In 2014, Thundercat retweeted my analysis of Never Catch Me, a moment I wish I could highlight on my CV. In 2018, I played with Louis Cole played in Boston with a local band I put together, and it will always be one of my favorite hits of all time. ...
The biggest difference between practicing lead trumpet material at home and actually performing lead trumpet material when it matters - on a gig - is the live element. Here is an exercise for practicing lead trumpet at home to simulate this live experience, build your chops, and work on your ...
Around ten years ago I sat down to transcribe the first track off Bill Holman's first major self-led big band album "In a Jazz Orbit," and before I knew it I had written out all 9 tracks. I had been listening to that record over and over for years and ...
Capable of sweeping string-like passages supporting a vocalist, punchy full-spread voicings that can rival the cannon shots of the brass section, and blistering unison and soli lines, the saxophone section is arguably the most versatile section in the big band. And on top of that section, the lead alto sets ...
Notated sheet music out in the world, in my experience, tends to be about 2% fully professional, 8% good enough, and 90% on a scale of annoyingly flawed to catastrophically broken. Which category do your parts fit into? Here are 10 easy changes you can make to your parts to ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3pt4p1ZjrI Despite the four-deep horn section, Skunk Hollow Blues has a three-part counterpoint on the head, some solo space with simple riff backgrounds, and one of the gnarliest shout sections of the swing era, all at a tempo perfect for beginner dancers and written with utmost efficiency. Written by ...
For the first installment in the “What’s The Point Of” series, we’ll look at the lead trumpet of a jazz orchestra. A typical big band has around 17 musicians and each one brings to the table with them a distinct voice and a lifetime of unique experience. Every single note ...
One of the hardest jobs for a lead trumpet player is reading high notes, a skill that involves a strong ear, confidence, and experience. There is a clear divide that separates trumpet players who can play high notes and trumpet players who can play lead and effectively perform in the ...
Flying Lotus’s latest album, “You’re Dead!” is stunning. One of the best albums of music to be released this year. If you haven’t listened to it yet, get on it. Most of the tracks stuck with me in some way, but one that hit me hardest on the first pass ...
If you aren't reading Grantland a few times a week, you should be! Grantland is one of the best places to read great writing on sports. And sometimes it's great for not-sports things. Steven Hyden wrote a piece on One Direction that is quite interesting, as far as raising my ...
