I recently came across a very talented trio fronted by a young trumpet player you must hear. Noticed I didn’t say your “should” hear. The trio is called Sweet Talk and no matter what kind of music trips your trigger, you need to listen to and follow the progress of this interesting ensemble (an experimental jazz trio based in Brooklyn, NY. Jake Henry – trumpet; Dustin Carlson – guitar, Devin Drobka – drums). Each member of the group is able to contribute artistry in every composition. And when you combine only a guitarist, a drummer and a trumpet player, you…

In our never ending quest to showcase the best in trumpet playing…. A Seattle native, Tatum Greenblatt is a musician, composer and bandleader who has established himself as one of the most in-demand trumpet players on New York City’s music scene and performed with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Joe Lovano, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, The Mingus Big Band, Richard Bona, George Gruntz, Donny McCaslin, Jacques Swartz- Bart, David Berger, George Garzone, and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, among many others. Having earned his master’s degree from The Juilliard School, Tatum has toured extensively with The Richard Bona Group…

Flash Mobs have been increasing in number as well as creativity. We all would like to be present when one of these apparent haphazard occurrences take place. The thrill of this unpredictable and well-rehearsed performance happening in front of our very eyes is something every person would remember all of his/her life. Now, let me jump to another similar and related question. How many of you have heard complaints about a live show using tracks? Many people will rant and rave and say such things such as “I paid good money to hear “real” music, not a canned recording”. Yet…

Few of us remember much if anything about the Depression (the real Depression) and the word bartering may not be one we use today in casual conversations, but you might look into it. By definition the word bartering refers to the exchange of goods or services for other goods or services without the exchange of currency.. This may sound off the wall but as the economy continues to falter, the practice of bartering starts to make more since each day. Most everyone is faced with increased expenses and in many cases we can find ourselves out of work. Being out…

I saw his last concert. His plane crashed only an hour or so after his last note ended in the hall. What a loss. We miss you Bill…..

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As the responses to our survey continue to trickle in, I will keep you up-to-date as to the most requested areas to address when improving our trumpet playing. At the present time, here are the results listed from the most important to the least important. Extremely important High Range Flexibility Breathing and Breath control Intonation Tone Improvisation Endurance Moderately important Sight -reading Tonguing Power/ Volume Finger technique Counting Shakes Transposition Pedal Tones Performing in an orchestra Posture Preparing a solo Preparing for an audition Playing a show Least important Scales Vibrato Lip Trills Mouthpiece Placement Performing with an orchestra Literature…