Alison Balsom
Female Artist of the Year at the Classical Brits

Even without the fake tan, bare long legs and Alice Temperley sequined minidress which accentuated her shapely figure, Alison Balsom would always stand out in a crowd. The 30-year-old blonde possesses striking good looks – and she just also happens to be one of the world’s finest trumpet players. It is an incredible achievement for a woman. For this is an instrument that has historically been mastered only by men in brass bands and orchestras, or jazz giants such as Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong. ...more

James Zollar
Tribute to "The Great Composers"

He began playing bugle at age nine in his native Kansas City and graduated to trumpet at age 12 and after his studies at Mission Bay High School he moved to San Diego and continued at San Diego City College and the University of California. At present James D. Zollar tours extensively as soloist with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, conducted first by the Duke's son Mercer and later his grandson Paul within the U.S. and around the globe, including annual trips to Japan. ...more

John McNeil
Keeping It Flexible, Careful Not to Raise a Ruckus

The trumpeter John McNeil’s imagination is right on the line between jazz at its most secure and coded and jazz as an open window, letting anything in and out of its house. For the last five years or so he’s been running bands that tend to have a slightly arch repertory concept: the pointed and airy West Coast jazz of the 1950s or the pains and pleasures of the infamous amateur rock band the Shaggs. ...more

Jose Miguel Crego
Nominated to Cubadisco Fair

The album "Esta es mi mecanica," by famous Cuban trumpet player Jose Miguel Crego, known as "El Greco," is nominated in the Instrumental Music category to the Cubadisco 2009 music fair, May 16-24 in this capital. The CD, recorded by the Cuban Bis Music label, is based on the jazz concept of Randy Brecker, kool style. The compositions belong to him, with Pucho Lopez and Jorge Luis Chicoy as orchestrators. The recording was led by Alfredo Machado, and Jose Manuel Garcia was the general director. ...more

Shamarr Allen
Doesn't wish to be pigeonholed

Trumpeter Shamarr Allen apprenticed with the Rebirth Brass Band, traditional jazz drummer Bob French and, improbably enough, Willie Nelson. Now he's ready to step out on his own. He devoted his first CD to traditional jazz. But as the title of his new "Box Who In?" implies, he won't be pigeonholed. Rock, modern jazz, funk -- "Box Who In?" runs the gamut. ...more

Doc Severinsen
Retires From Performing (yeah right!)

Doc Severinsen electrified an enthusiastic audience in Las Cruces, NM of about 5,200 at the Pan American Center Saturday (8/25/07) in his farewell performance with a symphony orchestra. Legendary trumpeter and longtime "Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" bandleader Doc Severinsen exhales into a trumpet making sweet music Saturday for his show at the Pan American Center. ...more

Freddie Hubbard
4/7/38 - 12/29/08

Hubbard started playing the mellophone and trumpet in his school band, studying at the Jordan Conservatory with the principal trumpeter of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In his teens Hubbard worked locally with brothers Wes and Monk Montgomery and worked with bassist Larry Ridley and saxophonist James Spaulding. In 1958, at the age of 22, he moved to New York, and began playing with some of the best jazz players of the era ...more

Maynard Ferguson
5/4/28 - 8/23/06

As a child he studied piano and violin, and played the latter instrument in a Fox-Movietone short. Taking up the trumpet at nine, he was a member in his teens of dance bands led by Stan Wood (saxophonist), Roland David, and Johnny Holmes (his older brother Percy, a baritone saxophonist, also played for Holmes) and studied 1943-8 at the CMM with Bernard Baker. Ferguson was heard frequently on CBC radio and on one occasion played a “Serenade for Trumpet in Jazz” written for him by Morris Davis. ...more

Buddy Chiders
2/12/26 - 5/24/07

Childers worked with Kenton off and on from 1942 to 1954. In between he joined the bands led by Benny Carter, André Previn, Les Brown and Vido Musso. In 1951 he joined Tommy Dorsey, where he partnered the remarkable virtuoso Charlie Shavers in the trumpet section. Dorsey was a monster to work for, indifferent to the suffering of his musicians. On a long tour of Brazil Childers almost came to blows with him but stood up to the bandleader and afterwards they became good friends ...more