A thirty year veteran of the international jazz circuit, Robert Trowers has played with some of the finest and best known ensembles and artists in jazz. A partial listing of his performance credits include the Lionel Hampton, Illinois Jacquet and Count Basie Orchestras, stints with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra under Wynton Marsalis, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band under Jon Faddis, Randy Weston’s African Rhythms, Sarah Vaughan, Billy Eckstine, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, the Vanguard Orchestra and David Murray.
In addition to his performing credits with the above artists and ensembles, he has recorded two CD’s under his own name for Concord Records, “Synopsis” and “Point of View”. Critics’ comments on the two recordings were: “One of the best Bop bone players around”, “Vibrant and pointed trombone”, and “He brings his own identity to the trombone.” while another declared: “His performance. . . has taken him to the first rank of the best specialists of the instrument.”
Robert Trowers is currently a music faculty member at North Carolina Central University in Durham North Carolina. He teaches trombone, jazz history and jazz ensemble and combo. He also conducts the college’s brass ensemble.
Prof. Trowers was awarded a Scholarly Creative Productivity grant by the Provost’s office in Spring of 2011. His case study, “The Big Band Jazz Education Project”, used the large jazz ensemble as an intergenerational teaching tool for students, faculty, and Durham area jazz professionals. It also contained a community education component, using open rehearsals at local community centers and culminating in a free community concert. His case study is available in the NCCU Music Library.