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ANDREA GIUFFREDI PERFORMS AT CHINESE TRUMPET GUILD MEETING

Andrea Giuffredi just returned from China where he performed for the Chinese Trumpet Guild. He performs classical, jazz and commercial music, and as usual, he wowed the crowd with his rich sound, amazing pedal notes and burning technique!

Andrea is Professor of Trumpet at the University of Milano, Italy. Earlier this winter he took delivery of his first Monette trumpet - a PRANA 3 Bb. A video collage of some of our shop visitors from earlier this winter features him playing several styles of music the day he picked up his new horn. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO.

Thanks for the message Andrea, and for sounding so good on our equipment!

Andrea has a new website that is under construction, but it already looks great!

andreagiuffredi.com

TERENCE BLANCHARD WITH STRINGS AT THE PORTLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL!

Terence Blanchard was the headliner at the opening concert of the 2009 Portland Jazz Festival right here in Portland, Oregon. Terence, accompanied by his quintet and a 26 piece string orchestra, played the premier live performance of the music from his 2007 album, "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). The material on the album came in part from Blanchard's work on Spike Lee's HBO documentary "When the Levees Broke," about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Terence was born and raised in New Orleans, and he and his mother were filmed for director Lee's documentary as she returned to her devastated home in the lower Ninth Ward.

Before the concert, Terence recorded an in-depth video interview for Blue Note Records. He talked about his early musical life and inspirations and the culture of New Orleans. He also offered some of his take on the politics of the recovery, which brought wild applause from the local audience attending the event. Terence more than eloquently articulated the role he feels he has as an artist and life-long resident of New Orleans for conveying the lessons of Katrina. The depth of his message was felt by all in attendance at the concert that evening. The review in the Oregonian newspaper today referred to the performance as "Breathtaking," and it truly was.

Dave Monette and Toshihiro Kosaka did some last minute maintenance on Terence's RAJA just before the concert, and several of our employees who attended the concert met Terence backstage to pay respects after the show. This was truly a tour de force concert for Terence - emotionally charged and masterfully executed - that we will remember for a very long time.

The review of Terence's Portland concert can be found HERE

Our previous story on Terence's CD , "A Tale of God's Will" can be found HERE

You can purchase a copy of "A Tale of God's Will" HERE

For more information on Terence Blanchard and his work, visit:
terenceblanchard.com

IRVIN MAYFIELD PERFORMS IN OREGON WITH THE ELYSIAN TRUMPET

Irvin Mayfield recently came through Portland for several concerts in the area. Irvin used the ELYSIAN TRUMPET for all the shows, our most recent decorated presentation instrument designed to honor the victims of hurricane Katrina. This was the first time we had heard him play the horn since it was gold plated. It was obvious that Irvin has really figured out how to get the most out of this very special instrument!

Irvin played to packed houses, both in a small group jazz setting and also playing sacred music at St. Paul’s Episcopal church in Salem, Oregon, where our friend Paul Klemme is music director. Performing along with Irvin was Ronald Markham, pianist and CEO of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Their rendition of the tune “James Booker” was one of many highlights from both performances. James Booker was a protégé of Jellyroll Morton - both of whom are represented on the tuning slide brace of the instrument. Jellyroll Morton’s icon is the jellyroll with a piano keyboard saw pierced into it, and the eyepatch along side the jellyroll represents Booker, who wore an eye patch with a star on it. For a complete video tour of all the symbols and icons on the Elysian Trumpet narrated by co-designer Tami Dean, click here.

After the concerts and a break to catch most of the Superbowl, Irvin and the New Orleans group broke bread at a favorite Portland eatery with Dave Monette, Gretchen and Dean Willoughby, and Tami Dean (co-designer of the Elysian Trumpet) and her husband Hossein.

Thanks to Irvin and Ron for the fellowship and for bringing some of the great music of New Orleans to Oregon.

LINKS OF INTEREST:
2007 Fall Newsletter THE ELYSIAN TRUMPET STORY
Elysiantrumpet.com
THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Oregon Live

WYNTON, ARTURO AND DAVE IN FLORIDA!

Dave Monette recently met up with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra on tour in Miami at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. In attendance that night was Arturo Sandoval, who couldn't resist blowing a few notes on Wynton's PRANA 3 trumpet after the show. The triple C's were flying around the room while Wynton compted for him on the green room piano. Arturo was in fine form, as was Wytnon and the entire band after their visit to the White House to play for President Barak Obama a few days earlier. For more information on Wynton and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, visit jazzatlincolncenter.org

ADAM RAPA PLAYS LIVE ON NATIONAL TV!

Adam Rapa recently played the national anthem live for the Dallas Cowboys in their final game at Texas Stadium on Saturday, December 20th. There were 67,000 people were in attendance, and millions watched on the NFL Network as Adam played. And of course, he couldn’t resist the F over high C at the end, wich made the audience cheer even louder!

As for playing in front of all those people on live TV, Adam said, "No pressure...WHAT A RUSH!!"

CLICK HERE to watch the video.