DEDICATION I lovingly dedicate this CD to the memory of my teacher, colleague, and good friend, Rex Peer (1928-2008), for the immeasurable value of his guidance, camaraderie, and friendship, and for the wonderful gift of his composition, quot;Blue Trombone.quot; Two years after I started playing trombone as an 8-year-old third grader in the quot;senior bandquot; in Cumberland, Iowa, I began my studies with Rex. He was a skillful, soulful trombonist and (if possible) an even more incredible teacher. He taught me basics, jazz, ballad playing, and music theory. As a result, I was not only well prepared for a career as a performer, but also got the bug for song-writing, arranging, and composing, which have been a cherished part of my adult music career. Needless to say, if it weren't for the many ways in which he helped me get my start as a player and writer, this CD would never have happened. LINER NOTES Theme of the CD: Reflective Trombone--First and foremost, this CD is about my trombone playing, which extends back more than 50 years, to when I started out as an 8-year-old third-grader, playing in the quot;seniorquot; band in Cumberland, Iowa. In 5th grade, I began studying with a master trombonist, Rex Peer (1928-2008), who taught me basics, jazz and ballad playing, and music theory. As a result, I got the bug for song-writing and arranging and composing, which have been a cherished part of my adult music career. So, this CD also provides a chance to hear some of what I like to create, other than on the spur of the moment (as in jazz solos)-as well as some of what I think is truly beautiful, as a setting for those creations. I have also, since early childhood, been an irrepressible singer and whistler, probably inheriting that from my dad, Eldon Bissell (1925-1984) who, along with my mom Deloris, was one of my biggest fans. I wish he could hear this CD, for it carries on that Bissell quot;tradition,quot; including also a couple of songs that provide a vocal showcase for his grandchildren and my children, Charles, Rebecca, Andrew, and Daniel, all of whom are fine, active singers in the Nashville TN and Lexington KY areas. Finally, it allows me to feature one of my very best friends and fellow Disneyland band members, Brian Atkinson, who is a fantastic jazz trumpeter and vibes player. I think you will agree that his solo on quot;Once in a Dreamquot; is just lovely. On a deeper level, however, what I am trying to do in this CD is to quot;reflectquot; on things I have played or written in the past, in a way that goes beyond their original embodiments. Here are some informative and (I hope) interesting details about each of the pieces... Track 1--quot;Reflective Mood,quot; by the great Sammy Nestico, has been played with piano or concert band accompaniment by countless trombonists (some of whom have had their performances posted on uTube), and I was honored to play it with the Iowa State University concert band on the Fall 1966 concert and the Spring 1976 tour, and again with the Cedar Rapids Community Band in the summer of 1970. I am aware of only one person who has performed it with an orchestra: the excellent Swedish flutist Goran Marcusson on his CD quot;Reflective Flute,quot; and I have attempted to quot;up the antequot; a bit by adding a choir singing quot;ah'squot; here and there. If only the 18-year-old from Cumberland, Iowa had had this kind of backup when he played it in college! Tracks 2 & 7--quot;A Little Less Wonderfulquot; is a fun song that I composed in 1982, and it is intended to be a sort of hip quot;flirtationquot; s
