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Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling)


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HackAmateur
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:16 pm    Post subject: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling) Reply with quote

Lots of people haven't liked Kurt for years, and for various reasons. Maybe he said some offensive things in the past.

However, he did finally post something that is actually beautiful and musical. I liked it A LOT.

Kurt is known as a "high note" guy. But, in this particular post, he only used high notes as the cherry on top of a good piece of a music. He didn't just blast out high notes all song and pretend like it's musical.

This is one of the most catchy and gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player. I almost can't believe that it was Kurt, but you know what? He surprised me with this one.

No joke, it's actually gorgeous and, at the end, he uses a GORGEOUS High E as the cherry on top of an already beautiful performance.

In my opinion, high notes ought to be the cherries on top of an already fantastic performance. Kurt, for literally the first time ever, used high notes in an actually MUSICAL way... he also looks happy with the tambourine take. lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrC6dcMFggQ

EDIT: Come on, guys. This impressed me mainly because I've never heard anything even slightly musical come out of a KT video. I think, after all these years, he's finally doing his long tones. I was exaggerating when it said one of the most gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player, but I'm not trolling when I say this is the best thing I've seen KT post. It really is. Again, I think he's finally doing his long tones...[/b][/i]
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Last edited by HackAmateur on Sun Jul 11, 2021 5:21 am; edited 1 time in total
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TrumpetMD
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 10, 2021 10:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling) Reply with quote

HackAmateur wrote:
This is one of the most catchy and gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player.

Really???
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delano
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:09 am    Post subject: Re: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling) Reply with quote

TrumpetMD wrote:
HackAmateur wrote:
This is one of the most catchy and gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player.

Really???


At first I thought the same: mr. H. Amateur is making fun of us, but after re-reading his post I'm afraid he is serious about KT's playing. What a sad starting point to develop your playing.
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Jaw04
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 2:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We are blessed with such amazing trumpet playing available on youtube and all over the web and you choose to elevate this crap?
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HackAmateur
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 5:14 am    Post subject: Re: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling) Reply with quote

delano wrote:
TrumpetMD wrote:
HackAmateur wrote:
This is one of the most catchy and gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player.

Really???


At first I thought the same: mr. H. Amateur is making fun of us, but after re-reading his post I'm afraid he is serious about KT's playing. What a sad starting point to develop your playing.


Okay, I mean it was gorgeous by Kurt Thompson standards (he has set the bar kind of low over the year). Usually he just blasts out high notes with a bad tone and claims he's a legend.

And I was exaggerating because something reasonably musical is not what I expected out of KT... ever. This was good compared to his old stuff.

I also just like pop music with intermediate harmonies, so I have a bias in favor of the composition, too. lol
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As a composer, I will never write "B Sharp", "C Flat", "E Sharp", or "F Flat". I don't care what the key signature is. I'm not an academic; I'm a musician.

-Bach Strad 180 series 37
-Schilke 15
-Bob Reeves s692s w/ custom rim
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delano
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 5:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No pop music but if you're interested in musicality AND extraordinary trumpet playing try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNT_eF9lCBY&ab_channel=JayLizzle
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HackAmateur
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

delano wrote:
No pop music but if you're interested in musicality AND extraordinary trumpet playing try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNT_eF9lCBY&ab_channel=JayLizzle


Nice! I'd never heard Sergei's work before this.

This is very technically precise with a fat dark timbre. It reminds me of Alison Balsom's stuff. Sergei Nakariakov has one of those big classical soloist types of sounds.

This 'classical soloist' tone (what I call it) has an edgier tone quality than a typical classical player... and I mean that in a good way because I normally don't even like dark timbre tones.
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As a composer, I will never write "B Sharp", "C Flat", "E Sharp", or "F Flat". I don't care what the key signature is. I'm not an academic; I'm a musician.

-Bach Strad 180 series 37
-Schilke 15
-Bob Reeves s692s w/ custom rim
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delano
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 6:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There was a time that classical players did not (all) have that fat orchestral sound,
this is an oldie by my alltime favorite player:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtNjxaWOl0&ab_channel=IgorB

and a little more recent from the same guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKg4QfGKYCY&t=99s&ab_channel=DavesTrumpet
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HackAmateur
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

delano wrote:
There was a time that classical players did not (all) have that fat orchestral sound,
this is an oldie by my alltime favorite player:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtNjxaWOl0&ab_channel=IgorB

and a little more recent from the same guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKg4QfGKYCY&t=99s&ab_channel=DavesTrumpet


Wow. That timbre would be considered "unacceptable" (or at least unconventional) for a classical soloist these days. Timofei Dokshizer had a mixed timbre, based on what you just linked, combining bright and dark together.

