Author: mpkeys

Louis Armstrong was undoubtedly one of the most important vocalists and instrumentalists in the early decades of jazz. Nearly all jazz trumpeters (as well as other instruments) can trace the lineage of their influences back to him. West End Blues is one of his most iconic tracks, but I encourage you to check out many of his other recordings (there are a lot!) to fully understand the depth and range of his playing and singing.

This week’s video is another example of the natural trumpet (see posts from 1-20 and 4-21). Trumpeter Niklas Eklund and soprano soloist Susanne Ryden both perform incredibly! Composer Luca Antonio Predieri originally wrote this aria in 1740. Listen for the beautiful singing quality of Eklund’s tone, especially when he enters the upper register. Also listen for the wonderful musical interplay between trumpet and voice.

Our featured artist this week is Norwegian trumpet soloist Ole Edvard Antonsen. Here he is performing the cornet solo Napoli arranged by Herman Bellstedt. Listen for his incredible tone, even when performing passages that are of extreme technical difficulty. Enjoy!

This week’s video is DIFFERENT. Brian McWhorter is an incredible trumpet player, and he is one of the leading performers of avant-garde music for trumpet. This performance of Kryl by Robert Erickson utilizes many extended trumpet techniques including: quarter tones, pedal tones, valve slide glisses, and singing!

Jazz trumpeter Nicholas Payton is the featured artist this week. His sound, phrasing, and chops-for-days make him such an impressive trumpet player and musician. His playing combines the tradition of New Orleans with more modern types of jazz and other genres. Enjoy!

Happy Easter! This week’s video is a live performance of the Hallelujah Chorus by G. F. Handel, possibly one of the most well-known and recognizable choir pieces ever written. It is a short section from Messiah, a larger work written for choir and orchestra.

This piece is often performed at Easter services (as well as other parts of the year). The trumpets in this video sound excellent, and they can be clearly heard in the mix. They are playing natural trumpets (no valves), so all pitches are being changed with lips and air. Enjoy!

There have been a lot of impressive trumpet features in the world of competitive drum corps. This clip shows one short example of the 2017 Blue Devils rehearsing their trumpet section feature. The young performers in this video sound great!

There are a lot of amazing recordings of current jazz trumpet giant Sean Jones. He has been a member of prestigious ensembles such as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the San Fransisco Jazz Collective, and groups under his own leadership. His technique and range are incredible, and his tone and musicianship make him one of my favorite current trumpet players.

In the video below, he is the featured soloist with the University of North Texas One O’clock Jazz band. The entire trumpet section in this band is featured as well!

Today we are featuring trumpet solos by John Williams, one of the most well-known composers of music for movies. His films include: Star Wars, Jaws, ET, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and so many more. Many of these movies feature prominent trumpet solos. Two examples included here are Summon the Heroes, which is often played during the Olympics, and and With Malice Toward None from the movie Lincoln.

Tim Morrison is the trumpet soloist on Summon the Heroes, and Chris Martin is featured on With Malice Toward None.

Today we step back in time to feature one of the most popular trumpet players of a few generations ago. Harry James was one of the most well-known musicians of his time. He led a big band that was featured in several movies in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. He was a household name know for his trumpet playing, band leading, and acting.

Harry James had the unique ability to combine classical technique with swing-era jazz style. His Concerto for Trumpet showcases this versatility.