The News
All Things Trumpet getting attention!
I recently wrote a review on www.AllThingsTrumpet.com of one of my favorite works in the repertoire, "Burden of Destiny" by James Stephenson. He announced that review on TPIN and this is what was said:
Subject: [TPIN] "Burden of Destiny" - for Chris Martin
David Cooper reviews my "Burden of Destiny" (originally written for Chris
Martin) on his "All Things Trumpet" blog here:
http://www.allthingstrumpet.com/learning
/stephenson-burden-of-destiny/#comment-41
Check it out: Dave did a great job!
Congratulations to you, Jim, forging such a thoughtful and expressive work.
Dave - that was a wonderful write-up and describes Jim's creation beautifully. Who says trumpet players can't write?
Mark
A Brand-New Trumpet Resource Blog!
I have just begun a trumpet related blog called www.AllThingsTrumpet.com. In it you will find articles pertaining to practice and performance tips, repertoire reviews and guest interviews. Give it a look. I will be updating that site regularly.
Enjoy!
4 new PDF books now available
Over the years I have transcribed a ton of jazz trumpet solos. Some were for books for Hal Leonard, Chas Colin Pub or just for myself. I came across my binders full of these things the other day and thought that it would be a good idea to put them in Finale. After I realized how many there were I decided it might be even a better idea to compile them into pdf books and offer them online. I am still selling some of these in print version but I don't think I will be re-ordering any more as it just seems to make more sense to offer them as down-loadable pdfs. Plus, they are cheaper and more convenient for you!
These include solos from Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell and Woody Shaw. My "Classic Jazz Masters" book includes solos from folks like Bubber Miley, Bunny Berrigan, Roy Elderidge, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown and Fats Navarro.
Enjoy!
Is this the end of an era musically as well as politically?
As many of you know, the New Breed Jazz Quintet has held a jam session at the Concourse Hotel Bar every Wednesday evening for the past seven years. Last Wednesday, November 19th, the hotel management told the group that they were going to close the doors for a month for renovation and when it re-opens in January, it will be a sports bar with no live music. …Yes, no live music on any night of the week and yet another sports bar… It confounds me that the management would think this is a wise strategy. It seems to me that sports bars generally cater to local folks gathering together to be in a space of like-minded fans. (Generally drinking cheap beer and shouting at tv’s.) The Concourse is trying to be one of Madison’s premier hotels and cater to a national, if not international clientele. It would seem to me that those type of travelers would much rather go downstairs from their $150+ rooms to a more sophisticated room and have a glass of wine or scotch. If they really wanted to see a game they could very conveniently walk around the corner to State Street and have their pick of sports bars. Besides, I just don’t see the typical Madison sports-bar-goer wanting to watch a game in a hotel bar when there is State Street right there.
New and Improved Merchandise Section!
My good friend, fantastic bassist and website guru, John Christensen, has just put the finishing touches on the Books section of my new website. (that he also designed!) You can now puchase my latest publications directly from this site and buy pdf's of those books here as well.
I am really happy with how the site looks and works and I hope you like it as well. Please stop back often as I will be adding articles periodically and am currently working on three projects that will eventually find their way to this site. (a jazz CD with Tom Gullion, a classical CD with Chuck Lazarus and a new improvisation book)
Cooper to join the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
On May 31 the Madison Symphony held an audition for a position in their trumpet section and I am extremely proud to say they offered me the position! I will be joining two friends I have known a long time, John Aley and Frank Hanson. They have both been in the group over 20 years so it will great to work so closely with such great seasoned veterans. I have subbed with this orchestra for about 15 years which has been fun but playing in this section on a regular basis will be fantastic.
Juggling Versatility
I have found that in recent years there seems to be a trend for music students, in particular students of the trumpet, to strive for music careers that encompass and embrace a wider variety of musical styles. Perhaps this is due in part to the fact that the freelancing musical climate has changed from one where a player could more easily make a living doing just studio work or symphonic work or playing in a big band. No doubt players that have earned strong reputations and acclaim as versatile performers such as Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, Vince DiMartino and Lew Soloff to name a few, have greatly influenced the next generation of trumpet players. Highly focused "specialty" gigs still exist, but todays' trumpet player is much better "armed"with a larger assortment of musical "tools" at their disposal.
Two New Trumpet Books Coming Out
I have two new trumpet books coming out!
I have edited Telemann's Six Canonic Sonatas originally for flute or recorder. The interesting part of this project is that I am also recording these duets to be offered with the book as a "play along". The recording and the book are finished and at the publishers. It should be available in a few months.
I am currently working on Festive Arias vol. 2. F.A. Volume I has done so well that Lorenz Pub has asked me to do a followup. This volume includes works from the Magnificat, Messiah, Vivaldi Gloria and Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring. This volume will also come with a CD.
Other news is that my Telemann duet book and Bach Cello Suites book are both going to be be published through Lorenz Publications. You will still be able to purchase these from me at this site but they will now also be available nationally.
Thanks for checking in.