Who are your favorite trumpet players?
Hello everyone and wishing you a happy Monday! I'm sure that each of us has a few special players that make us feel pure joy... perhaps it was the first time you heard a sizzling high note, or a warm lyrical ballad, or a rich resonant sound echoing through a concert hall. Who are the 3 or 4 players that really do it for you, and why? If there's a story associated with the first time you heard this player, share that too! Happy practicing, and see you on tonebase! 🎺🎺🎺🎺
12 replies
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I'll go first! One of the key moments for me was hearing Wynton Marsalis for the first time as a 12 year old. My middle school band director played one of those classic YouTube videos of Wynton improvising on Cherokee and I lost my mind... how was it possible that he could play so fast? And so musically? And with so much technical control! Wynton's musical approach remains one of my biggest influences to this day.
I discovered Clifford Brown at age 14. My high school band director gave me a CD of "More Study in Brown" and I went home and learned just about every solo. His sound is so rich and vibrant, especially on ballads, and his witty, exciting lines are delivered with so much bite.
More recently, Caleb Hudson has left me in total awe. I first heard him playing with Canadian Brass about a decade ago, and found his piccolo playing just sublime. His control, his articulation, and his velvety sound are so pleasing on the ears, whether he's playing Corelli or his originals (both of which he happened to discuss on his tonebase courses, some of which are still yet to be released!)
Some others for me include Ambrose Akinmusire, Rafael Mendez, Miles, Dizzy, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Louis Armstrong, Al Vizzutti, Matthias Hofs, Peter Evans, and too many more for me to count!!
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In my younger years I listened endlessly to recordings of Maurice Andre. He is my trumpet hero.
It's youth sentiment.
Another absolute hero is Ack van Rooyen.
At the age of ninety he played My funny Valentine, so movingly beautiful and sensitive.
Mike Boddé & Ack van Rooyen - My Funny Valentine | Podium Witteman (youtube.com)
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I started playing in 1977 in 6th grade. My buddies and I listened to Maynard Ferguson and Bill Chase. Loved the high note players. My dad had some Al Hirt albums that I would listen to also.
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I heard Doc Severinsen (in 1962) on a record my dad bought and a few weeks later he got me a trumpet and I joined the band at school. Later I really got into Don Ellis. Don's performance of "Don't Leave Me" (The New Don Ellis Band Goes Underground) was so innocent and playful-like that it reminded me of being a kid and always made me smile inside. It still moves me the same way today and I play it often in a big room as therapy so I can wake up the "kid" in me again.
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Clifford Brown. I could spend all afternoon just listening to him play a long G. 😊 Love the album Clifford Brown With Strings.
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Wynton Marsalis, James Morrison, Maurice Andre.
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Clifford Brown, Clark Terry, Chet Baker, Maynard Ferguson, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Diz, Satchmo, Bix, Gerard Presencer, Bill Chase, Jerry Hey, Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, Conrad Gozzo, Roger Ingram, Derek Watkins…I could go on.
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Haken Hardenberger is my favorite classical player. Miles Davis for the other genres.