The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast

Simon Sweeney is a professional trumpet player and educator based in Sydney. He is a studio musician and has been prolific in the live music scene since 1993. As a member of the Jazz Faculty at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2010 he has taught many of the young players currently working in the Sydney scene.

Simon has appeared as guest Principal trumpet with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Film recording credits include Happy Feet, The Great Gatsby, The Extra and The Bank.

Simon has played on over 40 professional musical theatre productions since the mid 90s. He has played lead trumpet for Michael Bublé, George Benson, Paloma Faith and Tim Minchin. As a jazz musician he has toured and recorded with Mike Nock, played with the Space Cadets, recorded with the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra and he is currently co-lead trumpet of the Australian National Jazz Orchestra. He has performed with Silverchair, Thirsty Merc and recorded with Powderfinger and Billy Thorpe.

Simon's lead playing can be heard on the Netflix series Beat Bugs and Motown Magic. Simon's own small group jazz album "Emerald City Blues" was released on the Jazzgroove label. During the lockdown he has put together a horn section called the Emerald City Horns comprising some of Sydney's most prolific studio musicians.

Daniel Falcone began working professionally in Las Vegas at age 15. The son of Vincent Falcone, musical director, pianist and conductor for Frank Sinatra, he literally grew up on stage. Starting in high school, Daniel backed the likes of Tony Bennett, Rita Moreno, Jerry Lewis, George Burns, Andy Williams, Jack Jones, Paul Anka and many other headliners on the Las Vegas Strip.

Danny has toured around the world with both the Tom Jones Band and Paul Anka's band as the lead trumpet player.

He has performed in many Las Vegas productions, including Ricky Martin's production, "Storm", "Jersey Boys", Bette Midler's show "The Showgirl Must Go On", and as lead trumpet for Celine Dione in her Las Vegas show and world tour for the last 10 years. He has played with Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns for many years.

Daniel has most recently been hired to play lead trumpet with Lady Gaga on her new Jazz and Piano show.

TV credits include Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The American Country Music Awards, The Billboard Music Awards, The American Music Awards, Lionel Richie and Friends, The American Country Music Awards, The Latin Grammys, The Michael Parkinson Show on BBC, The BET Awards, Men Strike Back on VH1, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, The Today Show, Good Morning America and has been a member of the Jerry Lewis Telethon Orchestra. Dan has also performed and recorded with many artists including Alicia Keys, Kenny Loggins, Luis Miguel, Christopher Cross, D'Angelo, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Bill Champlin, Cheap Trick, Gladys Knight, Patti Austin, Martin Nievera, Frankie Valli, Vince Gill, Victor Manuelle, Destiny's Child, Hunter Hayes, Big and Rich, Barry Manilow, Lionel Richie, Aretha Franklin, Brian Bromberg, Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Jordan Sparks, Frank Sinatra Jr., Jon Secada, Gino Vannelli, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Hugh Jackman and Maren Morris, Dwight Yoakam and most recently recorded for Kanye West's new album "Jesus is King" performed at Lincoln Center with Kanye West's Opera "Mary".

Morris Northcutt's playing has been described as artistic, lyrical and expressive with a beautiful, smooth, and rich tone.

At home in all musical styles from swing to Broadway to classical, this Global Music Award Winner and Bach Conn-Selmer Solo Performing Artist has shared the stage with a wide range of performance groups from Mannheim Steamroller, Critical Mass Big Band, The Blues Brothers Reunion Band, Puget Brass, and the Tacoma Concert Band to the Seattle Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Breath of Aire, and the Tacoma Symphony. Morris has even performed the National Anthem for the Seattle Mariners Baseball Team.

After experiencing several unexpected personal losses and having taken nearly 12 years off from focused attention to the trumpet, Morris began a systematic approach to his practice sessions to not only bring back his playing but to take it to the next level. Focusing on his purpose led to an explosion on social media interested in his sound, style, and phrasing. This newly found attention helped launch his freelance career as a soloist and clinician, taking him across the globe from the Pacific Northwest to Canada, South America and Europe.

