Roads Less Traveled

If you think all trombone sounds the same, this creative variety of jazz and latin will change your mind. Combining alto and bass trombones with synthesis and percussion, these creative arrangements break new ground in trombone recording.

Each of these multi-trombone arrangements were recorded by Michael Lake overdubbing his alto trombone between one and 10 times, along with Gerry Pagano recording the bass trombone parts.

This digital album comes with all tracks as both MP3 and WAV, and the four-page liner note booklet. This is not a CD. It is a downloadable digital album.

On Roads Less Traveled, Lake paints full canvases. He fills out the sound in multiple ways, adding keyboards, throwing electronics into the mix, and by creatively and judiciously overdubbing horn parts. As the album kicks off, a pair of high energy numbers Charlie Parkers “Yardbird Suite” and John Coltranes “Moment’s Notice”—showcase Lake’s skills on the horn, his studio savvy, and the blend he achieves with himself and Pagano.

Lake and Pagano deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve accomplished here. Roads Less Traveled is an inspired, well-wrought work of art.
Screen Shot 2023-07-16 at 3.32
Dan Bilawsky
All About Jazz
A white guy from Arizona gets a music scholarship to study with cats from Art Ensemble of Chicago and you think he won’t have way-out creative ideas? Farther along down life’s trail than he was back then, he still hasn’t lost his restless spirit to push the boundaries. With his multi instrument abilities and multi-track recorder, he’s created his own old school sounding trombone orchestra and it’s a gasser. The set list doesn’t stray too far from straight ahead jazz, but you don’t mind the diversions no matter how much of a jazzbo you are. Playing it straight but with a certain, palpable winking askewness, Lake, with coloration from Pagano, serves up the goods in just the right fashion.

There’s no way a mainstreamer can’t love this.
Midwestern record logo
MidWest Records
Exquisite playing and beautifully crafted arrangements make the Roads Less Traveled a must take musical journey. Michael Lake’s virtuosic alto trombone playing is worth the price of admission alone, as is Gerry Pagano’s rock solid bass trombone performance, but together it’s a match made in heaven. Bravo Michael and Gerry.
Michael Davis brighter
Michael Davis
Trombonist,composer, educator
Inception
Cinematic @ 68 bpm
Inception
Cinematic @ 68 bpm
Milky Way
Ethereal @ 100 bpm
Milky Way
Ethereal @ 100 bpm
I-VI-II-V
Jazz @ 140 bpm
I-VI-II-V
Jazz @ 140 bpm
Caribbean Express
Salsa @ 165 bpm
Caribbean Express
Salsa @ 165 bpm
Dawn of a New Day
Soul @ 85 bpm
Dawn of a New Day
Soul @ 85 bpm
Spinning Top
Jazz Waltz @ 140 bpm
Spinning Top
Jazz Waltz @ 140 bpm
Sails Full Open
Contemporary @ 120 bpm
Sails Full Open
Contemporary @ 120 bpm
Summer's Dawn
Jazz Waltz @ 110 bpm
Summer's Dawn
Jazz Waltz @ 110 bpm
The Benji Pad
Ethereal @ 100 bpm
The Benji Pad
Ethereal @ 100 bpm
St. Thomas Block Party
Calypso @ 114 bpm
St. Thomas Block Party
Calypso @ 114 bpm
Island Mines
World Music @ 112 bpm
Island Mines
World Music @ 112 bpm
Disco Marley
Reggae-ish @ 110 bpm
Disco Marley
Reggae-ish @ 110 bpm
Earthen Choir
Ethereal @ 92 bpm
Earthen Choir
Ethereal @ 92 bpm
Jungle Dance
Cinematic @ 130 bpm
Jungle Dance
Cinematic @ 130 bpm
Bailey's Waltz
Jazz Waltz @ 110 bpm
Bailey's Waltz
Jazz Waltz @ 110 bpm
Afternoon Daydreaming
Samba @ 90 bpm
Afternoon Daydreaming
Samba @ 90 bpm
Galactica
Epic @ 100 bpm
Galactica
Epic @ 100 bpm
Lush Life
Funk @ 90 bpm
Lush Life
Funk @ 90 bpm
Eleuthera
Bolero @ 90 bpm
Eleuthera
Bolero @ 90 bpm
Good Bye
Ethereal @ 90 bpm
Good Bye
Ethereal @ 90 bpm
Southside Strut
Funk @ 100 bpm
Southside Strut
Funk @ 100 bpm
Standing outside
Bossa @ 150 bpm
Standing outside
Bossa @ 150 bpm
Groovy Jazzy
Jazz funk @ 112 bpm
Groovy Jazzy
Jazz funk @ 112 bpm
Sound Refuge
Eclectic - no temp
Sound Refuge
Eclectic - no temp
Dreaming of Mars
Static harmony without a tempo
Dreaming of Mars
Static harmony without a tempo
Beat Sweeper
Jazz @ 180 bpm
Beat Sweeper
Jazz @ 180bpm
Cruisin'
Fast Americana @ 224 bpm
Cruisin'
Fast Americana @ 224 bpm
Contemplation
Smooth @ 120 bpm
Contemplation
Smooth @ 120 bpm

This is just a fake book example for the type of website I can build for you. Just trying to use a little humor here!