Bob McChesney

From Baltimore, Bob McChesney began playing the trombone in the fourth grade as part of the public school music program. He has since evolved into a world-renowned trombone soloist and an authority on trombone pedagogy. Bob McChesney’s trademarks as a trombonist are his smooth, lightning-fast technique, his mastery of jazz harmony, beautiful sound, and a strong emotional connection to the music. With complete mastery of the instrument, McChesney has distinguished himself as one of the pre-eminent trombone soloists in the world.

Primarily self-taught, from a young age Bob developed a unique way of articulating legato on the slide trombone, referred to as “doodle tonguing”. He has since authored what is considered to be the definitive treatise on the subject, “Doodle Studies and Etudes”, and the method has been critically acclaimed and endorsed by trombonists and music educators all over the world.

Bob has had the honor of performing on the slide trombone, the virtuosic cornet piece “The Carnival of Venice” with The Idaho Falls Symphony. Following that performance, Bob recorded the piece with pianist Alan Steinberg, and that recording has now has reached a staggering 3 million views on YouTube.

As a prominent figure in the Los Angeles recording studio scene, Bob has enjoyed a career in scoring films, television shows and albums. He can be heard on recordings for Barbra Streisand, Shakira, Michael Buble’, Natalie Cole, Neil Young, Chicago, Keb’ Mo’, Jessie J, Tricia Yearwood, Olivia-Newton-John, Hanson (with Jerry Hey Horns), Horace Silver, Joey DeFrancesco, Randy Waldman and many others, and can be heard on the Grammy-winning albums “Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company”, “Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk, Diana Krall’s “When I Look in Your Eyes”, “Dear Diz” by Arturo Sandoval, “Serendipity 18” by Bob Florence, and others.

Not a stranger to big bands, Bob has worked with many of the finest West coast big bands, including holding the honor of lead trombonist for the bands of Patrick Williams, Bob Mintzer (west coast), Chris Walden, Bill Watrous and many others. Bob was also a long-standing member of the Bob Florence Limited Edition big band.

With extensive experience performing in classical ensembles for motion picture scores, Bob has also worked with live orchestras in the Los Angeles area, including The Long Beach Symphony and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

A skilled jazz educator and clinician, Bob has been a welcomed guest artist all over the US and Canada. He has been a featured performer and educator at music conventions for the IAJE, JEN, the ITF (International Trombone Festival) and others. In January 2018, Bob was featured on the cover of the International Trombone Association Journal and was interviewed about his various method books, practice routines and performance techniques. He has held teaching positions at California State University Northridge and at California State University Long Beach. He continues to teach privately.

Legendary composer Lalo Schifrin exclaimed, “Bob McChesney is a virtuoso and has the gift to bring us the joy of music at the highest level.”