Written by Dan Miller The most important aspects of playing lead trumpet are to swing hard, play with a big, fat sound and stylistically lead the trumpet section and the band. It is essential for the aspiring lead trumpeter to study the phrasing, articulation and the stylistic nuances of the masters. Conrad Gozzo--Frank Sinatra, Woody Herman, Sam Donahue Navy Band and LA Studio His huge sound and swinging feel set the standard for modern lead trumpet. His phrasing was pure perfection. He led a section like the true artist. His articulations, smears, falls and releases were textbook (and he wrote the book). His work with Nelson Riddle and Billy May is a must. His signature sound was an integral part of many great vocalist's recordings including Ella Fitzgerald's Songbook series on Verve Records, as well as recordings by Dean Martin, Nat Cole, Billy Eckstine, Anita O'Day, Peggy Lee and Mel Torme. Listen: Sinatra's Come Fly With Me (Capitol) or almost any Frank Sinatra recording on Capitol Records in the 1950's, Shorty Rogers' Short Stops (RCA/Bluebird) or Tutti Camarata's Tutti's Trumpets (Bainbridge) which features Gozzo on the incomparable Trumpeter's Prayer. Snooky Young--Count Basie, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Jimmie Lunceford, NY and LA Studio Co-authored the "book" on modern first trumpet style with Gozzo. His intense, meticulous, swinging phrasing established the New Testament Basie sound. Young brilliantly interpreted the work of Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Quincy Jones and Neal Hefti during his Basie days and left no doubt of his genius. He is also a phenomenal soloist and master of the plunger mute. Listen: Basie's Breakfast Dance and Barbecue (Roulette), Basie at Birdland (Roulette) or any Basie recording on Roulette Records in 1950's or 1960's. Maynard Ferguson--Stan Kenton, LA Studio, Own Band Maynard's influence cannot be quantified. His tone and power are unparalleled. He is a tremendous soloist first and foremost (check out the Dinah Washington records with Clifford Brown) and not technically a lead trumpet player. Buddy Childers played lead with Stan Kenton while Maynard was there and Conrad Gozzo or Pete Candoli played lead when Maynard worked in the LA Studios. But, his contributions to evolution of lead trumpet are gigantic. Maynard swings. He plays with unbridled excitement and enthusiasm, as if every note could be his last. Total freedom. Listen: Message From Newport (Roulette) or any Maynard Ferguson Roulette Recordings 1958-1964 or Stan Kenton Capitol Recordings 1950-1953. Note: The following list, essentially in chronological order, comprises many of the tremendous lead trumpet stylists and lists the bands and studios in which they honed their craft. They all have unique approaches to interpreting the music, and should be studied for their individual stylistic nuances (in the exact same fashion as one would study the styles of a great soloist like Dizzy Gillespie or Clifford Brown). Doc Cheatham--Chick Webb, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Cab Calloway and NY Studio Wallace Jones--Duke Ellington Ed Lewis--Count Basie Harry James--Benny Goodman Chris Griffin--Benny Goodman and NY Studio Al Killian--Count Basie and Duke Ellington Shorty Baker--Duke Ellington Mario Bauza--Cab Calloway and Machito Ray Wetzel--Stan Kenton Zeke Zarchy--Glenn Miller Paul Webster--Jimmy Lunceford Al Porcino--Count Basie, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Frank Sinatra and Stan Kenton Doc Severinson--NY and LA Studios Don Jacoby--NY and Chicago Studios Frank Beach--LA Studios Everett MacDonald--Harry James Pete Candoli--Woody Herman and LA Studio Uan Rasey--LA Studio Shorty Sherock--LA Studio Mannie Klein--LA Studio Jimmy Maxwell--Benny Goodman and NY Studio Marky Markowitz--NY Studio Bobby Pratt--Ted Heath Charlie Margolis--LA Studio Buddy Childers--Stan Kenton, Frank Sinatra and LA Studio Bernie Glow--Herman, Gil Evans and NY Studio Ernie Royal--Count Basie, Woody Herman, Gil Evans and NY Studio Reunald Jones--Count Basie Sam Noto--Stan Kenton, Count Basie and Rob McConnell Boss Brass Jimmy Nottingham--NY Studios Lamar Wright--Cab Calloway, Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie Don Paladino--Harry James, Les Brown and Stan Kenton Benny Bailey--Lionel Hampton, Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland and Quincy Jones Kenny Baker--Ted Heath Clyde Reasinger--Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton and Sam Donahue Johnny Audino--Woody Herman, Gerald Wilson, NBC Tonight Show and LA Studio Bill Chase--Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman and Las Vegas Bud Brisbois--Stan Kenton and LA Studio John Howell--Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and LA Studio Dalton Smith--Stan Kenton and LA Studio Willie Cook--Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie Ollie Mitchell--Buddy Rich and LA Studio Milo Pavlovic--Bert Kaempfert Lennie Johnson--Quincy Jones and Count Basie Wallace Davenport--Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton