American NOMS Quintet

The American Brass Quintet is one of the leading ensembles of its kind.  They are based in New York and have been extremely successful since they were established in 1960.  One of the many things that makes this quintet unique is that they do not use tuba as their lowest voice, instead they use the bass trombone.  The choice of using bass trombone instead of tuba might have had to with the performance of Baroque and Renaissance music at the time.  Some of the earlier members of this ensemble were involved in New York’s early music scene that included instruments like the cornett and sackbut. However, it is also said that trombonist Arnold Fromme had contacted Harvey Phillips and told him about the American Brass Quintet and wanted him to play tuba in it.  Phillips would have to decline since he had already pledged to the New York Brass Quintet. Although Phillips declined Fromme’s offer he would recommend other tuba players, but Fromme and co-founder Gilbert Cohen decided to organize the American Brass Quintet with a bass trombonist instead of tuba.


The active members of this quintet are:


- Kevin Cobb, Louis Hanzlik, trumpets
- Eric Reed, horn
- Michael Powell, tenor trombone
- John D. Rojak, bass trombone


The American Brass Quintet has commissioned several works for brass quintet, a lot of our repertoire today has come from their commissions.  Many of these works can be played either bass trombone or tuba, some however work better on one or the other.
Here is a recording of the American Brass Quintet performing David Sampson's Morning Music.
Listen here!