Welcome to the show notes for Episode #115 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features jazz trumpeter/cornetist, Marc Caparone. Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #113 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features world-famous trumpeter Chris Botti.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
We are excited to announce the Dan Rosenboom Signature Model trumpet mouthpiece. The “Boom” trumpet mouthpiece combines the artistry of Dan Rosenboom with the acoustical design and manufacturing of Bob Reeves Brass. After months of design, testing, and revisions, we have created a mouthpiece that responds so quickly, you forget it is there.
”“With the Boom mouthpiece, the Bob Reeves team has achieved a fantastic blend of warmth, clarity, flexibility, precision, and versatility. The modern trumpet player is expected to move seamlessly through a variety of styles and contexts, and this mouthpiece offers a huge range of sonic possibilities with very efficient and consistent response. I think we’ve arrived at a design that gives a player maximum creative flexibility and is a joy to play!”
Dan Rosenboom
RIM
The BOOM trumpet mouthpiece is available with any of the Bob Reeves Brass rims. Dan’s personal mouthpiece is made using our Classical Series 6C rim.
Cup
The Boom mouthpiece features a medium-deep, conical shaped cup with a modified entrance to the throat.
Backbore
The backbore is newly designed to maximize response, articulation, flexibility and warmth in the tone. It is well-balanced in all registers creating an even response and quick articulation.
Other options
Dan’s personal mouthpiece is converted for sleeves with a #4.5 sleeve, however, it may be ordered with either a standard solid shank or converted for sleeves.
Dan Rosenboom is an internationally recognized trumpet player, composer, and producer. He is known as a prolific member of the Los Angeles creative music scene, having released more than 25 albums of original music as a solo artist and bandleader and has supported over 60 artists across nearly 90 releases on his label, Orenda Records. Rosenboom frequently performs in Hollywood Studios for major film and television soundtracks, highlighted by the latest Star Wars trilogy, with such notable composers as John Williams, Danny Elfman, James Newton Howard, Alan Silvestri, and Alexandre Desplat. He has also performed often with such elite ensembles as the LA Philharmonic, the LA Chamber Orchestra, and the LA Opera. His own music eschews genre distinctions and draws from such disparate influences as jazz and Black American Music, metal and experimental rock, contemporary classical music, folk music from around the globe, and a broad range of progressive music from the avant-garde. He studied at the Eastman School of Music, CalArts, and UCLA, where he earned advanced degrees in music. The Los Angeles Times has called Dan Rosenboom “a musician dedicated to exploration and expression, regardless of anyone’s imagined boundaries,” and “a phenomenon.”
As a composer, Rosenboom has been recognized with grants and awards from the American Composers Forum, ASCAP, the Meet the Composer Foundation, and the Yvar Mikhashoff Trust for New Music. As a bandleader, he has brought his music to such renowned stages as the Monterey Jazz Festival, Angel City Jazz Festival, Jazzfestival Saalfelden and Jazz em Agosto. Working closely with LA icon Vinny Golia, and with his own Balkan jazz-rock group PLOTZ!, and improv band DR. MiNT, as well as many other projects, Rosenboom has solidified his place as a pillar in LA’s music community.
Rosenboom’s iconoclastic protest band Burning Ghosts has drawn international attention for their rousing blend of experimental jazz, punk, and metal as response to modern socio-political ills. To date they have released four albums, including one on John Zorn’s legendary Tzadik label, and have toured in the US and Europe. In a review of their self-titled debut, Something Else Reviews dubbed them “the Rage Against the Machine of jazz.”
Rosenboom is an advocate for progressive music education. He currently teaches at UCLA and Pasadena City College, and his own pedagogy book, The Boom Method: Universal Fundamentals for Trumpet and Other Instruments, Vol. 1, was published by Balqhuidder Music in 2019. His writing has also been published in John Zorn’s Arcana IX: Musicians on Music on Tzadik.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #88 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter James Morrison.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
James Morrison is, by anybody’s standard, a virtuoso in the true sense of the word. Besides the trumpet, this multi-instrumentalist also plays piano, all the brass, saxophones, and double bass.
