The concept of B.R.A.V.O. the album originated two years ago. I wanted to do a duo recording featuring the two instruments I've been known for my whole career, trombone and tuba. It would mainly be a showcase for B.R.A.V.O. an articulating valve I developed for the trombone. (The acronym stands for Bargeron Rapid Articulating Valve Option.) Invented in 1982, the device has progressed through seven prototypes and almost 30 years of playing, arriving finally at the finished version in August 2011. (B.R.A.V.O. allows the slide trombone to play with the grace and speed of its saxophone, trumpet, and guitar brethren, truly bringing the instrument into the 21st century.) It makes possible a lifelong vision of the music I have always imagined playing on the trombone; that vision is now a reality.