and New Orleans Chet Ferretti--Maynard Ferguson Rick Keifer--Maynard Ferguson and WDR Radio Orchestra Bobby Shew--Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Louis Bellson and LA Studio Chuck Findley--Buddy Rich, Las Vegas and LA Studio Marvin Stamm--Stan Kenton, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and NY Studio Burt Collins--Woody Herman and NY Studio Joe Shepley--NY Studio John Frosk--NY Studio Bob McCoy--NY Studio Mel Davis--NY Studio Paul Cohen--Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw Victor Paz--Chico O'Farrill, Tito Puente, Fania All Stars and NY Studio Fip Ricard--Count Basie, Sammy Davis, Las Vegas and LA Studio Don Thomas--Dallas Studios Charlie Turner--Sinatra and Las Vegas Dave Stahl--Woody Herman, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra and NY Studio Jon Faddis--Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Charles Mingus and NY Studio Derek Watkins--Maynard Ferguson and London Studio Alan Rubin--NY Studio Bobby Bryant--Oliver Nelson, Gerald Wilson and LA Studio Malcolm McNab--LA Studio Jack Laubach--LA Studios Lennart Axelsson--NDR Radio Orchestra Don Smith--Les Brown and LA Studio Jack Feierman--LA Studios Walt Johnson--Louis Bellson, Frank Sinatra, Las Vegas and LA Studio Charlie Davis--Buddy Rich and LA Studio Warren Luening--LA Studios Lynn Nicholson--Maynard Ferguson, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Las Vegas Lew Soloff--Blood Sweat and Tears, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and NY Studio Carl Saunders--Bill Holman, Las Vegas and LA Studio Alan Downey--Maynard Ferguson Mike Vax--Stan Kenton and Clark Terry Lin Biviano--Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich and Count Basie Jeff Davis--Woody Herman, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Machito and Clark Terry Jay Saunders--Stan Kenton and Dallas Studios Earl Gardner--Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Mingus, SNL and NY Studio Chuck Schmidt--Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton and Dallas Studios John Thomas--Count Basie, Woody Herman and LA Studio Vaughan Nark--Airmen of Note George Graham--LA Studio Jerry Hey--Seawind, Quincy Jones and LA Studio Gary Grant--LA Studio Joe Davis--LA Studio Graham Young--LA Studios Laurie Frink--Benny Goodman, Bob Mintzer and NY Studio Arnie Chycoski--Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass Brian O'Flaherty--Woody Herman, Louis Bellson, Mel Lewis and NY Studio Roger Ingram--Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Harry Connick and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Wayne Bergeron--Maynard Ferguson and LA Studio Byron Stripling--Count Basie, Woody Herman and NY Studio Mike Williams--Count Basie Greg Gisbert--Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Paul Anka, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and NY Studio Eric Miyashiro--Buddy Rich, Woody Herman and Tokyo Studio Walter White--Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Mingus and NY Studio Craig Johnson--Maynard Ferguson and NY Studio Paul Stephens--Maynard Ferguson and the Jazz Ambassadors Tony Kadleck--Maria Schneider and NY Studio Mike Ponella--Toshiko Akiyoshi and NY Studio Bob Millikan--NY Studio Chris Jaudes--NY Studio Frank Greene--Maynard Ferguson, David Letterman Show and NY Studio Lee Thornburg--Tower of Power and LA Studio Piro Rodriguez--Tito Puente and NY Studio Peter Olstad--Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Tom Jones and NY Studio Tom DeLibero--Las Vegas Dave Trigg--Natalie Cole, Liza Minelli, LA and NY Studios Luis Aquino--Miami Studio Andrea Tofanelli--Maynard Ferguson and European Studios Bill Churchville--Tower of Power, Tom Jones, LA Studios Scott Englebright--Maynard Ferguson Sal Cracchiolo--Poncho Sanchez, Tom Jones, Tower of Power Seneca Black--Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Bill Dowling--Mercer Ellington, Illinois Jacquet, Ringling Brothers Elpidio Chapotin--Havana Studios and NG La Banda Serafin Aguilar--Maynard Ferguson & Queen Latifah Winston Byrd--Illinois Jacquet, Mercer Ellington, Gerald Wilson, NYC and LA Studio Adolfo Acosta--Maynard Ferguson and Tower of Power Kevin Bryan--Duke Ellington, Harry Connick Jr. and NY Studio Tanya Darby--Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Roy Hargrove, Orrin Evans and NY Studio Sean Jones--The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Nick Marchione--Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and NY Studio Raul Agraz--NY Studio Ryan Kisor--Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra Liesl Whitaker--Diva and US Army Jazz Ambassadors Augie Haas--Harry Connick Jr. and NY Studio Brian MacDonald--The Airmen of Note Jumaane Smith--Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Buble Enrique Sanchez--LA and NYC Studio **This list is by no means exclusive. Please e-mail me with thoughts or suggestions. Back to top © 2020 Dan Miller All materials and information (unless otherwise noted) property of Dan Miller
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