Why a Web Page About Urbie Green?

This is certainly a legitimate question.  Very simply, Urbie Green is the reason that I still play the trombone.  In fact, according to a recent poll on the Trombone-L list, he is the reason that many people play the trombone.  Yet in spite of his influence on the trombone community, and the vast number of recordings in which he appeared as both a leader and a sideman, one is able to find very little about the man in either the printed media or on the Web.

My search for information began early in 2000 when I was attending a Jazz Workshop in Omaha, Nebraska.  As part of this workshop, we were asked to look up some information about a famous Jazz artist and present a report to the Workshop.  I chose JJ Johnson at a previous workshop and had no problem finding information.  This year, I chose Urbie Green and ran into a brick wall.  I found no Web pages containing more than sketches of his career, and most of the books on Jazz that I checked out from the local library contained little, if anything at all, on Urbie Green.  How could this be?  Well, I determined to do something about it. 

So, what is my purpose in creating this web site?  Simply this:  to expose the public to one of the greatest trombonists of our time.  This site is an educational site.  I will be posting only materiel that has to do with Urbie Green’s musical career.  I have been told that Mr. Green is a private person, and I fully intend to respect that privacy.  You will not learn his phone number on this site, nor will you learn his address, or any other private tidbits.  You will, however, learn about his recordings and about his contributions to musical equipment design.  I have had several offers of interested parties that wish to contribute to this site.  I fully encourage this, and I will give credit to those who provide information.  Please send any comments or materiel to the e-mail address below.

K. S. Dowdy

kdowdy@oppd.com

Sept. 2001