At the age of six he started on piano, at seven he took up brass, at nine he formed his first band and at thirteen he was playing professionally in nightclubs. His international career developed just as quickly with a debut in the USA at the Monterey Jazz Festival at age sixteen.
Following this were performances at the world’s major jazz festivals, including Montreux, North Sea, Nice and the Hollywood Bowl, playing with many of the legends of jazz – Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, George Benson, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Quincy Jones, Ray Brown and Wynton Marsalis to name a few. James also frequents the world’s most famous jazz clubs – Birdland, The Blue Note and Village Vanguard in New York, New Morning in Paris, The Tokyo Blue Note and Ronnie Scott’s in London.
Now 58, James Morrison’s career has included much more than just jazz…
He has recorded with The London Symphony Orchestra, rock legends INXS and the European Brass Ensemble, performed at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms, written the opening fanfare for the Olympic Games, played Royal Command performances for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and for US Presidents Bush and Clinton. He has played classical trumpet at the Kremlin, was TV presenter on Top Gear Australia and on International Jazz Day 2016, James was a guest of President Obama at the White House.
James has been appointed a member of The Order of Australia, he is a Doctor of the University at Queensland Conservatorium of Music and has received a Doctor of Music from the Edith Cowan University Western Australia and the University of Adelaide. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia and Vice-Chancellor’s Professorial Fellow. In 2015 James founded his own academy of music in Mount Gambier, South Australia. The James Morrison Academy of Music @ UniSA is an innovative school dedicated to teaching jazz and offering both a Bachelor Degree and post graduate programs. This exciting initiative involves educators from all over the world, transforming young musicians’ lives with inspiration and a love of jazz. In 2017, the JMA partnered with The Juilliard School in New York City to offer an exclusive Honours Program.
James has also written and performed his own concerto with the Tonkünstler Orchestra at the Musikverein in Vienna and has appeared as a guest with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra at the Prague Proms and many more of the world’s major orchestras.
In 2018, James’s activities included a return performance to the legendary Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland, The New Zealand International Jazz and Blues Festival, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and a as special guest at UNESCO International Jazz Day at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. James and his new quartet embarked on an Australian jazz club tour to promote their debut album “Midnight Till Dawn” as well as a tour to the United States and Europe (Austria, Ireland, Portugal and the UK). In London, James presented a 4-part documentary series “Top Brass” for the BBC. James also appeared in the 2018 seasons of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra.
2017 highlights included a world premier of a jazz concerto written specially for James by Gordon Goodwin on International Jazz Day, a debut at the BBC Proms in London alongside Dianne Reeves, return performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ronnie Scott’s and the Jazz Cruise, a debut at The Green Mill in Chicago, headline appearances at Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Canberra International Music Festival, Oslo Jazz Festival, Vail Jazz Festival Colorado and Grahamstown International Music Festival South Africa, an Australian tour with Grammy Award winning diva Patti Austin and featured appearances at the Sydney Opera House for Australia Day and the Australian Embassy in Washington DC for the Presidential Inauguration. 2017 recording releases included a recording of the Great American Songbook at Abbey Road Studios with the BBC Concert Orchestra. James also continues his education work with appearances in New Orleans at the Jazz Educator’s Network Conference and workshops at the Juilliard School, the Thelonious Monk Institute and University of North Texas’s One O’Clock Lab Band.
Highlights of 2016 included a recording at Abbey Road Studios with the BBC Concert Orchestra for international release, sold out performances at the Prague Proms, Berlin Philhamonie, Budapest Music Centre and the Lionel Hampton Club in Paris, two sell-out return performances at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, two Australian tours, two European tours, a season with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, a hugely successful solo tour all over the USA including the Miami Beach Jazz Festival, the Newport Beach Jazz Party, performances with John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton and the One O’Clock Lab Band and, of course, International Jazz Day at the White House with the President of the United States.
Other career highlights include performing with artists as diverse as Phil Collins, Chaka Khan and Sting.
He spends much time in education, doing master classes and workshops in many countries and presenting the James Morrison Jazz Scholarship at the world’s largest youth jazz festival Generations in Jazz.
When not writing film scores, composing or serving as patron of some of Australia’s major music institutions, James relaxes in some unconventional ways for a musician – flying his private plane or driving in a rally championship.
