mterry

Wilmer. here's the way I look at it.

Several people are espousing Loius, Dizzy, Miles, etc., as the most
infuential trumpet players. Not really. They most certainly were
influential musicians. I rather doubt that anyone of them could play a
Mendez solo flawlessly. That isn't to say that Mendez could have played
their material.

The main thing is developing technique. Without it, nobody could emulate
Dizzy. But on the other hand, Louis and Miles were a lot more about
style, not technique.

My private teaching career began in about 1956. Not one student out of
hundreds ever got away without hearing some of my Mendez recordings. The
excitement in his playing almost always left a lasting impression. Even
though the method books were Arban's, Clarke, etc.

Several of my students went on to much bigger things, including the
President's Own, (featured on Mendez solos), Toronto Symphony (Principle
Trumpet), Ray Charles, Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, etc.

I credit at least part of their inspiration to the Mendez recordings,
and they were about the only thing available as far as classical trumpet
is concerned.

Sincerely, Mike Terry

mfhighlife

I agree that Mendez is the best of all time, but the only technology needed
to seamlessly piece a recorded tape together is a razor blade and some
cellophane tape. Listen to the song with headphones...there are 3 splices.
Moto Perpetuo is not the only Mendez track that was edited in this way,
there are many.

There's nothing wrong with splicing. Mendez spent his life pursuing
perfection and this is just another way of giving his fans the best album
that he could.

wwise72606

Wilmer. here's the way I look at it.

Several people are espousing Loius, Dizzy, Miles, etc., as the most
infuential trumpet players. Not really. They most certainly were
influential musicians. I rather doubt that anyone of them could play a
Mendez solo flawlessly. That isn't to say that Mendez could have played
their material >>

I guess we are speaking about different thiings.
Mendez was a wonderful player,but....
the first recordings of virtuoso playing I heard were those made by Herbert L.
Clarke on old schratchy 78s.
i had Dizzy recordings in Junior HS.
I heard the Band of America on the radio.
Heck, I even had the Cities Service valve oil that was endorsed by Paul
Lavalle and the Band of America.
Do you remember when the Philadelphia Orchestra was the most recorded orchestra
in the world?
There were players like Jimmy Burke on the radio all the time.
Mendez was a fifties guy, Stokie and the Philadelphia were there in the
thirties,Clarke, Kryl, Levy were recorded long before Mendez.
Mendez was not a jazz player and can't even be mentioned with Pops, Diz or in
fact any creative player.
Mendez was an excellent player. Period.
Wilmer

pdx mike

Anything by Adolph Herseth, (former?) PT of the Chicago Symphony. A
beautiful sound.

PDX Mike

dhoff56012

Chris Botti, maybe? Actually I don't think anyone playing trumpet compares to
Kenny's schmaltz.

If I said Maynard or Doc I would be crucified, so I'm not By the way, I
like both of them. But in their time weren't they kind of pop music stars like
Kenny G? I guess you could go back to Louis too. At a certain point in his
career he wasn't so musical either. (i still love him)

Perez Prado?

Clyde McCoy?

I guess there were a few, huh?

David

dhoff56012

Oh, yes. I don't think you'll find much disagreement on any of that.

davel740

Do you think being A&M had something to do with Rise?

schilkeman

YES!!!!!! I wish that was on CD...I reaaly like Bobby Bryant's playing...Does
he have any CDs?

docsavage20

Clarke demonstrates what many seem to forget, that trumpet technique
had already been pushed to incredible levels long before "modern"
players came along. And he was amazed and influenced by the players
who came along before him, many no doubt who were never recorded.

As a small issue, I was under the impression that Clarke's recordings
were mechanical recordings on cylinders and that he never actually
recorded electronically. Did he ever record on 78's?

lcsmithee

Yeah, that Oliver Nelson Big Band Live in LA was a knock your socks
off recording, especially the trumpet section. Interesting thing is
that I had that LP on eBay just last week and it didn't sell, dispite
being in stellar condition. I no longer have a turntable and have been
trying to gradually sell off my LP collection lately. As far as I know
there are no CD copies of the recording being produced.
Larry