Getting ready for ITG...the updated schedule will be completed this week and put online as we are just about to print the conference program. The line-up of players is absolutely awesome and the amount of creativity that is going into many of these acts is amazing. Having Hakan Hardenberger and Dave Douglas on the same evening and Guido Basso and Mnozil Brass together simply blows my mind.
Evening events with Sergei Nakariakov, Ole Edvard Antonsen who is coming with his band from Norway, Sean Jones (sick!) and Wycliffe Gordon on trombone (he can play higher and with better technique than most trumpet players...he also played the opening of West End Blues for me in Chicago ON MY TRUMPET...I would kick his $#@ but if you have ever met Wycliffe you would know that this would be a foolhardy venture on my part). An unprecedented line-up of almost all of Canada's principal orchestral trumpet players on stage at the same time with a grand finale including Allen Vizzutti who is writing a special piece for the event. Boston Brass, the US Army quintet, Synergy Brass, True North Brass...a quintet extravaganza of the best groups in the world on a night when we are honoring Canadian Brass superstar Fred Mills...an actual Canadian!!!
My favorite star (among the impossible many to choose from), a tribute night to my good friend and personal hero, Doc Severinsen who will also play on the big band night in a 'special' grand finale which will be an unbelievable happening for those that are there...gotta come if you want to know what I'm talking about.
A Bill Chase tribute event with four ridiculous players who are all Bill Chase devotees. Most importantly, we are able to bring in GG Shinn from New Orleans, Bill Chase's former lead singer...it will be as much an honor to him as it is to Chase himself. Many thanks to Brian Scriver of GR mouthpieces for making charts available.
A Maynard Ferguson tribute with smoking soloists Walter White, Andre Tofanelli, Chris Jaudes and hosted by star writer and arranger, Jay Chattaway who wrote many charts for Maynard.
Chris Martin who is so committed to coming that he is flying in after a Chicago Symphony Sunday matinee and will be back for a 10 am downbeat 30 hours later.
On the small group side Tiger Okoshi, Ingrid Jensen, Chase Sanborn, Brian O'Kane, Dean McNeill, and more...
One of the most highly anticipated small shows will be Mark Gould with his band, Pink Baby Monster. I have seen this show in Los Angeles and it is ridiculous...absolutely defies any description but watching Mark do everything from rap to jazz to rock to country in a show subtitled 'Desert Jews in Las Vegas' is as hilarious as it is brilliant.
Niklas Eklund (greatest baroque trumpeter in the world!!!), Rex Richardson (defies category but sick comes to mind...again!)
Also, the resurrection of Juno award winning band Metalwood with the absolutely stupidly talented Brad Turner on trumpet and keyboards (he plays drums too...I hate him but tbought I should invite him or Wycliffe would kick my $*%)
The inimitable pedagogical talents of David Hickman who is bringing his entire ASU trumpet studio...Dave was (and is) my piccolo mentor.
Upcoming talents to watch for at ITG:
Adam Rapa...this guy is sick!!!
Italian Wonderbrass...all under the age of 23 and by far the most amazing young quintet I have ever heard in the world!!!
I am going to forget people because the list is simply too long...I feel like I'm getting married...oh wait, that's right, my tenth wedding anniversary is on the final night of ITG...June 5...Guido Basso will play as he did exactly ten years ago...NO, we will not dance.
Jens Lindemann
Jens Lindemann's Web Quarters