Chapter Five
The Physicality of Trumpet Playing
The issues discussed so far have included the anatomy of a trumpet mouthpiece, how design features affect tone and performance characteristics, the role of the mouthpiece industry and the contributions of specific trumpeters, bandleaders and arrangers. A survey carried out to determine the trends in the increased range of the trumpet in lead trumpet parts has also been described. This chapter considers the ‘why’ of performance style and conventions, the impact of this upon tone and the impact of these considerations on trumpet mouthpiece design. It also considers the physical demands of the instrument and the ways in which the physical performance of trumpet playing connotes power.
During the course of this research and for twenty years previous, I have made close observations in many countries of the world, of trumpet players, especially of lead players, both on and off the stage. Such observations arise from accompanying them in almost every situation: at concerts, in rehearsal, in their homes, in their private practice sessions, on tours, at gigs, festivals, parties, on drinking sessions, on meals out, on flights, on long coach journeys, through taking lessons with them and given lessons too, through interviews with them and through reading their books. They have been watched from close up and from afar. These observations have been carried out at various locations throughout the world with the majority taking place in either the UK or in the USA. By far the most productive locations were at the annual conferences of the International Association for Jazz Education held in New York (1998), Anaheim (1999), New Orleans (2000), New York (2001), Long Beach (2002), Toronto (2003) and New York (2004) and the annual conferences of the International Trumpet Guild held in Richmond, Virginia (1999) and Manchester, UK (2002). Another location that proved to be very productive was the Wigan International Jazz Festival staged in July each year and the monthly Wigan Jazz Club. The unique opportunity to observe trumpet players during these events, not only in performance and rehearsal but also socially and whilst travelling, was invaluable. My friendship with a number of the world’s leading trumpet players also allowed me the special privilege of lengthy conversations and observations in a wide variety of surroundings. These trumpet players included: Maynard Ferguson, Bobby Shew, Pete and Conté Candoli, Buddy Childers, James Morrison, Jon Faddis, Tony Fisher and Kenny Baker.
In addition to those situations listed in the previous paragraph, more specific examples where observations were made include:
§ Spending six weeks in America studying with Bobby Shew
§ Attending a birthday party of American trumpeter Mannie Klein, at which dozens of Los Angeles based trumpeters were present.
§ Spending three days travelling around the UK with American trumpeter Clark Terry.
§ Attending recording sessions with Bobby Shew, Kenny Baker, Tony Fisher and Derek Watkins.
§ Working on concerts with many trumpeters including Conte Candoli, Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Don Rader, James Morrison, Bobby Shew, Dennis Noday, Tony Fisher, Paul Eshelby, Bruce Adams and Gavin Spowart,
§ Spending a week in the company of Maynard Ferguson and his musicians.
§ Two days working with mouthpiece designer Joe Marcinkiewicz
§ An evening in discussion with Wynton Marsalis
§ An afternoon with mouthpiece designer Jerry Callet
§ Working with numerous students of varying standards, most of whom were experiencing mouthpiece problems.
Performance Conventions and Connotations of Power
Throughout the period of this research special note has been made of the manner in which some trumpet players perform, especially lead trumpet players. A great many trumpet players have been observed performing in a very demonstrative style, as if perhaps to draw attention to themselves. If all trumpet players performed in this manner it could be argued that it was necessary in order to respond to the challenges of the music, especially the high notes. However, there are a number of trumpeters whose style of performance belies these physical demands. Craig Johnson, Frank Greene and Scott Engelbright, lead trumpeters with Maynard Ferguson during the 1990s, make trumpet playing appear effortless even when performing in the extreme high range and at high volumes. Their style of performance may be compared with the overtly physical styles of players such as Lin Biviano, Paul Cacia, Freddie Hubbard, Nicholas Payton and even Maynard Ferguson, which leads to questions as to whether trumpet performance necessitates such exaggerated physical actions.