In a recording career spanning 3 decades, James has released a huge variety of albums from gospel to big band to electronic fusion. Nominated for eight ARIA Awards winning ARIA in 2010 and again in 2017. In 2013, James was inducted into the Australian Jazz Hall of Fame. In 2016, James’s disc “In Good Company” charted simultaneously in both the ARIA Jazz and Popular Album Charts, remaining at No 1 in the Jazz charts for over 20 weeks. James currently records for ABC Jazz/Universal and Fanfare Jazz and is an exclusive artist for Schagerl Instruments. He is also a proud Friend of the Brand for Mercedes Benz and Brand Ambassador for Oris Swiss Watches.
In 2012 James was appointed Artistic Director of the Queensland Music Festival, a state-wide music initiative whose vision is to “transform lives through unforgettable musical experiences.” As part of the festival, in 2013 James conducted the World’s Largest Orchestra, breaking a Guinness World Record with 7,224 musicians at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. In 2014 James presented ‘A Tribute to Oscar Peterson’ at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival as part of the Commonwealth Games celebrations.
In 2019, James was the Co-Artistic Director (with Herbie Hancock) of International Jazz Day which was ‘live streamed’ from Melbourne, Australia to a world-wide audience of more than
With interests so broad and a career so filled with highlights it seems that James Morrison must have done just about everything he could want to do – but not so…
When asked, “What is there left to do?” James’ reply is typically “This is just the warm up!”
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #87 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter and founder of the HornTrader website, Steve Dillard.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
HornTrader.com 1st hit the World Wide Web in 1998. Owned and operated by Steve Dillard, the HornTrader Web site was the first of its kind and still the best site to find quality horns, related gear, and information for the discerning trumpeter.Steve brings extensive professional experience to HornTrader.com. Not only has he spent many years in the trumpet manufacturing industry working with Benge and Calicchio, he is also a very active freelance trumpet player and teacher.
As an apprentice to Dominic Calicchio, Steve learned the fine art of brass craftsmanship with hands on experience. At Benge under Zig Kanstul, Steve had many jobs including slide maker, quality controller and shipper.
Throughout the years, he’s stayed well informed in the industry both through his association with top leaders of brass technology such as Zig Kanstal, Bob Reeves, Schilke, Conn Selmer, CarolBrass and his relationships with highly regarded leaders in trumpet performance like Wayne Bergeron (LA Studios), Boyde Hood (LA Phil) as well as the many fine trumpet players Steve has met around the globe. Steve has always had a penchant for retail and at one time was the largest distributor of Reunion Blues gig bags in Southern California.
Since owning and operating HornTrader.com he has come to be one of the primary sellers of Professional pre-owned and vintage horns on the internet. He is well known in many countries throughout the world and his site is visited by thousands each month.
Steve’s first love has always been playing trumpet. He maintains a busy playing / teaching schedule and has had a professional performance career spanning over 40 years. One of the first to teach on line using SKYPE, and YouTube, Steve has been able spread his knowledge and love of the trumpet the world over. His teaching mantra “I believe I can help YOU,” recorded in January 2012, can be seen on YouTube.
Besides everything trumpet Steve”s passions are marathon open water (OCEAN) swimming, and the daunting task of traing his dog Dingoe. He currently resides in San Diego, California, USA, with his wife and two children where he manages HornTrader.com. In 2019 Steve Opened his very 1st “Brick & Mortar” Shop. HT HQ is in the heart of San Diego, is close to all major attractions and forms of public transportation.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #86 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter & composer, Adrian Kelly.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Born in Lancashire, England and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Adrian Kelly began playing trumpet at the age of six. He has gone on to build an international career as a multi-faceted musician; performing, recording, and writing pop, classical, and jazz music. Adrian is currently engaged in PhD research at Edith Cowan University (Perth, Western Australia). He has served on the board of the Australian Trumpet Guild since 2019, and on the board of JazzWA since 2018.
