The Brass Junkies

***We just launched a brand new Brass Junkies newsletter ! It will change your life. Like, it's life-changing! Subscribe today to stay in the loop on all things Brass Junkies!*** Sign up by 10/31 for a chance for you and a friend to chat with The Brass Junkies! TBJ121: Trumpeter Wayne du Maine on working with Bernstein and Prince, but not at the same time. He is one of the busiest and most success...

TBJ120: Colin WIlliams (Brass Junkies Rewind) Hey all! This is our first Brass Junkies Rewind. We're hoping to occasionally highlight a particularly good early episode that many people might have missed. This was back from Episode 26, way before I got more "creative" with the show notes. Simpler times. ***We just launched a brand new Brass Junkies newsletter ! It will change your life. Like, it's...

Brass Junkies Extra: Tubist Aubrey Foard of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on the state of the lockout In this special episode of The Brass Junkies, Aubrey Foard catches us up on where things stand with the BSO lockout. From his bio: Aubrey Foard is the principal tubist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 2018. He also serves as Lecturer of Tuba and Euphonium at the...

TBJ119: Clarke Rigsby of Tempest Recording on Paul McCartney, Steve Gadd and his Most Improved Player trophy Clarke Rigsby of Tempest Recording has acquired a reputation amongst his peers for being "musically militant." Nuff said. From his site: Clarke Rigsby of Tempest Recording has acquired a reputation amongst his peers for being "musically militant." Today, technology often overshadows or mask...

TBJ118: Trumpet player and builder Trent Austin on Clark Terry, making sacrifices for your dreams and an augmented trumpet Trumpeting Renaissance Man Trent Austin lives up to the title: entrepreneur, player, designer, and raconteur. Celebrated trumpet artist, educator/clinician and entrepreneur, Trent Austin is a trumpeting Renaissance Man. His brilliant performances and recordings in both the jaz...

TBJ117: Mike Nickens, Director of "The Green Machine" pep band at George Mason University, on being unapologetic about who he is and leading by example (while carrying a scepter). He has built a gig for himself which allows him to be fully him while enabling his students to do the same.   From his bio:   Serving as Director of Campus Life Ensembles and Collaborative Arts, and as an Associate Profe...

We're back with another Listener's Choice episode! This time, Walter asks about the recording process. Andrew & Lance unpack the process of making an album and preview their upcoming Cones and Tones project. In this fun & lively episode, we cover: Lance as a home remodeler Andrew Phish shows Thank you, Ticketmaster Marty Erickson, Craig Knox, and the sousaphone pusher 8-tracks Walter What is the r...

TBJ115: Hiram Diaz, euphonium player in "The President's Own" Marine Band, on the High Bridge Brass Quintet, audition prep and being a terrible shot. From his Marine Band bio page: Euphonium player Staff Sergeant Hiram Diaz joined "The President's Own" United States Marine Band in January 2012. Staff Sgt. Diaz began his musical instruction at age 12. He graduated in 2003 from the New World School...

From John's Marine Band bio: Trumpeter/cornetist Master Gunnery Sergeant John Abbracciamento joined "The President's Own" United States Marine Band in November 1992. Master Gunnery Sgt. Abbracciamento began his musical instruction at age 8. After graduating from Valley Stream South High School in 1978, he attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. He completed his bachelor's degree...

TBJ113: Rebecca Cherian on encouraging young women players, the importance of allies and the Bernstein Bounce. Rebecca Cherian is Co-Principal Trombone of the Pittsburgh Symphony. From her bio: Rebecca Cherian was awarded the position of co-principal trombone of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra by Lorin Maazel in 1989. She has been trombone instructor at Carnegie Mellon University since 1993. Che...

TBJ112: Matt Niess on The Capital Bones, 3 x 3, and getting help from the "Trombone Angel" Matt Niess is a multifaceted trombonist who served with The U.S. Army Band in Washington, DC and currently serves as Adjunct Associate Professor, Classical and Jazz Trombone at Shenandoah Conservatory. From his bio page: Matt Niess is a cross over trombonist who served with The U.S. Army Band in Washington,...

TBJ111: Tim Buzbee on learning The Furies overnight, winning gigs in 8 countries and being put in a piece of metal Tim Buzbee, Principal Tubist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, knows he would probably be flipping burgers if not for the help of teachers Ed Jones, Gene Pokorny, and Matt Good. Tim Buzbee has been the Principal Tubist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra since 2010. Tim grew up...

