Favorite pro you met in person?

[LaTrompeta]

Some of use have been lucky enough to meet a few "big-time pros" in person. I've been to several ITG conferences and met a few myself. I can remember meeting Maurice Murphey about 15 years ago, and I am glad that I did because he passed away not long after that.

Do you have a favorite experience of meeting a famous trumpeter in person? Especially would like to hear experiences of people who were as genuine or better than their reputation.
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[AndrewSzyTpt]

Jens Lindemann! I met him at the University of Kentucky trumpet seminar a few summers ago (coincidentally, a great place to meet fantastic trumpet artists. Jason Dovel does a great job curating the artist team). An artist through and through, Jens commands the attention of any room- whether that's a recital hall or the local brewery!

He balances being incredibly knowledgable with a great sense of humor and a generous spirit. Say hello if you see him!

[Aaronis]

I met Maynard in person and got a picture with him. Extremely nice and genuine guy. As soon as I saw him he said come on in put his arm around me like he was my best friend. I met him before the gig and one thing I remember is in his room, he had a huge bowl of shrimp cocktail and sauce that he was throwing down. Lol. Something I'll never forget.
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2018 Schilke B6
1980's CG Selmer
1976 CG L.A. Benge
1955 Mt. Vernon Bach
1947 Olds Super
Holton Revelation Model 48
1964 Holton Galaxy Cornet

[kehaulani]

Jimmy Nottingham
Ray Triscari
Manny Klien
Maynard Ferguson
Bob Fleming
Larry Ford
Raphael Mendez
Bill Stapleton
to name a few
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"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Voltrane]

I had a master class with David Guerrier.
A great nice guy and a great player.
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S’il n’en reste qu’un je serai celui là (Victor Hugo)
Je m’empresse d’en rire de peur d’avoir à en pleurer (Beaumarchais)

[Halflip]

I met Chet Baker in Milwaukee back in the late 70's/early 80's when he performed at a terrific club called the Jazz Gallery. I approached him between sets to get a signature on one of his LP's. He was very polite and unassuming, and asked me how I thought he sounded that night (I gave him a sincere, very positive reply). When I handed him the album, he looked somewhat quizzically at both sides of the cover, and then signed it with a very nice inscription.

Later I learned from one of his biographies that the album I had brought was one of several he made for a producer who ripped him off pretty badly. I wish I had known that ahead of time, but if it brought bad memories, he didn't let on.
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"He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)

"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run"

[Bill Ortiz]

I met Freddie Hubbard a couple of times-the first time he came by my gig and sat in with the band- we hung out for about 40 minutes afterwards. He was very cool, and was nice and encouraging.

Other trumpet players that I’ve met and were also very nice-Johnny Cole, Marcus Belgrave, Arturo Sandoval, Quincy Jones (some forget how good a trumpet player he was), Roger Ingram, Roy Hargrove, Jerry Hey….
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'56 Martin Committee Deluxe #2 trumpet
14B Schilke mouthpiece
Couesnon Paris flugelhorn
Bob Reeves Sleeves and PVA

[david johnson]

Seymore Rosenfeld of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Jimmie McPartland, Bix Beiderbecke playing partner.

[trumpetera]

Maurice André.

Met him when I as a young teenager came with my dad to work for a week. (He was 3rd horn in the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, and André was that weeks soloist, playing the Haydn. I gor to sit next to the trumpets and hear him rehearse. Will NEVER forget that sound- even from sitting behind him!

Actually had a somewhat confused impromtu lesson with him. (Let’s just say his swedish and english was quite on par with my french!)

My dad got me a score of the Haydn, which André signed! Starstruck….



Sonny Cohn of Count Basie Orchestra played a concert in Södertälje, Seden om my Bach-37 when his horn broke down just before the concert.

Fabulous player and person!
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Principal trumpet Gothenburg Opera Orchestra
Bach LT 37 Bb (Mr. Findleys old)
Bach Mt Vernon 1957 Bb
Bach NY ML 1943 vintage Bb
Very old YTR-6335
Bach/Malone/Lechner C
Malone-Bach 229 C
H.Ganter Bb
Schagerl Wienna (older model) C
Parker Natural

[GeorgeB]

Louis Satchmo Armstrong, along with Trummy Young and Barret Deems. That was at a backstage autograph meet with fans at a concert in Halifax. I told him he was one of the reasons I now play trumpet. He laughed and said, well where is your trumpet, cat ?

During a Newspaper Publisher's convention in the 70's I met Al Hirt at his club in New Orleans. He was going from table to table during a break and stopped at ours to ask where we were from. We shook hands and I just never forgot how huge his hands were. As for the man, what you saw is what you got.

George
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GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[Trumpetstud]

Met Doc Severinsen when I was young Junior HS I believe. Anyway, he donated a uniform that he performed in, to a charity auction. I was the only one to bid on it (lol) and won the auction. I bought it and went to his concert the next day wearing it (It actually fit me - that's how small he is!). My teacher told me where he was staying. The performance was at Ball State University in Indiana. So, I met him at the hotel on campus. He came down the elevator and saw me wearing the uniform and said "wow, it fits you pretty well". We took pictures and I got an autograph etc. Nice guy!

I met Chuck Mangione at the same venue and got an autograph. While waiting to talk to him a young college student jumped in from of everyone, holding out his mouthpiece, and asked Chuck to buzz on his mp for good luck. Chuck declined. When the young guy left, Chuck laughed and said "that was weird".

[zaferis]

Clark Terry.

Met him a couple times while an undergrad, before I new anything, had the opportunity to drive him to the gig (he was fronting our jazz band). The nicest most genuine person. Handed me his flugel to hold while he got some other gear out of the case, too bad I was clueless at the time.

Doc & Jens are both top of the list too
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Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

[jhatpro]

It’s pretty easy to meet pros at Chicago’s Jazz Showcase. I remember introducing my younger son, Gabriel, to Jon Faddis who smiled and said, “With a name like that you should be home practicing.”
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[marathoner]

Met Doc in the Spring of 1977 when he did a concert with the Orchestra and Jazz Band at the University of Denver (where I played college baseball). Super nice and very gracious to everyone who wanted a minute of his time.

Also had Frank Lisanti (Chicago studio musician) for a couple of lessons in suburban Chicago when I was in Junior High. Sadly, he went on tour in Europe and passed away of a heart attack. He was so friendly and encouraging to a young musician !

[cheiden]

Was at a Mnozil concert in southern California sitting in the center of the front row. At one point the bad goaded the audience to stand up. I lept to my feet and Thomas Gansch ran right up to the edge of the stage and held out his hand which I eagerly shook. Over the years I actually had a few text exchanges with the man. Not sure these qualify as having met but they're high on my list of favorite trumpet celebrity encounters.

Can't discount my time playing next to Steve Reid who's played with major stars including Maynard and Prince. Definitely a celebrity in my book. He's awesome to hang out with.

Got to play with and had a brief conversation with Mark Gould. He's a character. Didn't know who he was until a couple of days after.
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"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[kehaulani]

Also;
Stan Mark
Papa Bue
Claude Gordon
Wallace Roney
Wynton Marsalis
Dizzy Gillispie
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[markp]

Bill Chase!

I was 15 and in the Texas all-state band in Houston. I snuck out of our hotel one night and got a cab across town to a bar where the group Chase was playing, packed with drunk band directors. I slipped in and met the great man between sets. He gave me his full attention and was as nice and encouraging as could be.

I almost got kicked out and sent home when they caught me. It was worth it.

[kehaulani]

Bureaucracies. Sad that you could be attending a music conference and get into trouble for taking advantage of the opportunity to hear/meet a musical giant. It's this kind of thinking why I never had much to do with academia. If it were me, I would have organized a field trip of those interested students to hear and meet the band.
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"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Mnc]

Met Mic Gillette and had the opportunity many times to talk with him at the school where he taught his students. We talked a lot about gear, his trumpet and trombone, mouthpieces, and various technique subjects, and performing with TOP. He was a very nice guy, friendly and just a regular "joe".
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GR 66C*

[shofarguy]

I've had the chance to meet:

Wayne Bergeron at Vibrato Grill Jazz when he was laying with Arturo. He had been trying out a FO Celebration and I asked him about it. I spoke with him at the bar after the gig. He was kind enough to speak with me.

Wally Minko who played piano for Arturo the same night. Later, he would win an Emmy for best jazz arrangement for his Night In Tunisia, which was on Arturo's Dizzy tribute album. I met him in the mens room, oddly enough, between sets. He was very outgoing and initiated the conversation at the lavatories. He gave me a CD of his recent Christmas Album and offered to arrange worship songs for Shofar to use at my church. I never got the chance to take him up on it, as I moved away within a few months.

Anne King would sometimes show up in Northridge to play with Rex Merriweather's This Ain't Your Daddy's Big Band at a certain Mexican restaurant. Rex used to let me sit in for a set if I came out with my horn. One night I sat next to Anne and was blown away by her almost perfect accuracy. Anne toured with Guns and Roses before I met her and left LA to tour with Rod Stewart after that.

Harry Kim was at the Kanstul showroom one day when I dropped by. He was trying out various trumpets along with an older hispanic friend of his who played in a mariachi band. Later, he heard that I was working on a trumpet project with Byron Autrey and Zig Kanstul. He was interested in what we were doing and would call me from France, now and again, while he was touring with Johnny Hallyday, a French pop icon. Harry said he was like Elvis to the French.

Later, Harry invited me to attend one of his Jazz clinics he was holding in Oceanside, so that I could write about it and post my article here on TH, which I did. My wife and I got to spend the day with Harry and his wife (Arecelli?). They were very kind and generous. His wife was a beautiful soul. She died not long after that from cancer.

Harry came out to Glendora, just before I moved to Arizona, to play with Shofar as a thank you for my article. He brought his friend and trombone session player, Dave Stout. They played the warmup and three services with us that day, which was a last hurrah and reunion of sorts for Shofar. What an experience!

I've saved my favorite for last, though. It was 2018 and Kanstul was working with Walace Roney on their 1603 Handcraft project. Zig had already passed away. Jack arranged for me to interview Wallace over the phone, as he was back east in New York, where he lived. Wallace gave me two or three such interviews that probably lasted as long as two hours apiece. Then, I met him at the Kanstul factory during ITG that summer. He had brought his quintet to play a concert in the shipping room at the factory.

I really admired that man. I was overwhelmed by how much he meant to the black musicians that had gathered to see and talk to him. Wallace brought me into that community and let me see what really mattered to him; the people.

I emailed him in the fall of 2019, but he never replied. Sometime in the following summer, his cousin or niece called me and told me that Wallace had died during the height of the pandemic. I understand his health was already failing. COVID-19 was just too much.

Though he was not much of a musician, I have to include Zig Kanstul in this list. He never wanted to be famous, but in brass music circles he was. He was pretty cantankerous, but he allowed me into his world and passed on stories, knowledge and experiences that deeply enriched me as a musician and writer. I miss him a lot.
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Brian A. Douglas

Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper


There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds.