wiseone2

Sorry I haven't been posting much, it has been hectic here in Brooklyn.
I spent yesterday, Sunday, at Ted Curson's house in New Jersey. Ted was entertaining the President of Finland. Imagine.... a trumpet player hosting a gathering for a head of state! The Secret Service, State Police and the local cops were there, but well disguised in black Ray-Bans, suits and walkie-talkies We were eyed suspiciously by the law enforcement crowd. Claudio Roditi, Henry Grimes and Bob Cranshaw were among the crowd of musicians that showed up for the free food and great jazz entertainment
Ted's mom was there, she looks great. She reminded the two South Philly flashes, Ted and Wilmer, how rotten we sounded in Junior High School. Our egos were definitely in check. Finland's President, a woman, is very hip. I would vote for her any time. It was a fun afternoon.

I should mention that Ted has been involved with the Pori Jazz Festival for almost forty years. Finland is his second home.
Wilmer

BPinard

Sounds like quite a day! It must have really been a cool occasion.

Honest question - when did you notice yourself not sounding "rotten?" I'm not that confident in my playing lately, and was wondering if any other professionals were having truouble playing at my age (I'm 16.) What I'm basically asking is, "When did you notice your playing really start to take off?"

Thanks

wiseone2

Each and every player of the trumpet is different. I met Sergei when he was about 14 years old, he was a virtuoso player at that age. Harry Glantz had held down jobs with major symphonies before he was sixteen.
There are no standards for achievement by performers. We move at our own speed.
I was playing in local orchestras at that age. Lee Morgan had already blown Chet Baker away at a jam session at that age. Ted Curson's band when he was a teen had Bobby Timmons, "Tootie" Heath and Jimmy Garrison in the rhythm section. They were playing Diz and Bird tunes.
Hang in there, it will happen if you persevere.
Wilmer

Manny Laureano

I have a question to Wilmer and anyone else:

Can you think of a trumpeter who started quite late and achieved fame later in life? The only one I come up with only fulfills half of that and that's Andre. He started playing when he was 14! But his fame was secure by the time he was in his late 20's as a soloist and way before that as a freelancer in Paris and Europe.

Any jazz players that achieved stardom lat in life?

ML

PH

Bobby Hackett started his career as a guitarist. He didn't take up the trumpet until his 20s.

wiseone2

Doc Cheatham comes to mind. He fame came after his retirement from the U.S. Postal Service
Wilmer

Clarence

yo wise one!
How,s the dorin-moe!

Heavens2kadonka

Didn't Bill Chase enter college playing drums?

Van

Jimi Michiel

Hows about Bix Beiderbecke? I guess he never really lived to see his fame. Better yet, although not a trumpeter, Ellis Marsalis had to wait for his kids to make it big before anyone paid him any attention.
-Jimi

Spitty

Hi Wilmer,

A bit off topic but just wanted to pass on a big hello and regards from Dave Douglas! FYI - his new record "Keystone" is out tomorrow - only at www.greenleafmusic.com.

Also wanted to ask, have you started teaching at The Colin studios yet? You would make a great addition to the wonderful players playing, practicing and teaching there.

Speak soon,
Jason Byrne - Brooklyn, NY
aka Spitty