His jazz group The Adrian Kelly Quartet has headlined at festivals and jazz clubs in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Adrian’s jazz compositions featured on the collaborative album with trumpet artists from New York, Chicago, and Boston, entitled Intercontinental Drift, and he won the 2007 WA Music Industry Song of the Year Award for that album’s track, ‘Curious Yellow’. 2012 saw the release of Adrian’s CD, Chinese Whispers 細語, featuring music from, and inspired by, China. From December 2012 to late 2013, this album was selected to be featured on Cathay Pacific flights as part of their onboard music offerings.
2020 sees the release of two releases: Visions a suite of pieces for improvising quartet written to accompany the visual art of Robert John Kelly (Adrian’s father), and Cry, “Wolf!” an album of music featuring an artificial intelligence ‘improviser’ along with an electric jazz quartet. All of Adrian’s music is available through iTunes and other digital platforms, and through links provided on his website.
Adrian was a regular member of Motown legend Bobby Taylor’s band from 2013 to 2017. In 2010/11 he toured internationally with Chinese pop superstar, Jacky Cheung, performing to over three-million people at 146 performances. Since then he has performed and/or recorded with many of the top artists in the region, including YangKun, Eason Chan, Joey Yung, George Lam, and Hins Cheung. Adrian has appeared as a guest soloist on QingHai TV’s “Flowers” music program, and performed for live broadcasts on Hong Kong’s TVB, and RTHK. In 2012, he performed live in front of Chinese head of state, Hu JinTao. Adrian has also performed with many western artists including Hugh Jackman, Ray Charles, Shirley Bassey, The Four Tops, Patti Austin, Tim Minchin, Olivia Newton-John, Bonobo, Ben Folds, Dave Weckl, Bobby Shew, Frank Foster, and The Manhattan Transfer.
In his capacity as a classical trumpeter, Adrian held the position of principal trumpet with The City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong from 2011 – 2015, has performed as principal trumpet with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and continues to perform regularly with the Perth Symphony Orchestra, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, and the WA Philharmonic.
Adrian has delivered classes in jazz music and trumpet at Edith Cowan University, The University of Western Australia (Australia), and the Hong Kong Institute of Education (China). He has presented masterclasses to students at Lasalle College (Singapore), the Hong Kong Institute of Education, ShangHai Conservatory of Music, XingHai University, and Harbin Teacher Training College (China), and at independent venues in
Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang. In 2019, Adrian released a set of Eight Theatrical Etudes – available from qPress Music Publishing.
Adrian has performed on more than thirty musical theatre productions since 2005, including the 2016 international Asian tour of Les Miserables, the 2010 Australian tour of West Side Story, and most of the leading productions in Western Australia for the past two decades. He currently maintains an active freelance career, performing around Australia and Asia.
Adrian performs on instruments by Yamaha. Adrian Kelly’s trumpets always travel safely inside his Torpedo Bag.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #85 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter Simon Sweeney.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Simon Sweeney is a professional trumpet player and educator based in Sydney. He holds a Bachelors and a Masters degree from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He is a studio musician and has been prolific in the live music scene since 1993. As a member of the Jazz Faculty at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2010 he has taught many of the young players currently working in the Sydney scene.
Simon has appeared as guest Principal trumpet with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Film recording credits include Happy Feet, The Great Gatsby, The Extra and The Bank.
Simon has played on over 40 professional musical theatre productions since the mid 90s. He has played lead trumpet for Michael Bublé, George Benson, Paloma Faith and Tim Minchin. As a jazz musician he has toured and recorded with Mike Nock, played with the Space Cadets, recorded with the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra and he is currently co-lead trumpet of the Australian National Jazz Orchestra. He has performed with Silverchair, Thirsty Merc and recorded with Powderfinger and Billy Thorpe.
Simon’s lead playing can be heard on the Netflix series Beat Bugs and Motown Magic. Simon’s own small group jazz album “Emerald City Blues” was released on the Jazzgroove label. During the lockdown he has put together a horn section called the Emerald City Horns comprising some of Sydney’s most prolific studio musicians.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #79 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter Bria Skonberg.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Photo by Krista Stucchio
To most of us, the adventures of trailblazing triple threat trumpeter, singer and songwriter Bria Skonberg are borderline unbelievable. Born in British Columbia, Canada and now residing in New York City, the Juno Award winner for Best Vocal Jazz Album has performed hundreds of festivals and stages the world over, including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival.
