Larry Gianni

Hi Noel,

Thanks you so much for your kind words and your participation in the forum. I hope more English/European player start posting and giving a different view ( or same veiw ) on the subject talked about here or any subject.

About Derek Watkins,

I remember as a kid watching the Tom Jones Show on TV and wondering who was playing lead trumpet and what were those notes he was hitting. Fantastic. I learned later that DerekWatkin’s had been Tom's lead trumpet player at the time, and correct me if I’m wrong, also did the TV show.

A friend of mine, Roger Ingram, took over the Tom Jones tour from Derek when Derek left (Roger was only 18 or 19 years old, at the time, wow!!) told me that Derek has an upper lip, that is somewhat split and he can get a small portion of it vibrating really rapidly, so he change very slightly in his embouchure and can play very cleanly in the altissimo upper register. I think on the Trumpetstuff.com / Derek Watkins/ Mac Arthur Park video you can hear him play very loudly and cleanly to A above double C, and I hear a different intensity to the notes like he shifted gears some how.

Have you heard anything about this. (Sorry, I sound like a little kid with this question)

When I did clinics for Calicchio in the 80's I had the opportunity to meet the trumpet section for Elton John that was touring with him and stopped in LA to get new trumpets. Because they were playing into mikes, with a loud rock situation, they wanted to try to get more of a big, bright, fat, contemporary “West Coast " sound so they came in to the factory and I helped them make a decision on the combination that best suited them.
You probably know them, Simon Gardner and Paul Spong. Boy, did I envy there job being a big Elton John Fan, ever since he added brass sections to his music using the " Tower of Power " horn section n the 70's


Later I heard from Paul and Simon when they were with the group “Wham “and George Michael. They played on the Wham hit “Wake me up before we go-go” with that great little lick up to a hi f# in the middle. I've also met to other Enlgish players when they were playing on tour in Los Angeles, ( at different times ) Guy Barker and Kevin Robinson. Both fantastic players.
Another English commercial player I met in my travels was Ivan Julian, who I also believe worked with Elton but earlier, maybe the 70's.

Anyway, back to my point,

I agree the” English” commercial trumpet sound closely emulates the early New York sound in that it was bigger, fuller, disciplined, had a quasi-legit flavor, not obtrusive in its nature. I do have Ted Heath CD’s, John Dankworth’s big band albums and Maynard’s 1971/72 band featuring a trumpet section of John Donnelly, Alan Downey, Martin Drover and John Huckridge that tend to dis-prove the above mentioned opinion of the “ English “ sound. But all in all. I agree with you.

Also, I’m told by some of the players in town that do a lot of movie soundtrack recording, the player in the BBC Phil. ( and other BBC music ensembles ) prefer and still the use Bb trumpets , instead of higher pitched trumpets, for their movie soundtrack recordings and live playing engagements unlike their American counter-parts who universally prefer the C trumpet. That sort of says it all.

One Request for the “Yanks ".

Can you explain, for the American trumpet community, the different duties and roles of the BBC ensembles? America really has no government sponsored music ensembles (maybe, the Lincoln center for the arts ensemble, could be called one)

Thanks’s Noel

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – Phillip Addinall – prin. trumpet
BBC Concert Orchestra – David McCallum – prin. trumpet
BBC SSO – Kate Moore – 1st trumpet
BBC Symphony Orchestra - Rod Franks - prin. trumpet

Larry