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Aaron Hettinga has arranged five fantastic "Smears" for Trombone and Piano by American composer Nathaniel Cleophus Davis. These "Smears" were very popular and "cool" to perform when they were composed over a century ago. Mr. Hettinga has combined all five of them into one collection. They are appropriate for a moderately advanced performers and are about 6 minutes in length each.

Here is an abridged description of them by Bass Trombonist Douglas Yeo.

African American trombonist, composer, and bandleader Nathaniel Cleophas Davis (also known as Nathan Davis) was born in Tennessee on August 14, 1888. By 1908, he had moved to Nashville where he directed the band at the Tennessee School for the Blind.

Among his musical compositions were five trombone features for band in ragtime style which included Oh, Slip It Man (1916), Mr. Trombonology (1917), and Miss Trombonism (1918). Upon returning from fighting in WWI, Nathaniel Davis continued writing ragtime trombone features including Master Trombone (1919) and a tribute to his wartime service in France, Trombone Francais (1921). Nathaniel Davis died in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 19, 1972, at the age of 84 and is buried in South View Cemetery, Atlanta.