Called the “shining hope of hot jazz” by the NY Times, Bria has been at the forefront of a revival of classic American music as both a performer and educator, programming concerts and workshops for students of all ages; She is currently developing educational activities for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and co-directs the New York Hot Jazz Camp she co-founded in 2015.
“Nothing Never Happens” Album by Bria Skonberg
Described as “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal), she has performed the music of Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, played with U2 at the Apollo, sat in with the Dave Matthews band, was a featured guest with Jon Batiste and sang the “Star Spangled Banner” at Madison Square Garden for a NY Rangers game.
Bria has been featured on over 25 recordings and recently released her sixth studio solo album “Nothing Never Happens”. Her music has garnered over 10 million streams online. A 6x Downbeat Rising Star, she tours constantly bringing her own signature sounds of fiery trumpet playing, smoky vocals and story-telling together with adventurous concoctions of classic and new. Bria is a Bach Conn-Selmer artist; she plays a Bach Stradivarius 37 with a 3C Bach mouthpiece.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #74 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter Nathan Samuelson.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
If you ever have the opportunity to see Nathan Samuelson perform, prepare to be taken on a musical odyssey. His music is imbued with wanderlust —inspired by years at sea and a careful balancing act between new horizons and the love of home. Audiences are sonically teleported to the tropical shores of Brazil, the cosmopolitan streets of New York, and the old world sophistication of Europe. Despite the many nautical miles he’s logged, his music maintains the wholesome honesty of his prairie boyhood. That sweet earnestness and approachability is what turns audiences of strangers into loyal fans.
The youngest son of an esteemed trumpet player and band teacher father, as well as a gentle and beloved flautist/pianist mother, Nathan seemed predestined to play since birth. His passion for trumpet became evident as a small boy, when upon listening to “Feel So Good” by Chuck Mangione he proclaimed that no matter the obstacle he would become a world class trumpet player. On his musical pilgrimage, he has studied under master teachers such as Dominic Spera [Indiana University], and Terell Stafford [Temple University -Philadelphia]. A devotee of Clifford Brown, he attends the Clifford Brown Trumpet Consortium each summer, receiving a full scholarship in 2018.
Mentoring under international trumpeter and producer Gary Guthman, Nathan has developed a strong career as a guest entertainer on cruise ships. With a singing voice reminiscent of the crooners of yonder days, and the technical prowess and emotive ability on trumpet, Nathan brings a captivating and melodic sound to the stage.
He has graced stages in exotic locales such as Brazil, Croatia, Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, England, Spain and more. To add, he shared these stages with world class artists like late soul icon Clem Curtis [The Foundations] of “Build Me Up, Buttercup” fame. He has also performed with Leanne Mitchell, winner of the first series of The Voice UK, and international soul singer, Lloyd Wade. In his home community of Edmonton, Alberta he is often found volunteering his talent for children and youth, as well as people living with disability. When not volunteering, he can be found performing as a guest artist on cruise ships, and performing with his own quintet at various jazz festivals and corporate events.
After nearly twenty-two years of honing his craft and cultivating his passion, Nathan Samuelson launched his debut album City Lights Ahead [August 2018]. Inspired by his journey as a young man searching for love, for meaning, and for himself across the globe, City Lights Ahead is a brilliantly crafted, genre-bending love letter to the open sea, the close-knit family that uplifts him, and the starry embrace of the shore after a dark, stormy night.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #72 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter Ralph Pyl.
Listen to the trumpet podcast right from your browser: Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.
Ralph Pyl commenced trumpet at age 12 on the northern beaches of Sydney Australia beginning his career studying and learning with US trumpet players and mentors John Hoffman and Dick Montz. In 1982 Ralph received a scholarship to study under the direction of Don Burrows at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music and at the age of 18 began a professional career with 3 years of touring with Australia’s renowned Daly Wilson Big Band.
