What is a Flugel Horn and Do I need to own one?

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The flugelhorn, also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn or flugelhorn has a long history in European countries but is relatively new to ours. Its popularity in the states probably dates back to the fifties through the use of such well known names in jazz as Shorty Rogers, Kenny Baker, Clark Terry, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Nat Adderley and Art Farmer. The purpose of the flugel was to give the player an alternative to the edgy, powerful trumpet sound. During the Bebop period (1945-1960) the trumpet was king, but when cool jazz started to gain a following in…

Which Comes First, Technique or Musicality?

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This question is much like the chicken or the egg issue. Which should be taught first? One camp believes that without technique, nothing can be played and the other camp asks the question “what good is technique if it isn’t musical”. Both have their cases and in this post I will try to bring the two sides to a happy mid point. Most of my early teaching was geared to the technical approach but as I increase candles on my birthday cake I must admit, all technique can have its disadvantages. One student who stands out as the most gifted…

Solving your Jazz and Legit Mouthpiece Problems

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Trumpet Mouthpiece

On one day you are playing Brahms in an orchestra and the next you are playing Kenton in a club and the choice of sound is becoming a problem. One requires a soft and gentile timbre and the other a more edgy tone with an increased high range. One solution would be to change trumpets for each situation but at the cost of instruments today, who has that kind of cash. Another possibility would be to attempt to color your tone with your existing equipment but you will find this is only an act of desperation. This scenario was exactly…

My “2017” Update on our Friend Victor Haskins

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Victor Haskins

As you can see (read) from my two earlier posts on the talents of this young man, I was very impressed and predicted that his future as a forward moving and thinking musician was something everyone should pay attention to. I was correct in my prediction as you will see from his continued success in the music world. Be sure to read or reread my two previous postings on Victor before you read this most current followup. Please welcome Victor Haskins “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back to our stage, Mr. Victor Haskins” Victor Haskins is a visionary, world-class trumpet…

“Free Trumpet Sheet Music” Update

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I wanted to keep everyone up to date with our free trumpet sheet music section. At the present time we have 40 free arrangements which you can download at this time. So far we have had 10,777 downloads from this free section. Wouldn’t you like to make it and even 10,778? Check it out at.. http://www.trumpetensemblemusic.com/ and enter “free sheet music” in the search box.

It Could Only Happen In Branson!

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And here is still another happening in Branson. This morning one of the stage managers at our theater got this shot of a bass player going to his job with his bass stuck out the window of the car. What you might not have known is that the bass player is actually the bass player in “our show”. On the way to the theater this morning, his car broke down and one of the sax players took off to give him a ride into town. The show was postponed about five minutes so our players could make it to the…

While We Are Still Talking About Jazz-YOGI BERRA EXPLAINS JAZZ

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Interviewer: “What do you expect is in store for the future of jazz guitar?” Yogi: “I’m thinkin’ there’ll be a group of guys who’ve never met talkin’ about it all the time..” Interviewer: Can you explain jazz? Yogi: “I can’t, but I will. 90% of all jazz is half improvisation. The other half is the part people play while others are playing something they never played with anyone who played that part. So if you play the wrong part, it’s right. If you play the right part, it might be right if you play it wrong enough. But if you…