In 2019, Morris completed a solo recital/masterclass tour of Ireland that included an appearance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. This past January, he appeared at the 2020 Sao Paulo Trumpet Academy in Brazil. Later this year, Morris will debut his first EP, produced and engineered by Latin Grammy Award winner Danilo Alvarez with arrangements by Justo Morao.

Dr. Karl Sievers enjoys a successful and varied performance career, having performed in countless studio sessions, on live television, in jazz ensembles, chamber music of all kinds, solo recitals, and in symphony orchestras.

Karl is principal trumpet for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the Norman Philharmonic, part of the Oklahoma City Jazz Orchestra, and he performs with local groups the Frontier Brass Band and the Opulent Brass Quintet. He has performed with artists such as Doc Severinsen, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and Al Jarreau.

Karl Sievers has been a professor at The University of Oklahoma since 1999 and was named the 2017 Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Presidential Professor of Excellence in the Arts at the University of Oklahoma Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts.

A student of William Adam at Indiana University, Karl has been instrumental in hosting and organizing the International William Adam Trumpet Festival. The 6th Annual festival will be from June 18-20, 2020 and held online on the the Bill Adam Facebook Group, where all the masterclasses will be available to view free of charge.

When he was six years old, Matthias Hoefs declared the trumpet "his instrument, because it shines so nicely". He received his musical education from Professor Peter Kallensee at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre, and from Profes- sor Konradin Groth at the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. When just 18 years of age, he was engaged as Solo-Trumpeter at the Philharmonic State Orchestra in Hamburg, where he enjoyed the fascinating world of opera for 16 years.

At the same time, Hoefs became a member of the GERMAN BRASS Ensemble, with whom he continues to achieve worldwide success. Since their first joint concert in 1985, he writes for himself and his colleagues tailored arrangements which span more then one genre and continue to inspire the world of Brass.

Matthias Hoefs has always shown a pioneering spirit, and thus has consistently widened the horizon of his instrument, either by close cooperation with other composers, who feel themselves inspired by his incomparable virtuosity and joy of experimentation, or as "trumpet ambassador" in his home state of Schleswig- Holstein in northern Germany, or in cooperation with the instrument makers Max and Heinrich Thein.

Since the year 2000, Matthias Hoefs has been teaching as Professor at the Ham- burg University of Music and Theatre, were he inspires his students with great enthusiasm, knowing how to pass on his passion for his instrument. In addition to his extensive concert performances as solo-trumpeter and chamber musician, Hoefs has produced numerous Solo CDs, and jointly with GERMAN BRASS, more than 20 recordings.

In October 2016 GERMAN BRASS was awarded with the ECHO Klassik – one of the most outstanding awards for national and international musicians. Learn more about Matthias at www.matthiashoefs.de.

Jim Manley figures he had spent around 10,500 plus nights playing his trumpet around town in his hometown of St. Louis since the 1970's. His recordings have gathered critical acclaim as well and have traveled all over the world. Jim's forays into the stratosphere are musically exciting and unbelievable to his peers. In the past few years he has branched out as a band leader, composer, and clinician.Jim has been featured as a guest soloist with many bands across the country, including as a featured soloist at the annual Trumpet Party in Amsterdam in 2006. Jim's group Horns in the House" was the opening act for the legendary Maynard Ferguson. Every year Jim headlines at "Jazz at the Bistro" one of the foremost jazz clubs in the country to sell out crowds. His approach to brass playing has gained world-wide attention via his many students and now several youtube clips. Jim is a clinician and teaches players of all ages in his teaching studio at home and via Skype worldwide.