TBJ110: Listener's Choice - How to Start a Brass Group, Part 2 In this Listener's Choice episode, Andrew & Lance follow up with more information on starting a brass group. Topics include: Killer squirrels Rehearsal techniques How will you present the art? Being producers of music vs. consumers of music Lindberg (not that one) Collaborations with other artists like the T'Ang Quartet, Imani Winds, E...

Richard A. White is the subject of the upcoming documentary, "R.A.W. Tuba" and is one of our most inspirational guests. He spoke with us about his life, his career, and the upcoming film. From his website: With over two decades of performing on the world's classical music stages, tubist Richard White has matured into a musician known for his clear sound and stylistic flexibility. He began his tuba...

TBJ108: Jim "Don't call me BB" Nova on writing, driving and April Fooling.  Pittsburgh Symphony trombonist Jim Nova puts up with more abuse from Andrew & Lance for no good reason.  From his website: My love for all musical things Star Wars began a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… As a six-year-old child, my father took my brother and me to see The Empire Strikes Back. Even at that age, I...

TBJ107: Christopher Bill, trombonist, singer, and multi-instrumentalist and internet sensation!   Christopher is a trombonist, singer, and multi-instrumentalist based outside of NYC, but it's more accurate to say he's based on the internet. He has been playing piano since he was 6 years old, trombone since he was 10, and he has been composing/arranging since he was 12.   Christopher has a Bachelor...

Legendary trumpeter Jim Pandolfi has one of the most amazing stories in music. Or most places. In this fun and lively discussion, we cover: How Andrew and Jim first met in NYC many moons ago Applesauce Life out on Cape Cod (in the Dagobah System) "The older I get, the better I was" 15 years playing with The Met (wearing telescoping glasses due to an eye condition, macular degeneration) Having to l...

Seth Horner, tubist of the North Carolina Symphony on talking to himself, studying with David Fedderly and his box of mouthpieces. Seth Horner on trusting your gut, turning down a military band gig and phrasing.   From his website:   A native of Eugene, Oregon, Seth Horner is the newly-appointed principal tuba of the North Carolina Symphony in Raleigh, NC. Horner was the acting-principal tuba of t...

TBJ103: Joe Lovinsky, horn phenom, discusses his time in the Army band, being a sharp-shooter, cage fighter, and ultra runner. Yes really. 100-Mile Joe! Joe Lovinsky is an amazing player, teacher, and person. He sits down with Andrew & Lance to discuss why he may, in fact, be the most interesting man in the world! From his bio page: Joseph Lovinsky, principal horn and frequent soloist of the Maryl...

Classical Trumpeter and Gold Medal Global Music Award Winner Mary Elizabeth Bowden has been described by Gramophone Magazine as "brilliant" and "radiant in new repertoire for trumpet." Bowden, a Yamaha Performing Artist, is highly regarded for her artistry and virtuosity as a soloist and has been praised for the clarity, purity, and power of her sound. Bowden released her debut album, "Radiance",...

Joe Jackson was born in Dallas, Texas into a musical family; his mother is a former professional clarinetist, and his father, Jim Jackson, a former trombonist with the Fort Worth Symphony, is today a renown recording engineer. Joe chose the trombone at age 12, and during his high school years was the recipient of three Down Beat Magazine "DeeBee" awards. During his tenure at the University of Nort...

TBJ101: Intern Listener's Choice. Our first batch of interns for this year fire off some amazing questions for us to tackle.  We have always relied on interns to help us carry the ball forward in Pedal Note Media and have ramped up our efforts this year. We are incredibly fortunate to have such talented and intelligent folks helping us out and one of the ways we're trying to return the favor for t...

The legendary Sam Pilafian on Empire Brass, Leonard Bernstein, and life-threatening pedagogy. We talk about his life as a tubist, arranger, composer, educator, performer, producer, and mentor (and countless other descriptors) on our 100th episode. Sam Pilafian is perhaps best known as a founding member of the internationally renowned Empire Brass Quintet (1971-1993). He has also recorded and perfo...

Tom Holtz is a former member of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band in Washington, DC. During his career with the Marine Band, Tom served as a soloist, an arranger, and as a concert moderator. He also performed with the United States Coast Guard Band in New London, CT, and was featured as a soloist twice with the Army Blues, from Ft. Myer, VA. He retired from active duty in 2012, after...

Trumpet soloist Buddy Deshler is an ambassador for the transformative powers of the arts, champion of living composers, and agent for change in the instrumental music field. His burgeoning career has taken him around the country, as well as internationally, and has allowed him to share the stage with ensembles such as the King's Brass, The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, Foden's Band of Sa...