The existence of a substantial number of players who perform in what might be termed an ‘easy way’ suggests that exaggerated physical action is not an essential ingredient in trumpet performance and yet, with so much of it observed during this research, for some it is clearly deemed to be a part of being a trumpet artist. Although at first glance such issues may seem somewhat removed from the specific phenomenon of the mouthpiece and its design, I wish to examine the suggestion that in fact the reverse is true, that these issues lie at the very heart of trumpet playing and may even be responsible for characterising the instrument and that they also have a decidedly powerful effect on the music and the images projected.
So why do players become involved in exaggerated movement? Where do these actions come from? Are the actions involuntary? Are they learned or does the demands of the trumpet bring them out? How do these physical actions compare to those of players of other instruments? Since the actions attract attention, are they linked to a desire to be noticed? These questions will now be addressed in the discussion that follows.
A considerable amount of physical effort is required in the performance of musical instruments. Some, such as the church organ, the tuba, and the cello require large amounts of physical effort. The physical demands of the trumpet are considerable, in fact as Edward Tarr (1988:195) comments ‘...the trumpet remains overall the most strenuous of all’, this appears particularly true for notes in the high register and during very loud passages of play. As Henderson (1942:64) observes ‘the principal difficulty of trumpet playing is the production of the higher notes.’ Whitworth (1969:9) concurs, stating ‘the trumpet is more taxing physically - especially when played in the upper register and at great volume - than any other commonly used instrument.’ Speaking specifically of the role of lead trumpet playing, Airmen of Note (1978-98) lead trumpeter Vaughn Nark (www.vaughnnark.com2003) commented, ‘perhaps more than any other musician, the trumpeter must travel through the physical to arrive at the musical.’
In order to produce a loud, clear sound on the trumpet, a posture similar to that of the musician in fig.74 is recommended.
On a basic gestural level, even without a trumpet, the action of putting your arms up means you are going to do something powerful with your upper body. Additionally, anything that blows up, expands, becomes bigger, etc., is almost always a signal of power, even a warning to others, as for example when a cobra expands its head and neck, a peacock fully displays its tail or a cat’s fur stands on end when the cat sees a dog. Raising your arms and blowing up your chest - the actions observed in trumpet playing - are almost the same actions you would use if you were going to engage in physical action or aggressive behaviour and so is suggestive that the trumpet player is powerful.
Observation has shown that during performance trumpeters use varying degrees of physical movement involving such traits as: leaning back pointing the trumpet high into the air, pointing the trumpet down at the ground, bending of the knees, gyration of the abdomen, holding the trumpet with one hand, ripping the instrument away from the lips at the end of difficult or high passages and moving the instrument from side to side in time to the music. Additionally, their facial expressions range from looks of effortlessness to ones of pain, verging on the ‘ready to burst.’ Louis Armstrong’s style of performance certainly contained many of these traits and indeed it is quite possible that he may have been the first jazz musician to employ such physical movement and in doing so set examples of physical performance for others to follow and imitate. Whether or not that is the case, movement in musical performance certainly does not appear to be a recent development. Ake (2002:105) for example, suggests that ‘musicians and audiences of previous centuries were not strangers to performances drenched in a type of sensual sacrality’ citing an eyewitness account of a baroque Italian violin concert in which the performer was described as being ‘agitated like one possessed with an irresistible motion.’
It is acknowledged that musicians learn much about performance from watching, as well as listening to others (Green 2001:82). Clearly, by their very presence at live music events audiences place great importance on the visual images of the performers. In tracing connections between performer and audience Leppert (quoted in Ake 2002:87) notes that:
When people hear a musical performance, they see it as an embodied activity. While they hear, they also witness how the performers look and gesture, how they are costumed, how they interact with their instruments and with one another, how they regard the audience, how other listeners heed the performers.