Where did this convention come from that everybody has to play classical with a dark timbred tone quality? I mean, if somebody played Chopin or Paganini on a lead trumpet mouthpiece with a bright timbre, it would be considered heresy. Where did this convention come from that everybody must have the same timbre on all interpretations of classical music?

The fact that this convention didn't always exist tells me something must have changed in recent decades.
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As a composer, I will never write "B Sharp", "C Flat", "E Sharp", or "F Flat". I don't care what the key signature is. I'm not an academic; I'm a musician.

-Bach Strad 180 series 37
-Schilke 15
-Bob Reeves s692s w/ custom rim
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TrumpetMD
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 6:50 am    Post subject: Re: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling) Reply with quote

HackAmateur wrote:
delano wrote:
TrumpetMD wrote:
HackAmateur wrote:
This is one of the most catchy and gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player.

Really???


At first I thought the same: mr. H. Amateur is making fun of us, but after re-reading his post I'm afraid he is serious about KT's playing. What a sad starting point to develop your playing.


Okay, I mean it was gorgeous by Kurt Thompson standards (he has set the bar kind of low over the year). Usually he just blasts out high notes with a bad tone and claims he's a legend.

Thanks HackAmateur. My original reply was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. But I assumed this is what you meant.

Mike
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Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
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Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.
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HackAmateur
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 7:01 am    Post subject: Re: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling) Reply with quote

TrumpetMD wrote:
HackAmateur wrote:
delano wrote:
TrumpetMD wrote:
HackAmateur wrote:
This is one of the most catchy and gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player.

Really???


At first I thought the same: mr. H. Amateur is making fun of us, but after re-reading his post I'm afraid he is serious about KT's playing. What a sad starting point to develop your playing.


Okay, I mean it was gorgeous by Kurt Thompson standards (he has set the bar kind of low over the year). Usually he just blasts out high notes with a bad tone and claims he's a legend.

Thanks HackAmateur. My original reply was somewhat tongue-in-cheek. But I assumed this is what you meant.

Mike


Yes. This is what I meant. Your original reply was pretty funny, though. Definitely made me laugh.
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As a composer, I will never write "B Sharp", "C Flat", "E Sharp", or "F Flat". I don't care what the key signature is. I'm not an academic; I'm a musician.

-Bach Strad 180 series 37
-Schilke 15
-Bob Reeves s692s w/ custom rim
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TrumpetMD
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:10 am    Post subject: Re: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling) Reply with quote

HackAmateur wrote:
Yes. This is what I meant. Your original reply was pretty funny, though. Definitely made me laugh.

+1
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Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.
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HERMOKIWI
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, Kurt has a caustic and arrogant personality and this was apparently recorded in 4 sections. That being said, personality aside, let's be reasonable: How many of the people commenting here can play it better with just as much ease as Kurt did? If you say you can let's see it in a video.

The "trumpeter's handshake" has been alive and well since the days I started playing trumpet (1960) and, I assume, long before then. I reached a point in my life a long time ago when I started understanding more and more the colossal magnitude of the things I couldn't do in spite of all my experience. There is so much to learn and develop that it's impossible to be able to do everything perfectly. So, I appreciate even a beginner's development let alone what I see on this video. He has a good commercial sound and he makes it look easy.

Are there better players out there? A lot better? Of course there are. That being said, I'll repeat what I said above: How many of the people commenting here can play it better with just as much ease as Kurt did? If you say you can let's see it in a video.
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trompette229
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having nothing to do with trumpet playing, we shouldn't support misogynists, homophobes, or racists period. Talking about or elevating this person in any way is harmful. Years of consistent behavior and posts. I applaud the authors positive outlook but better used on others.
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HERMOKIWI
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

trompette229 wrote:
Having nothing to do with trumpet playing, we shouldn't support misogynists, homophobes, or racists period. Talking about or elevating this person in any way is harmful. Years of consistent behavior and posts. I applaud the authors positive outlook but better used on others.


