ROBERT Bachner is one of Austria's most active freelance trombonists, an accomplished bandleader and composer, and a long-time member of the internationally acclaimed Vienna Art Orchestra.

He has released, over the past three years, two superb quintet CDs, a third by his hard-swinging big band, and just recently in 2007 he also released a remarkable CD together with Austrian pianist and composer Helmar Hill.

Starting on euphonium, Bachner took up the trombone at the age of 14.

Bachner studied jazz and popular music with Christian Radovan at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, Austria, and composition and arrangement in Vienna with Thomas Huber and Heinz Czadek. He polished his skills at the New School University in New York City with the international acknowledged master trombonist Conrad Herwig.

His second CD "Travelling Hard" with his quintet was awarded the Hans Koller Prize – the Austrian Jazz Grammy – as CD of the Year 2006.

He is also a sought-after sideman and since the spring of 2008 he has been teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

As a composer, most of his works are for personal projects, according to his website. But he has also composed pieces for the Upper Austrian Jazz Orchestra, Heavy Tuba, Lungau Big Band, Juvavum Brass, Flip Philipp & Ed Partyka Dectet, Trombonica, Ensemble Pro Brass, Sanmera, and Trompeteria.

Dave Wayne, on www.jazzweekly.com, says of the musician: "Trombonist Bachner is absolutely gripping. His style is a highly personal synthesis of the last 50-odd years of jazz trombone. Though JJ Johnson and Albert Mangelsdorff figure prominently, Bachner can also get down and-dirty like Rudd, Anderson and Valente, when he wants to. Yet he really doesn't sound like any of these greats."