Although sometimes confused with one of tenor saxophonist Stan Getz's favorite bassists, the Seattle-based trombonist Bill Anthony is a much younger man. Since the early '90s, he has shined musically in several different contexts including both the large Seattle Jazz Repertory Orchestra and small combos under the leadership of artists such as vocalist Sara Riviera and drummer Clarence Acox. The trombonist is known as a soloist -- no simple ensemble parts for him, please -- and he has demonstrated these talents in front of big bands all over the United States, including an ensemble led by J.J. Johnson, one of the great maestros of bebop trombone playing and a studio whiz to boot.
One of Anthony's earliest recording opportunities was with Bochinche, a rhythmically charged world music aggregation that has been active in the Pacific northwest since the '80s. The group is both loud and almost non-stop, meaning it is a good place to build up brass chops. Anthony's resulting full-blooded, big-band soloing style is solidly displayed on the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra recording SRJO Live. Other aspects of the trombonist's talent emerge on sides with Riviera and Michael Tomlinson. In the former grouping he works alongside rhythm section players such as Randy Halberstadt on piano and Marco de Carvalho on guitar, while Tomlinson's production involves a larger group featuring instrumentalists as diverse as percussionist Brad Dutz and violinist Paul Elliot. The younger generation may have an easier time coming face to face with Anthony than jazz fans who are forced to drag themselves around to clubs. He was a music teacher at several Seattle high schools and middle schools.