who were in attendance. Whereas the other songs were classics for his doctorate recital, this piece was much more soulful and passionate. The song was the most energetic of the whole recital.