Ralph has performed and recorded with many artists both in Australia and overseas including International stars K.C and the Sunshine Band, Boy George and Culture Club, Shirley Bassey, Ronnie Corbett, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Ralph Carmichael, Buddy Greco, The Platters, Sir George Martin, Tom Jones, Bernadette Peters, Michael Crawford, Wayne Newton, Louie Bellson, Bobby Shew, Joe Williams, Al Jarreau, Tim Rice, Harry Connick Jnr, Glenn Close, Michael Ball, Michael Buble, Lorna Luft, Wayne Bergeron, Jerry Lewis, Michael Feinstein, Frankie Valli, Leo Sayer, Il Divo, Megan Hilty, The Glenn Miller Orchestra and Australian National stars James Morrison, Grace Knight, Don Burrows, Anthony Warlow, Marcia Hines, Frank Bennett, Tommy Tycho, Rhonda Burchmore, Marina Prior, Emma Pask, Silverchair, John Foreman, The Black Sorrows and since 1998 has been lead trumpet with Tom Burlinson’s “Frank – The Sinatra Story in Song”. This show has now been widely regarded as one of Australia’s best ever touring productions. For the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Sydney Festivals, Ralph also assembled an Australian All Star Jazz Orchestra for World renowned US composers and arrangers Maria Schneider, Bob Florence and Rob McConnell from the Boss Brass.
Ralph’s credits have also seen him playing in several stage and theatre productions including 42nd Street, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Porgy and Bess, A Chorus Line, Beauty and the Beast, Guys and Dolls, Cats and Fame just to mention a few. He has also appeared on over 150 albums for vocalists, various bands and numerous Australian and International motion picture sound tracks and TV commercials.
Up until 1998 Ralph had been a member of the Channel Nine Midday Show Band with Geoff Harvey and hosts Ray Martin, Derryn Hinch and Kerri-Anne Kennerley. Other TV show bands include playing with the John Foreman Orchestra on Australian Idol for 7 years.
In June 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 the “Sydney All Star Big Band” were the winners of the 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th Australian Mo Award for best jazz ensemble of the year.
Ralph is currently working in Sydney and interstate as a freelance trumpet player involved in a number of different projects. He fronts his own bands the “Sydney All Star Big Band”, “Back to Back” and regularly features in a number of James Morrison’s bands.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #68 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter Niall O’Sullivan.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Internationally acclaimed cross-genre trumpeter Niall O’Sullivan has performed all over the world, from orchestral playing to his solo theatre show. Niall has performed in some of the world’s most stunning venues throughout Ireland, Europe, Asia and the USA.
Leading his own ensemble, Niall and his fellow musicians continue to dazzle the public and give them a fresh appreciation for the trumpet. Bach to Brecht, Handel to Hammerstien, Purcell to Piazzolla, there is no genre Niall will not tackle.
Niall and his wife, vocalist Shóna, have toured extensively in the USA with their hit show ‘My Funny Valentine’ selling out theatres to rave reviews.
Niall has performed live with some of the biggest names in the music business, Perry Como, Dionne Warwick, Curtis Stigers, Imelda May, The Pogues, Lalo Schifrin, Jose Carreras, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sinead O’Connor, Michel Legrand and many more.
His latest album ‘Niall O’Sullivan and Friends’ was produced by Julian Lloyd Webber and Gavin Murphy. It features duets with opera star Danielle de Niese, four time ‘Grammy’ winning jazz guitarist Larry Carlton, theatre royalty Kim Criswell and two of Ireland’s finest vocalists, Emmet Cahill and Lisa Lambe. Accompaniment is provided by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra recently voted the ‘World’s Favourite Orchestra’ by Bachtrack and conductor David Brophy with arrangements by Gavin Murphy.
With a love of opera and the human voice, Niall O’Sullivan tries to emulate this passion when performing.
When the trumpet world got word of his growing profile as a performer and recording artist, Niall became a performing artist for Schilke Trumpets, Chicago exclusively. This relationship has seen Niall represent Schilke across the globe, from Dublin to Los Angeles.
Niall’s self titled debut album and ‘Ballads’ EP reached #1 on the iTunes classical and jazz charts respectively.
As an educator, Niall has given masterclasses and tutored for the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, Royal Irish Academy of Music and Music Generation Ireland. As an examiner, Niall has enjoyed hearing both grade exams and third level performances for various examination bodies.
Niall started performing at the age of eight in the Artane Boys Band, Dublin. With “the best foundation imaginable” in place, Niall started lessons on scholarship at the DIT Conservatory. He then studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music for a further four years. Niall was awarded a scholarship for post graduate studies at the Royal College of Music, London.
