Slide Hampton discusses the trombone.

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Slide Hampton on the physical demands of playing the trombone.

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Slide Hampton on playing the trombone versus arranging.

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Q: “Do you really consider yourself more of a trombone player or a composer/arranger?”

A: “Oh, there was a time when I was more into the arranging and composing thing, definitely. Now, I'm spending hours every day playing the trombone. And I must say that some of my most enjoyable time playing my instrument is at home when I'm alone. And I'm practicing every day and I'm getting up very early in the morning practicing because I'm really beginning to get the feel of the instrument. In the last about, I would say, about three years, I really started to get the feel of the instrument and it feels good to play the instrument, and I'm enjoying just not only besides the creative aspect of the improvising, I am enjoying in just making the sound on the instrument. It's a very strange process that I'm going through right now, but I feel it's quite natural. I feel like I'm just starting now. I'm just starting right now. I feel that in maybe ten years, I will have arrived at the place where I can feel as though I have accomplished something on the instrument. But now I'm just starting, and I start to feel how good the instrument can feel and how much I can relate to the instrument. And I just know that all I have to do is keep developing in a natural line and I will be able to achieve whatever heights I want to”