You could make arguments for dozens of different players, and the arguments you'd choose to make would depend largely on what you personally value.
I'd have to say there's nothing I've heard played on trumpet that's quite as jaw dropping (for me) as Malcolm McNab's recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.
Look, this is ridiculous. There is only one really one trumpeter who is at the absolute pinnacle of trumpet playing in the world. And that is . . Kurt Thompson! (Just ask him.)
If I broaden this a bit to "best wind instrumentalist" in the known universe (not sure about the multi-verse), I think James Morrison is clear winner when you add the high of playing he also does on Trombone and Saxophone. I think he could walk up to a small car and make music through the tailpipe if he wanted. If I every make it to Australia, I would love to get a chance to see him perform live. What a talent!! _________________ GaryF
"I'm probably not as good as I used to think that I was"
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Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2019 3:53 am Post subject: Best Trumpet player on the planet
Isn't this kind of redundant? I don't mean to insult, but there are so many great artists covering Jazz, classical, concert band, etc. and some players are great all around? I like 'em all and have certain things that artists play that I really love listening to. There are lots of great flugelhorn players but Ack Van Rooyen is just awesome. Wynton is from a different solar system good. Pick em all and enjoy the whole package. _________________ "There are two sides to a trumpeter's personality,
there is one that lives to lay waste to woodwinds and strings, leaving them lie blue and lifeless along a swath of destruction that is a
trumpeter's fury-then there is the dark side!" Irving Bush
Joined: 22 Nov 2016 Posts: 56 Location: Racine, Wisconsin
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 5:02 am Post subject:
kehaulani wrote:
Look, this is ridiculous. There is only one really one trumpeter who is at the absolute pinnacle of trumpet playing in the world. And that is . . Kurt Thompson! (Just ask him.)
Ouch, that is a bit harsh _________________ Yamaha 8310Z
Yamaha 731 Flugelhorn
Yamaha YCR-2330 Cornet
Joined: 01 Mar 2017 Posts: 146 Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:11 pm Post subject:
Harry Hilgers wrote:
kehaulani wrote:
This is a bit silly, isn't it? There is no ONE trumpet player who is the best.
That's is true of course. But if I had to pick one RIGHT NOW TODAY at this very MOMENT it would be Alison Balsom
It also depends on if we are talking "in the day," meaning on the particular day they recorded, or by wooing multiple audiences with vast performances, or both. Also, what genre because there is such a vast variety.
I agree Balsom has a sublime sound and has likely made some of the sweetest recordings combined with visual appeal. That is a gift. But Tine Helseth is just as good a player. Mathilda Lloyd is so accomplished at a young age and so humble and kind, and I wish her to be mentioned. Check her out.
Arturo Sandoval has amazing chops, but....so does James Morrison (who also kills the trombone). They are incredible. They play some of the music that sends our mind soaring.
Definitely agree that Phil Smith and Bud Herseth are among the best in the orchestra in history. Phil, if you read this, Hi! Phil has a CV that makes your head spin. Phil is also one of the most kind and genuine people in the world.
Maybe Christopher Martin, who can pick and choose between Chicago and NY Philharmonic? What about Vienna Philharmonic, with players whose pedigree is so mystique we cannot even conceive what it takes to play rotary trumpets on their repertoire so easily?
But really, I am surprised no one mentions Eric Aubier, Hakan Hardenberger, or even Maurice????? They can make music sound easy that few have conceived! Eric is one of the kindest people in the world! What about the other European soloists? Rheinhold Friedeich? _________________ Jon J
Principal trumpet - Symphony Orchestra
Soloist
Brass Quintet
Brass choir
Looking at the totality of his body of work, considering sound, musicality and interpretation, overall technical mastery of the instrument, variety of styles he worked in, the total package of what he could do with a trumpet and the under-a-microscope circumstances in which he regularly did it I think there's a very strong case to be made to give Doc the nod.
Just looking at his Command era albums alone, things like this where he gets inside the music so well and the hip, tight, delicate-yet-fiery gymnastic articulations he pulls off with hemstitched accuracy. His Command recordings have track after track like this. It goes way beyond tossing off fast flurries of notes.
I've always been blown away by this particular recording - "Chimes Festival". He walks into the studio and tosses off this note-perfect performance on trumpet and flugel. It's known to be a one-take, no edits performance due to it being Direct-To-Disk. Not the highest he's ever played but the power and command of the horn he displays is amazing. Listen to the intricate figures he plays at 4:49 among others - jeezus. As with the other tracks, I ask myself who else do I envision could duplicate this performance, I don't think there *is* anyone else.
His legendary recording of "A Song For You". Again, name another player you genuinely think could duplicate this. He used to play this live during concerts. I'd sure be satisfied with being able to nail an Eb over dub C after a long concert.
He wasn't a classical specialist but he didn't focus on that realm. Imo the dabbling he did demonstrated he could do a superb job on the literature. According to Clark Terry's autobiography "Clark", when Doc auditioned for Charlie Barnet, Doc played Hora Staccato. Barnet's reaction was "F*** that, can he play blues?" Lol.