Niall O’Sullivan is represented by Polaris Artist Management, Vienna.
Niall O’Sullivan is an international performing artist exclusively for Schilke trumpets, Chicago.
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #62 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter Tiger Okoshi.
Listen to or download the episode below:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Toru “Tiger” Okoshi was born in the Year of the Tiger on March 21 1950, just outside of Osaka (Ashiya city, Hyogo) As a child he was, in fact, devoted to painting as he loves today. At 13, he had an enlightening experience to see Louis Armstrong Perform live in Osaka, Japan, only 6 months after he begun to play the trumpet. ”He was painting the air with his trumpet” recalls Okoshi. Today, Okoshi often describes the relationship with his horn: “When I play, I want to paint the air with my colorful tone. Choices between long or short strokes, quick or slow, high in the canvas or low, brighter color or darker, with a fat brush or a pen. Paint the air one note at a time.”
In 1972, after graduating from Kwansei Gakuin University with a bachelor of commerce, he married Akemi Usui. They flew to the US to honeymoon, speaking no English. “We took a Greyhound bus across country from Los Angeles, but when we arrived in Boston, somehow we knew that we couldn’t go back.” They decided to sell their return tickets and paid the tuition at Berklee College of Music. Tiger graduated in 1975 receiving the highest honor of summa cum laude. During his 3 years at Berklee, Tiger performed at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1974 with British composer Mike Gibbs sharing the concert with legendary Bill Evans trio. After graduation, he went on the tour with Buddy Rich orchestra.
In 1976, he formed “Tiger’s Baku” the popular Boston fusion group that received many awards: Boston Magazine’s Best Jazz Band (1988), Boston Music Awards’ Best Jazz Band and the Best Horn Player (1988, 1989 and 1990), and Boston Phoenix/WFNX Best Music Poll in 1992. Grammy Award winner guitarist Bill Frisell was an original member in Tiger’s Baku. Baku is a mythical creature that eats people’s nightmares.
Tiger in Italy producing a CD of a former Berklee student.
In 1977, Tiger received Outstanding Composer & Arranger awards from the Collegiate Jazz Festival at University of Nortre Dame, IN. This award helped him acquire his US Permanent Residence status. Word of his abilities spread in no time. He joined in Gary Burton quartet in ’78 and recorded “Times Square” (ECM, featuring Roy Haynes and Steve Swallow) and toured the world. Keeping Boston as his base, Tiger has been a Berklee faculty member since 1997.
Performance has performed with Tony Bennett, Dave Grusin’s LA-NY Dream band (Grammy nominee, 1982), Pat Metheny, Gunther Schuller, Lyle Mays, Bob Mintzer, George Russell’s Living Time Orchestra, Dave Liebman, Mike Stern & Dave Weckle Band, Miloslav Vitous, Bela Fleck, Jerry Bergonzi, Dave Holland, Jack Dejonnet, Joe Lovano, Delfeayo Marsalis’s Octet with Branford Marsalis. Pop and R&B performances with Michel Franks, Teddy Pendergrass, Aimee Mann’s ‘Til Tuesday, The O’Jays, The Four Tops, The Stylistics, Little Anthony and The Imperials, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Lydel, legendary rock singer Brad Delp of “Boston”.
As producer and instructor, Tiger produced the Japanese female jazz singer Mizuho’s CD in 2008. Tiger has operated since 2006 the Hokkaido Groove Camp in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan to teach jazz to young musicians in Japan. He also operates Domaine Forget Jazz Camp in St. Irinee, Quebec, Canada.
Tiger, who loves sports, was invited to perform “The Star Spangled Banner” at the opening game of the 2007 season between Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at Fenway Park, as well as the playoff games in 2007 and 2008. Tiger’s trumpet was surrounded by 20 trumpets, 10 trombones and 7 Japanese Taiko drummers playing his original arrangement. In 1997, Tiger recorded a CD entitled “Hustle Tigers” for Japanese major league baseball team Hanshin Tigers.
© 2024 Bob Reeves Brass Mouthpieces. All Rights Reserved.