In discussing the performance styles of pianists Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, Ake (ibid.:82) refers to the ‘pivotal role’ of the body mentioning ‘posture, movement and even shape’ as being important in communication. Additionally, in referring to Walser, Ake (ibid.:85) remarks that ‘musical meanings are always intimately bound up with the physical enactment of the sound.’ Clearly, music is much more than notes on the printed page and trumpeters in their physical displays, whether consciously or subconsciously, are embracing the importance of communicating with the music and with the audience. They are, in effect, involved in ‘integrating an array of sensuous experiences’ (Leppart quoted in Ake ibid.:87) and as Ake (ibid.:88) remarks ‘the jazz musician of today is seen as an “artist” and is expected to act and play accordingly.’ Ake (ibid: 105) even quotes C.P.E. Bach, stating ‘a musician’s facial expressions are oftentimes - and should be - conscious choices, inseparable from “the music” which help the listener to understand our meaning.’
It is not only the trumpeter who is involved in these physical displays, players on the whole range of instruments have been observed in what might be termed responding to or getting inside the music. This discussion will return to the performance styles of other instruments later, however, what is important at this stage is to consider how the physical style of a trumpet player can attract audience attention and how this might have links to mouthpiece design. Physical display of the type that has been mentioned certainly helps the musician to attract attention to their performance. What also assists in this process is possession of a tone that can be heard – a tone that perhaps stands out from the rest. As discussed earlier, mouthpiece design can affect tone, for example it may help to produce a brighter, more cutting tone, or a louder, fuller tone. These are characteristics that make the player more easily heard and thus able to stand out from the other instrumentalists on stage. On numerous occasions during this research trumpeters have been observed with tones that were without doubt audible and easily recognisable but which, according to audience members, were not exactly pleasing to the ear. On describing such a player, trumpet enthusiast Con Rouffignac commented, ‘Sometimes he sounds like a bee in bottle and other times like a ruddy screech owl’ (personal communication 1998). Angie Haddock, a member of the audience at the Wigan International Jazz Festival, credited one well-known player as sounding like a ‘kazoo’ (personal communication 2000). It must also be acknowledged that in recognition of doing more than playing what is printed on the page some trumpeters appear to have gone in search of a tone that they feel is appropriate to the music. In order to achieve such results mouthpiece design has often provided the answer. The example that has received most media coverage, as well as recognition in the music business, is the change that Wynton Marsalis made during the mid-1990s. Marsalis admitted to being dissatisfied with his tone, especially on recordings and changed to using a trumpet and a mouthpiece design (by Monette) that differed greatly from the Vincent Bach equipment that he had used for a number of years (personal communication 2001).
During research for this thesis the word ‘power’ has been mentioned on many occasions by the interviewees, in books and within the promotional material from mouthpiece companies. King (1992:62) for example, comments that ‘Hard-bop masters Clifford Brown and Freddie Hubbard magically combine the power of great big-band-style with an inviting smoothness and warmth…’. Yamaha (2004) credit the very shallow cup and narrow backbore of their Vizzutti signature series mouthpiece as having ‘bright tone and power in the high register’, while Callet (2004) describes his ‘Super Chops’ trumpet as the ‘stratospheric power-trumpet’. There are two ways in which power is seen to be expressed in the context of trumpet playing. Firstly, power is associated with a player having a strong sound. The second type of power is that which is felt or assumed (or desired) by lead players when they have control, musically speaking, over the band. The nature of the sound of the trumpet and the role of the lead player combine to produce an important and highly influential role, one that is well respected in the music profession. Jeff Anderson (2001), musical director of the Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra states, that the drummer and lead trumpet are ‘unquestionably the most important parts of any big band jazz ensemble’ and is of the opinion that ‘the lead trumpet establishes the sound, style and direction of the ensemble.’
Both conceptions of power are reflected in the physical performance, even in the stance of the trumpet player, where the mannerisms of the player make the art of playing the trumpet look difficult – perhaps more difficult than it actually is (see figures 75-77). According to Frith (1998:125) ‘audiences remain uneasy about musical instruments that appear to require no effort to be played.’ Frith’s observation may go someway to explaining why trumpeters appear to create the illusion that the