TBJ129: Martin McCain

The Brass JunkiesPodcast
Written By Austin Boyer

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TBJ129: Martin McCain on travel, creating new repertoire and BBQ

Trombone player and educator Martin McCain gives us a peek at his diverse and prolific career. 

From his bio:

Global Music Award Gold Medal Winner and Grammy Award-nominated trombonist Martin McCain enjoys a career that spans an impressive scope of genres. A third-generation musician, he maintains a versatile performance schedule as a soloist, recording artist, chamber, orchestral and commercial musician. According to the International Trombone Association Journal, his playing has been described as "solid and masterful". McCain is in high demand as a performer and clinician throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. His performances and arrangements have been broadcast on Austin, Knoxville, Tucson, Chicago, Toronto and Hong Kong's radio stations in addition to NPR's "Performance Today". Martin has appeared as a guest artist at the International Trombone Festival, Great American Brass Band Festival, Zagreb Brass Festival, Brazilian Trombone Festival and American Trombone Workshop. He is the leader of the award-winning jazz trombone ensemble, JazzBonez, a member of the highly-acclaimed Minor 4th Trombone Quartet and an Associate Artist with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. Martin regularly performs in recital programs both as a soloist and as the McCain Duo with his wife, pianist Artina McCain. As an orchestral musician, Martin holds the position of Principal Bass Trombone for the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra. McCain regularly performs with the IRIS Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony, Austin Symphony and Memphis Symphony Orchestra in addition to several summer festival orchestras. He has performed with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Amarillo Symphony, Charleston Symphony Orchestra and many regional orchestras. As a commercial musician, he performs with the NOW Jazz Orchestra, Memphis Jazz Orchestra and several national touring ensembles in addition to performances with the Frank Sinatra Jr. Orchestra. 

McCain was a prize - winner twice in both the International Trombone Association's Donald Yaxley Solo Bass Trombone Competition and Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition and twice in both of the American Trombone Workshop's National Bass Trombone Solo Competition and Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition. He has been a featured soloist with the Croatian Army Wind Band, United States Army Concert Band "Pershing's Own" and the United States Army Brass Quintet. In addition to being heard on various recordings on the Summit Records, Naxos and Equilibrium labels, Martin has released three solo CDs Trombone Czar: Russian Treasures Recorded Live! (2012), Shades (2014) and Trombone Czar: The Extended Version(2015). Other recording credits include numerous movie and video game soundtracks in addition to commercial jingles. He is a four-time winner of the Global Music Awards and was featured as their “Emerging Artist” in an edition of Billboard magazine.

Martin is an Artist/Teacher of Trombone and the youngest faculty member to hold the rank of full professor at Texas State University. Under his leadership, the Trombone Choir and Jazz Trombone Ensembles have been invited to perform at the International Trombone Festival, American Trombone Workshop, Big 12 Trombone Conference and Texas Music Educators Association Convention on numerous occasions and have released two commercial recordings. Dr. McCain’s students have also been extremely successful in solo and ensemble competitions including the International Trombone Association competitions, the American Trombone Workshop competitions and the Big 12 Trombone Solo Competitions. In recognition of his teaching, he has received several citations including the 2019 College Achievement Award in Teaching, 2016 Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2013 Dean Nominee for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. His students have been accepted into some of the nation's most prestigious graduate programs such as the Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Yale University, Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He is also the founder/director of the Texas State Trombone Symposium. In addition to his duties at Texas State, Martin spends the summer on the faculty for the Austin Chamber Music Festival, Interharmony International Music Festival (Italy), Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, PRIZM International Chamber Music Festival, SliderAsia Music Festival (Hong Kong) and the English Brass Academy (Croatia).

Martin McCain is a performing artist for S.E. Shires, Reunion Blues Gig Bags and plays on the "McCain" signature mouthpiece series manufactured by Pickett Brass.

In this fun and lively discussion, we cover:

  • His two homes

  • Illustrious bass trombone players

  • He and his wife both have cool gigs

  • Phish Memphis BBQ

  • Smoking meat

  • Growing up in the Midwest

  • More Smokers Than Trombone

  • The 16-hour-10-hour smoke

  • Fred Powell Dial-a-BBQ

  • Being a third-generation musician

  • Playing with the Memphis Symphony

  • Last of the Mississippi Juke Joints

  • Food

  • His Dad's advice, "If you want to eat..."

  • Starting on piano, switching to baritone

  • Mo' Better Blues

  • McCain Duo

  • Piano prenup

  • Creating new repertoire for the duo

  • Sacred music (with a twist) project

  • Mahidol University

  • Bangkok and Asian travel

  • Musical forest

  • What, why and how he records album projects

  • How projects get funded

  • Jazz Bones

  • Southern Miss Hub Bones

  • The value of concentrated rehearsal time

  • Playing with Boston Brass

  • Recording the Kenton Christmas album

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Expertly produced by Will Houchin with love, care, and enthusiasm.

Austin Boyer
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