Joined: 02 Jan 2002 Posts: 5698 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland
Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2019 9:13 am Post subject:
Shouldn't this be limited to living players and their current abilities?
Certainly, when it came to classical solo literature, Maurice Andre was nigh untouchable in his prime, but we can't really make a case for that now that's gone, and that also wasn't the case toward the end of his career and life - I've heard stories that Maurice toward the end was embarrassingly bad. _________________ Patrick Gleason
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Shouldn't this be limited to living players and their current abilities?
Certainly, when it came to classical solo literature, Maurice Andre was nigh untouchable in his prime, but we can't really make a case for that now that's gone, and that also wasn't the case toward the end of his career and life - I've heard stories that Maurice toward the end was embarrassingly bad.
I think if someone has set a really high bar that shouldn't be ignored.
If we talk about a player's greatness of course it's assumed it's meant at their best. A while back I saw a video of Maurice at some event near the end of his life where he was testing horns. He split some notes - it wasn't a concert situation, he wasn't warmed up, clearly he wasn't practicing like he did in his concertizing days, people were elated to be around him. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
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Joined: 26 Jun 2017 Posts: 1560 Location: Virginia USA
Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2019 12:07 pm Post subject:
Certainly a crazy question and really unanswerable. I agree that many of the players mentioned are absolutely great. A lot depends on the music played. Can't argue with Alison Balsom, Tine Ting Helseth, Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, and many others already mentioned, but you really cannot compare them.
Others that might be in the mix: Matthias Höfs, Håkan Hardenberger on modern horns, Jean-François Madeuf on natural trumpet, for soloists anyway. _________________ Bb: Schilke X3L AS, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Bb Cornet: Getzen 800 DLXS
Pic: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Std
Bass Tr: BAC Custom
Nat. Tr: Nikolai Mänttäri Morales Haas replica
I was looking forward to the Marsalis/Morrison/Faddis/Sandoval summit video posted earlier, and I realize they're having fun, but that kind of stuff sounds like what a high school lead player wishes he could do.
My choices?
Alison Balsom. Natural trumpet! Geeeeeez.
Doc, all-round.
Wynton, because I saw him and his FAMILY in Toronto. And while they were all monsters (and Dad was the wise master), WM spoke from the horn: it was a conversation. He wasn't just technically free with the horn, he was conceptually free. Yeah, he tends to rant offstage, but he can play.
I'm also in camp Hakan. _________________ 1985 Bach 37
1980 King 601 (it's bulletproof!)
1978 Couesnon flugelhorn
Playing for fun since 1979.
Fmr member 48th Highlanders of Canada Mil Band
Into that jazz devil music
Joined: 26 Jun 2017 Posts: 1560 Location: Virginia USA
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2022 6:29 am Post subject:
mograph wrote:
Alison Balsom. Natural trumpet! Geeeeeez.
Just a small correction to this. Alison Balsom plays baroque trumpet (with holes), not natural trumpet -- though she often calls it a natural trumpet.
That takes nothing away from her being a great player and definitely in the running for this topic. Some of her work is just phenomenal. _________________ Bb: Schilke X3L AS, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Bb Cornet: Getzen 800 DLXS
Pic: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Std
Bass Tr: BAC Custom
Nat. Tr: Nikolai Mänttäri Morales Haas replica
I'd have to say there's nothing I've heard played on trumpet that's quite as jaw dropping (for me) as Malcolm McNab's recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.
It's an interesting recording and yes it required superb skill but it should be noted it was put together in pieces not performed as a whole. I didn't realize this until I saw it being discussed somewhere. It's an asterisk performance, similar to the recorded trumpet performances of Moto Perpetuo. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Just a small correction to this. Alison Balsom plays baroque trumpet (with holes), not natural trumpet -- though she often calls it a natural trumpet.
That takes nothing away from her being a great player and definitely in the running for this topic. Some of her work is just phenomenal.
Ah! Thanks! _________________ 1985 Bach 37
1980 King 601 (it's bulletproof!)
1978 Couesnon flugelhorn
Playing for fun since 1979.
Fmr member 48th Highlanders of Canada Mil Band
Into that jazz devil music
take your time to listen to the end, the command of sound, phrasing, tone manipulation, attacks, arpeggio playing and musical interpretation is amazing.
Last edited by delano on Thu Feb 03, 2022 11:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
Alan Vissuti does something with his wife accompanying (something with a lord of rings type title) that haunts me as something I could never had played even if I had gotten serious about playing (10 hours practice a day). I’m sure there are hundreds of thousands of pieces I couldn’t do justice to, but this is one of the few I felt was absolutely was beyond me no matter what. I don’t feel he is the absolute best but the fact he could play this absolutely flabbergasted me. Check it out, all the skills are shown on this piece. Sorry I don’t remember name.
Rod
I don't know about the best trumpet player in the world, far too silly a question, but the best MotoGP racer in the world, is, and will always be, Giacomo Agostini.
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