I agree completely with you and I don't mean to elevate Kurt in any way. TH'ers who have been around here long enough have observed that Kurt has been incredibly obnoxious. I have no problem with the criticisms of Kurt personally. In fact, many of those criticisms, even though harsh, have not gone far enough.

That being said, I'm taking a completely objective look/listen to what I see/hear independent of the identity of the player. I just think that if you're going to critique the playing it should be solely on the basis of the playing and that criticizing the player is a separate, although in this case justified, issue.
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delano
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

HackAmateur wrote:

Nice! I'd never heard Sergei's work before this.

This is very technically precise with a fat dark timbre. It reminds me of Alison Balsom's stuff. Sergei Nakariakov has one of those big classical soloist types of sounds.

This 'classical soloist' tone (what I call it) has an edgier tone quality than a typical classical player... and I mean that in a good way because I normally don't even like dark timbre tones.


It's a little bit a guess but your concept of a good trumpet sound seems to be something like a commercial, bright sound. That's ok, nothing wrong with it but I don't think you got your perception of a classical trumpet sound right. It may sound 'dark'' for you but in fact it is big! Orchestral players play in big halls with a big orchestra that makes a lot of noise and they don't play in mics. And yes, there has been a development to louder and bigger. For brass that meant bigger bells, bigger bores and bigger mouthpieces with bigger throats and bigger backbores and maybe even better education.
A classical, orchestral trumpet player nowadays has a BIG sound but not 'dark' as that concept is used in jazz, sometimes even with the use of a flügelhorn.
The classical sound is big but with loads of resonance which make the sound living and singing. In fact it's a great sound and I fell completely for it. In fact the only right way to learn to appreciate it is hearing it in a live situation.
Still soloists may have a little bit more freedom in their choice of sound.
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trpthrld
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think there is enough industrial-strength cleaner east of the Mississippi to cleanse my ears and brain from that.

And apparently his interpretation of written articulation and note values comes down to simply "whatevs."
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trickg
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Say what you want about Kurt - he may be egotistical and a bit unrealistic in how he portrays and markets himself, but at least he has the cajones to put it out there, good, bad and ugly, unlike some of the hacks out here who make their judgements hiding behind their keyboards.

My take on Kurt's video is that the audio wasn't great and therefore didn't do a good job of portraying his actual sound. The playing itself, for what it was, wasn't awful, and if nothing else, shows that he has some chops. For those who want to bag on his interpretation, it's a solo - it's whatever he wants it to be. FWIW, there were many many people who used to say similar things about Maynard.

Something else to consider, that whole video was done very tongue-in-cheek - that was very apparent right from the start - so I don't think it was meant as a true showcase of his trumpet playing.

For those of you who want to criticize, post some of your own playing up there and let everyone else on the board take a crack at you. The truth is, a lot of you suck enough that posting your playing would be a borderline embarrassment. Me? Look through my posts - I've posted plenty of my playing up on here - good, bad and ugly.
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delano
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let's be clear, the subject of this thread was: Kurt Thompson Finally Something Great (not trolling), with as elaboration:

'This is one of the most catchy and gorgeous things ever posted by a trumpet player.'

Some here simply don't agree with this but that has nothing to do with Kurt's playing. In fact nobody here has criticised the playing of KT.
I can even say that he played indeed better than on other clips I have seen of his playing.

Still the 'music' he made in this clip is awful and the clip shows that he may be a trumpetplayer of certain qualities but proves not, for the time being, that he is a musician.
So mine and others' conclusion was: this is not the most gorgeous thing ever posted by a trumpet player.
And the funny thing is: you can even judge that if you are not a trumpet player at all! I bet my dog can (I don’t have a dog).
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trickg
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

delano wrote:
Some here simply don't agree with this but that has nothing to do with Kurt's playing. In fact nobody here has criticized the playing of KT.

There are at least two instances in the thread above where his playing was criticized. I can quote them back to you if you'd like.

The issue at hand when it comes to KT is that people can't separate the playing from the person - KT crafted a reputation for himself here on the TH, and people have a very hard time getting past that.

I tend to see it kind of like HERMOKIWI, and I'll paraphrase - "put up or shut up."
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