Happy New Year! Our featured trumpet player this week is Rafael Mendez, arguably one of the greatest trumpet soloists of all time. Mendez was alive from 1906 to 1981. Younger listeners will notice the sound quality on these older recordings is different that what we are used to today, but the level of performance is still incredible.
Mendez was born in Mexico and moved to the United States when he was 20. He performed frequently as a soloist and worked in recording studios in Hollywood. He is best known for his vibrant tone and precise double tongue technique. Because of his clear tone and technique, he is able to perform in a way that is exciting and musically expressive.
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