Bria Skonberg is a trailblazing triple threat trumpeter, singer and songwriter. Born in British Columbia, Canada and now residing in New York City, the Juno Award winner for Best Vocal Jazz Album has performed hundreds of festivals and stages the world over, including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival. Called the "shining hope of hot jazz" by the NY Times, Bria has been at the forefront of a revival of classic American music as both a performer and educator, programming concerts and workshops for students of all ages; She is currently developing educational activities for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and co-directs the New York Hot Jazz Camp she co-founded in 2015. Described as "one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation" (Wall Street Journal), she has performed the music of Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child, played with U2 at the Apollo, sat in with the Dave Matthews band, was a featured guest with Jon Batiste and sang the "Star Spangled Banner" at Madison Square Garden for a NY Rangers game. Bria has been featured on over 25 recordings and recently released her sixth studio solo album "Nothing Never Happens"; Her music has garnered over 10 million streams online. A 6x Downbeat Rising Star, she tours constantly bringing her own signature sounds of fiery trumpet playing, smoky vocals and story-telling together with adventurous concoctions of classic and new. Bria is a Bach Conn-Selmer artist; she plays a Bach Stradivarius 37 with a 3C Bach mouthpiece. Learn more about Bria at www.briaskonberg.com or visit www.bobreeves.com/79 to find the show notes for this episode.

Honesty Pill founder Christopher Still joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic as Second Trumpet in 2007. Before coming to California, he was the Principal Trumpet of the Colorado Symphony. He has also held the positions of Associate Principal Trumpet of the Dallas Symphony and Principal Trumpet of the Charleston (SC) Symphony. Christopher has recorded extensively with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Grant Park, Dallas, and Albany symphony orchestras. Active in the Hollywood recording studios, he can be heard on major motion picture and television soundtracks. He is a Yamaha Artist, a dedicated educator, and an active clinician.

Honesty Pill is a project where Chris creates focused, actionable plans that help musicians and other creatives address the issues standing between them and their goals. Intermediate through professional instrumentalists and singers can benefit from Honesty Pill coaching. This includes motivated high school students, college students, serious hobbyists, and professionals of all ages and levels of accomplishment.

David Elton is principal trumpet of the London Symphony Orchestra since December 2017 and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra since 2011. David is also a trumpet professor at the Royal College of Music in London, and a member of the Australian National Academy of Music brass faculty in Melbourne. As a soloist, David has performed Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in Vietnam with the London Symphony Orchestra, given the world-premiere of James Ledger's Trumpet Concerto (a work that was written for him) with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing other concerti with various orchestras including the Sydney and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Prior to his LSO and SSO appointments, David Elton was Principal Trumpet with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (2005-2011) and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (2000-2004). He has also performed as a Guest Principal Trumpet with the New York Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Australian World Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. For more information visit www.davidelton.com.au or www.bobreeves.com/77 for the show notes for this episode.

Gary Guthman, originally from Portland Oregon, started his career at the age of nine. As a young teen, Gary was a member of the nationally acclaimed "Seldom Six" Dixieland Band, comprised of 12 to 14 years old who traveled the United States performing stage shows and conventions. He was fortunate to study privately with Jack Dalby, Joyce Johnson, James Smith and the recently retired (after 38 years!) principal trumpet of the Oregon Symphony – Fred Sautter. After attending Portland State University, Gary was pleased to do short stints with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (lead by Lee Castle), Stan Kenton Orchestra, Don Ellis Orchestra and the Louis Bellson Orchestra. In the early 1980's, Gary moved to Canada. Within the next few years, he became known as one of Canada's premier lead and commercial trumpeters, playing on over 100, televised "ITV IN Concert" performances as well as numerous radio shows, jingles, movie sound tracks and in concert. 1995 saw the inception of Gary Guthman's hit show "A Tribute to Harry James", followed by the creation of his" Trumpet Greats" in 1998, "Swingmatism!" in 2004 and in 2007 for Internationally renowned harpist Małgorzata Zalewska, his critically acclaimed "Master and Margarita". From 1998-2001, Gary was the Musical Director and starred in the North American Musical Theatre Revue "Forever Swing and won a distinguished Canadian "Jesse" Award. Learn more about Gary at garyguthman.com and go to bobreeves.com/76 to find the show notes for this episode.