The name Vaughn Nark may not be on everyone’s list as an outstanding trumpet player but he should be.
Here is a short background from Wikipedia on this remarkable player;
Originally from Mt. Carmel, Penn. Nark began playing the trumpet at the age of six. His father Leon, also a trumpeter, was his first teacher. At seven, he was exposed to Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Maynard Ferguson and Doc Severinsen. Soon after graduating from high school, Nark auditioned and was accepted by the Unites States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C., where he became a member of its premier jazz ensemble, the Airmen of Note. He occupied the lead and jazz trumpet chair for nearly 20 years, until his retirement in 1993. By Presidential Order, he was presented with the Meritorious Service Medal for his “distinctive accomplishments and contributions” while a member of this universally respected ensemble.
At this point you may be asking why my title to this post reads “The Evolving Vaughn Nark” and I would like to share my observations of Mr. Nark’s performances.
Some of Mr. Nark’s stage performances, I would describe as outstanding, yet on other occasions I would describe them as immature and childish. At this point some of you are thinking that my appraisal is way wrong but to illustrate my point I will feature some live videos to prove my point as well as studio recordings I feel represent some of the most outstanding talent I have ever heard.
Video #1- (What I don’t like)
…same impression!
If you listen carefully before he plays, he tells the drummer “I’ll just play a couple notes before we start”.
My question is “Why”?
Video #3
In this performance he at least continues to play and plays well.
Now let me illustrate an even more mature player with great talent in the following studio recordings.
It doesn’t get any better than that!
Hopefully you now understand the meaning of my lead in. What Vaughn Nark does on stage is not what Vaughn Nark should be doing on stage. What he is doing in the recording studio is what he should be doing exclusively.
What a talented player!
