Category: Trumpet playing

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Miles Davis on the Post-Modern Corner

  By Art, Music, Trumpet playing

This is the second of my short papers on Miles Davis’s electric works. The first, “It’s Best Done With Scissors” seeks to explain Miles’ new direction in music in the context of his own interests and history. It was very much improved by the comments of Eric Siegel, Patrick Brown, and Steve Asseta. This paper is based on another email I sent to the list in which I compared On The Corner to a work by John Adams that I heard the composer conduct with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The email listed five ways in which these two pieces of music by Miles and Adams were not only similar but in which they both exemplified a post-modern aesthetic. I haven’t been able to find that email but I do remember Eric Siegel appreciating it–including my little joke of saying, twice, that one point of similarity between the two works was repetition.… Continue reading

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Meeting another Wild Thing Trumpet Player

  By Trumpet playing

A few weeks ago I was in New Orleans hanging out listening to Marty Peters and the Party meters at the Spotted Cat. It was busy and it wasn’t easy at first to see all of the band. Then I heard the trumpet player, who I learned was Jeff Kreis, take a solo which was really wonderful…inventive and swinging. And the sounds  was great–lovely broad, resonant sound with a lot of color. Then I thought, it sounds really familiar. So I started craning around others to see the player and the horn. Even at a distance and angle, looking at the bell flair and shape I was pretty sure it was Wild Thing. And so it was. I chatted for a bit with Jeff Kreis during a break and we talked about the trumpet which of course he loves. You might think that a Wild Thing is the optimal horn… Continue reading

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My New Practice Mute

  By Trumpet playing

My new practice mute at my Harrisburg house. With Olds Ambassador cornet. I got it so I could practice quietly late in a row home. To my surprise though, it has a nice sound and feel reminiscent of a Harmon mute (which is the one Miles used for most of his career.) So it’s a good way to practice technique with a Harmon, that is, getting a variety of sounds out of it depending on volume and attack. (And it is that variety you can get with it is the reason, I believe that Miles and Roy Eldridge both used it.) I always wondered why trumpet players look so serious when they play. And then look at me. It really does take concentration! Update on my playing: Ihaven’t given updates on my trumpet recently because, sadly, the combination of too much work and my shoulder and back problems cut down… Continue reading