High note trumpet playing is over rated

[Sparky Koerner]

I believe it was Doc Severinsen that said he made most of his money playing between low C and High C. Yes Doc has a double C (can be heard on You Tube) but Doc is right. There have been many great high note specialist Cat Anderson, Bud Brisbos, even Roy Eldridge back in the 30's was playing in the upper register. Of course Maynard may be one of the best known. Maynard chose some exceptional high note players in his bands also, too many to name. Now a current player that has high notes and plays all over the horn and very clean is Wayne Bergeron. Then again there is Arturo Sandavol and one of my favorite Jon Faddis. So for you Sam if you are not familiar with some of the above players check them out and many have clips on You Tube. I know there are many other players I haven't mentioned but I believe the ones mentioned can hang with the best high note players. sk

[Trumpeter Sam C Brock]

Oh yea...thanks sk..

i love all of the people that you named there...especially maynard ferguson...i absolutely loved him....i never saw him live in concert before he died in august 2 years ago...but I am absolutely blown away anyways by all of the videos people have taken, and the videos people have put on there of him playing up in that high register....same with arturo sandavol...Jon Faddis...nuff said.

I'll have to listen to some stuff on Wayne Bergeron though cause I have very little knowledge of his playing...but thanks again

[Sparky Koerner]

Wayne Bergeron is the primary lead trumpet with The Gordon Goodwin Big Phatt Band he also has his own CD that Maynard performed on which I believe was Maynards last performance. The CD is Plays Well With Others and his first CD is You Call this a Living?
Of course he played on one of Maynards bands 1986 and calls Maynard his "hero"
Check him out at www.waynebergeron.com
Until later, Sparky

[Kenneth Lawrence Kemp]

I didn't think his performance with Bergeron was Maynard's last.  I saw him in Vandergrift, PA just a month or 2 before his death.  Part of the reason for Maynard to be Bergeron's hero lies outside of Maynard's high note  chops.  Maynard was always polite and charming and positive.  So many of his alumni say the time they spent on tour with him was the best time of their lives. By the way, Maynard was a good low note player as well.  Hiis recording of "Danny Boy" in 1964 shows off his 4 octave range

[Trumpeter Carlos Redman]

I think its a big deal to some musicians because most players can do one or the other: Play high or improv well in the lower register with a solid tone. There are only a few that can do both. Arturo is one of them. Usually their tone gets muddy or it sounds too brilliant and bright. I try to practice a lot of intervals, lip slurs, and pedal tones to keep a full sound in every octave. Most guys have either glass breaking range or good solo skills. Its rare to get both. My eardrums still hurt from hearing Faddis up close.

[Joel Schnaper]

Although its important to be comfortable in the high register, i think its much more important to be able to improvise well in the lower register with good tone than it is to hit double and triple C's.

I saw Arturo Sandoval live here in Alaska, he's amazing. Probably one of the best jazz trumpet players in the world right now.

[Kenneth Lawrence Kemp]

No ob jection.

[Thom Freeland]

Being able to play high is just another tool to use. You should be able to play in all ranges. Being able to play high isnot enough to be a good player. Haveing total control of the horn and being able to put the notes in the right place at the right time is essential. High notes have their place but should not be the total extent of ones playing.

[James Barela]

I don't think it is over-rated as much as it is over-emphasized. Though it is hard not tow hen you hear these magnificent players playing up there. I really like Pete Olstead, he can play in the stratosphere and is an amazing soloist, and Roger Ingram is also tops as a lead player on my list.

With that said, in my experience I have met more guys that can play really high than I have met guys that can play great lead or guys that can take a competent solo. I believe the two (high and lead) should not be linked as they sometimes are. Maynard was an all time great trumpeter...a freak in his younger days. I had the chance to play with him in the early 90's and I marveled how he could still do what he did. I can't imagine what he sounded like live in the late 50's or 60's. It should also be noted that he could really play bebop. Listen to the jams he did with Clifford Brown and Clark Terry also on the date.

Since we're on the topic...I also like Snooky Young. He could really play lead, high, and jazz. Roy Eldridge was a great soloist who could play high...but I don't recall hearing him play lead. Cat Anderson was a machine and could solo up there. I think back in the day players had to do it all to some degree. My good friend and fellow jazzplayer.com member, Bob Montgomery, is a close friend of Clark Terry. Bob played in his big band back in the 70's. He told me that Clark could be one of the best lead players in the world if he wanted to. Clark is known for his amazing technique, sound and solo ability, but he has some great range and impeccable style. Today, I think everything has become more "specialized".

Well that was fun...

[Kenneth Lawrence Kemp]

I agree with you completely.  Maynard was awesome  and even somewhat Armstrongesque on the jam with Dinah Washington and Clark Terry, particularly on "I;ve Got You under My Skin.."  I don't believe Roy Eldridge ever played lead..  Cat Anderon may have played higher than Maynard, but he used special mouthpieces with a shallow cup and asmaller bore to reach those very high notes.

[James Barela]

Let's not forget about Dizzy...equally adept at soloist, lead, and high note. One other I regrettably forgot to mention...Al Porcino. We all know Al Porcino as a great lead player and high note specialist. Al was also a very good soloist, just listen to Charlie Parkers "Lover" c. 1951 (?). That trumpet solo is Al Porcino.

Okay that's it...

[Nick Drozdoff]

I agree with the title of this thread and I disagree, too.

I agree with the notion that to obsess over high notes alone is not a healthy outlook for making music. I would even argue that to practice exclusively to hit them DHC's is more likely to make them even more unreachable. I practice about 3.5 hours per day and during that time I only work on high notes (DHC and beyond) for about ten minutes, tops! Most of the rest of my practice is on scales, tunes, changes, patterns, etudes and some classical rep (gotta keep my C trumpet from getting dusty).

However, I fear that the tendency of some to shun the upper register or the lead player skills may leave a vacuum in the trumpet world. I have heard some reputable college bands recently in which the back row was struggling a bit. I was quite suprised. This was most recently noted at a large jazz festival I attended to hear some your players I knew. Now, I know that if you go to schools like NTSU, they'll have guys in the back who can bring the heat when taste and charts require. I was just caught by surprise when a band of similar rep hit the stage and the back row couldn't do it. This is what caused my concern.

So, I guess my only problem with the title of the thread is the notion that might be taken by some that we should forget the high note thing. I don't think that was the intent, but, nevertheless, some might read that.

I would rather go back to two examples mentioned already Doc and Wayne. Both have chops for days and yet both could sit in a brass quintet and behave themselves and fit in beautifully. I think all aspiring trumpeters should strive for balance.

This is just my humble opinion on my first post here!

Peace.

Nick Drozdoff
http://www.nickdrozdoff.com

[Kenny Wellington]

I would say you could add Michael Harris of Earth Wind & Fire's most notable horn section to that. As a modern day section they took it to another level.