The Trumpet Summit

The Season 2 finale features a panel with the Snarky Puppy Trumpets - Mike "Maz" Maher, Justin Stanton, and Jay Jennings. Besides each being incredible individual players in their own right, they've collectively helped shape the sound of one of the most popular bands in jazz today. Listen as they talk shop about trumpet fundamentals, what it takes to play the Snarky Puppy book, and about the connection between bebop and funk music and how this informs their playing.Visit Snarky Puppy: www.sna...

Michael Rodriguez is by far one of the most working jazz trumpet players in the world. He has played in bands led by Chick Corea, Kenny Barron, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Charlie Haden among others. He is also a first-call soloist and section player in virtually every big band in New York including the Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and many more. Listen as he shares what he's learned from playing with the masters, what he's worked on over the years to become rock-so...

Sean Jones! Need I say more? There's no doubt that Sean is one of the greatest jazz trumpet players in the world. He has an extensive career as a sideman, bandleader, and educator, and is currently the president of the Jazz Education Network. Listen as he shares the concepts behind his daily trumpet regimen, how to develop your phrasing as an improviser, and about the process of bringing your whole self into your playing.Visit Sean Jones: www.sean-jones.comVisit John Raymond: www.john-raymond...

Bria Skonberg is not only an incredible trumpet player, singer, and bandleader, she is a passionate teacher, advocate for women in jazz, and a new mom! She has released 8 of her own albums and is one of the most in-demand trumpet players in the world. Listen as she shares her expertise on playing in the early jazz style, how singing informs her relationship to the horn, and her process of starting fresh on the instrument after giving birth to her first child.Visit Bria Skonberg: www.briaskonb...

Dr. Eddie Henderson is arguably one of the greatest trumpet players in jazz history. He has a storied career that lasts over 60 years, playing with Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band, Pharoah Sanders, and Art Blakey among many others. Listen as he shares about personal relationships with Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, and Woody Shaw, the difference between playing the trumpet and playing music, and what's helped him sustain a long career in the music business.&n...

John Swana is known as both a heavyweight trumpet player and EVI player, the latter which he has primarily played since 2008 after developing a benign tumor that forced him to put down the horn. Regardless of instrument, John is unequivocally a master improviser and has made his mark on the scene for decades. Listen as he shares about the differences playing an acoustic vs. electric instrument, how he listens on the bandstand, and what he's been working on as he has come back to the trumpet i...

Alex Sipiagin is not only a monster trumpet player, he has an improvisational voice as identifiable as any contemporary artist. He's performed with Dave Holland, Michael Brecker, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba among others, and has released over 15 records as a leader. Listen as he shares about how he goes about connecting different kind of vocabulary, his secrets to effortless trumpet playing, and some wise advice about practicing. Visit Alex Sipiagin: www.alexsipiagin.comVisit John Raymond: www...

Nadje Noordhuis has one of the most beautiful trumpet sounds on the planet. Besides releasing four albums of her own unique music, she has been a top-call sidewoman with many bands including the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, and the Anat Cohen Tentet. She's also one of the most well respected private teachers in the world. Listen as she shares about finding her own voice, how Carmine Caruso and Laurie Frink have informed her own teaching, and about her experie...

Jeremy Pelt has been one of the most in-demand jazz trumpeters since he came onto the scene in the 1990s. He's released 14 albums of his own and played on countless others with some of the masters of this music. Listen as he shares about his book "Griot" and the importance of documenting the stories of black musicians, what he worked on to develop his sound and feel, as well as anecdotes from the relationships he's developed with jazz masters over his career. Visit Jeremy Pelt: www.jerem...

Season 2 kicks off with a conversation between John and master jazz trumpeter Brian Lynch. One of only four trumpet players to have been in both Art Blakey and Horace Silver's bands, Brian has had an illustrious career boasting two Grammy Awards and over 15 albums as a bandleader. Listen as he shares about his experiences playing with jazz legends, what kind of things he's practiced over the years, and how he works with his students at the Frost School of Music. Visit Brian Lynch: www.br...

The Season 1 Finale turns the spotlight on John! Listen as he answers questions from listeners such as "How do you stay true to yourself while improvising?", "How do you improve your sound production?", "How do you help students who are struggling to stay motivated?" and more. Visit John Raymond: www.john-raymond.comMusic: “Where We Grew Up” (John Raymond & Real Feels) + "North" (Indiana University Jazz Studies Faculty)

Chris Botti is the largest-selling American instrumental artist over the last 20 years, having worked with the "who's who" of the pop world from Sting to Paul Simon to Lady Gaga. He is a master trumpet player and bandleader, touring over 300 days per year. Listen as he shares about what is it was like studying with Bill Adam, how he developed his upper register, and the tenacity you have to have in order to develop your own solo career. Visit Chris Botti: www.chrisbotti.comVisit John Ray...

Cuong Vu has a truly distinctive voice on the trumpet. Having playing with artists ranging from Pat Metheny to David Bowie, he adapts his playing to fit seamlessly into any context. Listen as he shares about free playing, incorporating effects pedals and other extended techniques, as well as the challenges of preparing to play music that is entirely improvised. Visit Cuong Vu: www.cuongvu.comVisit John Raymond: www.john-raymond.comMusic: “Where We Grew Up” (John Raymond & Real Feels)

Dave Douglas is a prolific trumpeter, composer, educator and entrepreneur. He has released over 50 albums under his own name, many on his own label, Greenleaf Records, and is known for keeping many diverse ensembles and projects active simultaneously. Listen as he shares about embracing your limitations on the instrument, the inspiration behind many of the bands he's created over the years, as well as finding your own voice through composition. Visit Dave Douglas: www.davedoug...

Keyon Harrold is a major force as a trumpet player as well as a producer. He has worked with wide palate of artists including Common, Jay-Z, D'Angelo, Robert Glasper and more, in addition to being recognized to critical acclaim for his performance in the Miles Davis biopic "Miles Ahead." Listen as he shares about how his artistic vision has evolved over his career, how being a producer has influenced his playing (and vice versa), as well as the importance of melody in delivering the mes...

John McNeil has been an innovative voice on the trumpet since the 1970s, having played with the Horace Silver Quintet and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, as well as recorded over a dozen albums under his own name. He is also a master teacher, and is the author of "The Art of Jazz Trumpet" as well as the co-author of "Flexus: Trumpet Calisthenics for the Modern Improviser." Listen as he shares his secrets for how to develop your own sound and approach , what happened the first time he sat ...

Terell Stafford has been a first-call jazz trumpet player for decades, playing with the likes of Bobby Watson, The Clayton Brothers, Kenny Barron, Shirley Scott, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and many more. Listen as he shares about the three practice routines he does religiously, how he went from being strictly a classical trumpet player to being able to swing in just 5 minutes (!), and the importance of making time for yourself as you juggle lots of responsibilities. Visit Terell: www.te...

Ingrid Jensen is one of the most dynamic improvisers in the world. She is a prime example of a trumpet player who elevates the music to new heights when she plays, no matter what the context. Listen as she shares about the importance of stillness in music-making, how she's gone deep into melody and harmony, and about getting a real book stolen from her practice room at Berklee (and how it was the best thing to ever happen to her). Visit Ingrid: www.ingridjensen.comVisit John: www.john-ra...

Marquis Hill is one of the most unique, young trumpeters on the scene today. Listen as he shares about the community of elders, teachers and peers that he came up with in Chicago, what he's practiced over the years to develop his own sound, and about getting away from "the jazz thing" of playing long, burning solos on every tune.Visit Marquis: www.marquishill.comVisit John: www.john-raymond.comMusic: "Where We Grew Up" (John Raymond & Real Feels)

Tom Harrell is one of the most influential jazz trumpet players of all time. Listen in as he talks about how he came up learning to play, the breakthroughs he had while in Horace Silver's band, what his practice routine looks like, and the importance of not getting too technical with the music.Visit Tom: www.tomharrell.comVisit John: www.john-raymond.comMusic: "Where We Grew Up" (John Raymond & Real Feels)