Conrad Herwig

Biography

Conrad Herwig (born November 1, 1959, in Lawton, Oklahoma) is a New York–based jazz trombonist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator widely regarded as one of the leading modern voices on his instrument.[1][2][3] He spent his formative years in Hawaii, where he attended Punahou School and came under the influence of veteran trombonist Trummy Young, then went on to study at the University of North Texas, performing with the renowned One O’Clock Lab Band.[1] Herwig later completed a Bachelor of Arts in Afro-Caribbean ethnomusicology at Goddard College in Vermont and a Master of Arts in Jazz Studies at Queens College (CUNY), grounding his performance career in both bebop and hard bop traditions as well as Afro-Caribbean music.[1][3][7]

Herwig’s professional career began in the early 1980s in Clark Terry’s big band, followed by key stints with Buddy Rich, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mel Lewis, and the Frank Sinatra Orchestra, experiences that firmly established him as a first-call big-band trombonist.[1][3][4] He soon became an in-demand small-group player as well, serving as a featured member of Joe Henderson’s Sextet, Tom Harrell’s Septet and Big Band, and Joe Lovano’s Nonet, appearing as a soloist on Lovano’s Grammy-winning album “52nd Street Themes.”[2][3] In parallel, he developed deep ties to Afro-Caribbean and Latin jazz through long-term collaborations with Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Michel Camilo, and Mario Bauzá’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, leading to his acclaimed “Latin Side” series, including the Grammy-nominated “The Latin Side of Joe Henderson.”[1][2][3]

As a leader, Herwig has released more than 20 albums (over 24 by some counts), beginning with “With Every Breath” in 1987 and continuing with a stream of recordings on labels such as Ken Music, Criss Cross, and Half Note that explore hard bop, modal, and Afro-Caribbean conceptions.[1][2][3] He has been a core member and frequent musical director/arranger for the Mingus Big Band, contributing to Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning recordings such as “Live at the Tokyo Blue Note” and “Live at the Jazz Standard,” and his work has earned multiple Grammy nominations as well as repeated recognition as #1 Jazz Trombonist in DownBeat’s Jazz Critics Poll and multiple nominations from the Jazz Journalists Association.[1][2][3] Alongside his performing career, Herwig is a professor of jazz trombone, improvisation, and composition/arranging at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts and a former board member of the International Trombone Association, reinforcing his legacy as both a virtuosic performer and a major educator in contemporary jazz.[2][3]

Fun Facts

• Herwig holds a Bachelor’s degree specifically in Afro-Caribbean ethnomusicology from Goddard College, an unusual academic focus for a trombonist that directly informs his celebrated Latin and Afro-Caribbean projects.[1][7]
• He has been voted #1 Jazz Trombonist in the DownBeat Jazz Critics Poll three times (1998, 1999, 2002), placing him at the very top of his field among critics.[2][3]
• Herwig has appeared on more than 200 recordings as a sideman in addition to over 20 albums as a leader, making him one of the most recorded contemporary jazz trombonists.[1][2]
• He performs exclusively on a custom Michael Rath R10 trombone (brass/nickel silver), and his artist endorsement is specifically noted by both his university bio and his own materials.[2][3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Trummy Young - Early influence and role model during Herwig’s formative years in Hawaii, shaping his trombone sound and jazz concept. (No specific recordings cited; influence noted in biographical accounts of Herwig’s youth.) [1970s (high-school years at Punahou School)]

Key Collaborators

• Eddie Palmieri - Long-term collaboration in Afro-Caribbean and Latin jazz settings, including touring and recording with Palmieri’s ensembles. (Eddie Palmieri’s La Perfecta II and Afro-Caribbean Jazz Octet; Herwig’s “The Latin Side of Joe Henderson” and other Latin-side projects drawing on this partnership.) [Mid-1980s–present[1][2][3]]
• Joe Lovano - Featured trombone soloist in Lovano’s ensembles and collaborator on Latin-side projects. (Featured soloist on Lovano’s Grammy-winning album “52nd Street Themes”; guest on Herwig’s “The Latin Side of Joe Henderson.”) [1990s–2000s[2][3]]
• Joe Henderson - Herwig was a featured member of Henderson’s Sextet, performing hard bop and post-bop repertoire. (Touring and recording with the Joe Henderson Sextet; influence reflected in Herwig’s “Latin Side of Joe Henderson.”) [Late 1980s–1990s[2][3]]
• Tom Harrell - Regular work in Harrell’s Septet and Big Band, highlighting Herwig’s mainstream and modern jazz versatility. (Performances and recordings with Tom Harrell’s Septet and Big Band (specific album titles not specified in the sources).) [1990s[3][4]]
• Mingus Big Band - Core member, musical director, and arranger for this repertory ensemble dedicated to Charles Mingus’s music. (“Live at the Tokyo Blue Note” (Grammy-nominated, Herwig as arranger) and “Live at the Jazz Standard” (Grammy-winning, Herwig as musical director/arranger).) [1990s–present[1][2][3]]
• Tito Puente - Touring and recording collaborations in Afro-Caribbean and Latin jazz big-band settings. (Touring with Tito Puente; specific album titles not listed in the cited sources.) [1980s–1990s[1][2]]
• Paquito D’Rivera - Member of D’Rivera’s quintet and larger Afro-Cuban/Latin jazz ensembles. (Performances with Paquito D’Rivera’s Quintet and the United Nation Orchestra.) [Late 1980s–1990s[1][2][4]]
• Michel Camilo - Afro-Caribbean and Latin jazz collaboration in hybrid small/large ensemble settings. (Performances with Michel Camilo’s 3+3 ensemble.) [1990s–2000s[2][3]]
• Clark Terry - Herwig’s first major professional big-band engagement, launching his career. (Clark Terry’s big band tours and recordings (specific album titles not listed in the sources).) [Early 1980s[1][3][4]]
• Buddy Rich - Big-band trombonist in the Buddy Rich band during Herwig’s early professional years. (Performances and recordings with the Buddy Rich band (specific albums not detailed in sources).) [1980s[1][4]]
• Toshiko Akiyoshi & Lew Tabackin / Mel Lewis - Big-band stints that solidified Herwig’s reputation as a powerful section and solo trombonist. (Performances with the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Mingus-oriented big band tradition and Mel Lewis–associated orchestras (specific titles not cited).) [1980s[1][4]]
• Frank Sinatra - Performed for a number of years with the Frank Sinatra Orchestra in large-ensemble settings. (Touring and recording with the Frank Sinatra Orchestra (specific recordings not listed).) [1980s–1990s[1][2][4]]
• Miles Davis & Quincy Jones - Appeared with the Miles Davis–Quincy Jones big band projects late in Davis’s career. (Big-band performances/recordings in Miles Davis & Quincy Jones projects.) [Early 1990s[2][4]]

Artists Influenced

• Numerous jazz trombonists and improvisers (students at Rutgers University and in international master classes) - Herwig has conducted master classes and workshops worldwide and serves as professor of jazz trombone, improvisation, and composition/arranging, shaping multiple generations of brass players and improvisers. (Pedagogical influence rather than specific recorded works; impact visible in student ensembles and professional careers emerging from Rutgers and institutions where he has taught.) [1990s–present[2][3]]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Bianco's Waltz
2. Nica's Dream (The Latin Side of Horace Silver)
3. Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit (The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner)
4. Song for My Father (The Latin Side of Horace Silver)
5. Skylark (Jam Session Vol. 28)
6. Passion Dance (The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner)
7. Blue Train (The Latin Side of John Coltrane)
8. Ping Pong (The Latin Side Of Wayne Shorter)
9. African Village (The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner)
10. Search for Peace (The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia