Chris Washburne

Jazz trombonist Chris Washburne has performed with many artists and groups during his long musical career, including Freddie Cole, Anthony Braxton, Luisito Rey, the RMM Allstar Salsa Band, the Walter Thompson Big Band, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Boston Art Quartet Jazz Group, and many others. He also leads a Latin jazz band called S.Y.O.T.O.S., which he has been a part of for a number of years. The latter showcases various original compositions completed by Washburne. The band S.Y.O.T.O.S. is filled with other talented members, such as conga player Wilson "Chembo" Corniel, trumpeters John Walsh and Ray Vega, sax player Ole Mathisen, bassist Harvie Swartz, drummer Vince Cherico, and bongo and timbale player Bobby Sanabria. Washburne completed a new album with the band for 2000, Nuvorican Nights.

Washburne's future in music has not always been a sure one, even after his career seemed footed on solid ground. There was a time a few years back when he thought he had no future at all, in anything. One little word threatened to steal it all away — cancer. He fought the battle and won. And then found it took fighting another battle to rebuild his strength and skills on the trombone. After somewhere around two years of work, Washburne and his music were back to normal, if not even improved.

With such a busy schedule of performing, composing, touring, and recording with both his own band and as a studio musician, somehow Chris Washburne has still managed to devote time as a trombone teacher, working at schools like Columbia University and the New School for Social Research.