Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 4:22 pm Post subject: Top Lead Players
It's hard to choose just 10. There are so many great lead trumpet players out there! Even when writing this I thought of so many trumpet players who should be included, but I think I have a well rounded list. I also included who they played with.
1) Snooky Young - Basie, Thad Jones, NY and LA Studios
2) Conrad Gozzo - Sinatra, Nelson Riddle Orchestra
3) Al Porcino - Terry Gibbs, Basie, Thad Jones
4) Wayne Bergeron - Maynard Ferguson, Gordon Goodwin, LA Studios
5) George Graham - Bob Florence, Tom Kubis, LA Studios
6) Tony Kadleck - Maria Schneider, John Fedchock's NY Big Band, Broadway, NY studios
7) Bud Brisbois - Stan Kenton, The Monkees
8 ) Jerry Hey - Al Jarreau, Michael Jackson, EWF, LA Studios
9) Sean Jones - Jazz at Lincoln Center, Gerald Wilson
10) Earl Gardner - Thad Jones, Saturday Night Live
Honorable mentions:
- Doc Severinsen and Maynard Ferguson influenced so many people on this list. They made careers and names for themselves not by sitting in the lead chair, but by fronting the band, and dazzling everyone with their virtuosity.
These 10, among many many others, are a huge influence on my playing.
Who are your influences, and why? Any favorite recordings?
Bill Chase. Primary lead player and primary soloist with CHASE. Guy was an absolute beast.
You mention Doc - do you think anyone else on the TS band was his equal as a lead player? _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
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Last edited by Robert P on Mon Jul 10, 2017 5:20 pm; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 805 Location: South Carolina
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 5:16 pm Post subject:
What about Cat Anderson?
Warm regards,
Grits _________________ Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy.
Joined: 16 Sep 2011 Posts: 118 Location: Wilmington, De
Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 5:20 pm Post subject:
Can't forget Harry James and while I'm at it Tony Scodwell. _________________ Shires Destino III
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Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 5:38 pm Post subject:
My top ten:
Doc Severinsen
Bill Chase
Snooky Young
Eric Miyashiro (especially when he was with Buddy Rich)
John Audino
Wayne Bergeron
Roger Ingram
Buddy Childers
Mike Williams (current Basie lead player)
Frank Green
No particular order except Doc and Chase at the top. Maynard was a big influence in my youth, but he was usually not playing lead in a section except maybe in the early days, and then he was usually the second or third player and featured screamer.
And if I thought harder, I could think of another ten, and another ten after that... _________________ Bryan Fields
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1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1977 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
1995 UMI Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces
Bill Chase. Primary lead player and primary soloist with CHASE. Guy was an absolute beast.
You mention Doc - do you think anyone else on the TS band was his equal as a lead player?
Tend to agree. As Bill played lead like an artist. He put his soul into. I think we must take Bill as seriously as we did Satchmo. Granted Armstrong didnt record much lead playing but he was also a true artist.
It takes a truly creative mind to blow lead with the signature tone that Chase had. In addition he was quite an arranger and more or less invented a new form of music with his bsnd Chase.
The guy could just make every note sound like a thousand dollars. Others had a little more range than he did. Like Cat and Bud. But other than the triple register they played in? I cant always tell who is playing. But I know when it is Chase. And ultimately one really doesnt need much more than a double C.
I met Bill only once. He told me that his range was,
"I have a C"
Meaning double C. If you cant get a gig with a double C? You've got other issues besides range. You just dont need triple notes. Fun but unnecessary.
The man had a tone from outer space. I am just fortunate to have lived through his heyday. A shooting star he was. _________________ "Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!
Brian MacDonald - The Airmen of Note; Maynard Ferguson; Woody Herman; KC & The Sunshine Band; The Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra ad nauseum. _________________ Schilke X3 Bb trumpet
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Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 805 Location: South Carolina
Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 1:48 pm Post subject:
Arturo, Doc and Wynton transcend lead, so I'll pass over them.
I have a special admiration of Snooky and Wayne. They are probably my favorites. But there are some guys who play great but don't get the notice for a host of reasons. Perhaps they didn't record as many things. I don't know how many things Carl Saunders has recorded. I haven't heard a huge sample of his playing, but what I have heard is fabulous. I suspect that there are a number of killer players who, for whatever reason, just don't get the notoriety.
Warm regards,
Grits _________________ Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy.
Paul Cohen is a name rarely mentioned these days. Great lead player. Jeff Kievett is my favorite lead player. Wonderful sound and control. Insanely accurate.
I agree with everyone that has already been said, but I would be remiss if I didn't add another; Arnie Chycoski the great lead trumpet with Ron McConnell and the Boss Brass. A really magical lead player who along with Rob McConnell defined the Toronto big band sound. Arnie played Rob's amazing writing with such fantastic feel and phrasing, and you can't forget his "Toronto half note" on the end of every chart!
I should give an honorable mention to a player from the Disney universe -Mark Zauss. I'm sure many of you know Mark. He's an alumnus of the FutureCorps D&B group that was a fixture at Epcot for many years as well the Hollywood Hitmen and the Main Street Philharmonic. He's not only been playing a lot of superb lead for years at Disney but often under brutal conditions in the Florida heat and humidity. Below are two sets by the Hitmen. Everyone in this group is a killer player.
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