Scotty Barnhart has recorded his first solo CD, with most of the music recorded in New Orleans with pianists Ellis Marsalis and Marcus Roberts - and with a bonus track recorded in New York with a special guest. In preparation for the recording, Scotty visited the shop for some custom mouthpiece work to upgrade to a new "SLAP" mouthpiece design. At the end of his one day visit, he played a private concert for the staff and a select group of friends.![]()
For years Scotty played our B1-5 model mouthpiece, but to kick it in to the next level for the CD we designed the new B1-5 "SLAP 4" for him. Like all our "SLAP" mouthpieces, this new model has the same rim as Scotty's old mouthpiece, but incorporates a custom cup design that allows a bigger, boomier sound, faster response, easier upper register and larger "targets" on the notes. Scotty had the new mouthpiece for all of about 2 hours before playing the evening concert at our shop for us! As usual, no one in the audience had a clue he was using new equipment - including a borrowed FLUMPET he picked up for the first time from the side of the stage during the first set!!!
Scotty's description of his new Monette B1-5 S4 mouthpiece:
"With this new Prana B1-5 S4 mouthpiece you made for me I'm playing consistent double C's anytime with ease! What you did gives me even more freedom and support without having to sacrifice one or the other. Unbelievable. But the warmth and feel of it is what allows me to get the sound I want whether it is with my small group work in the studio or especially with the Basie Orchestra. I just finished two Basie tours with the new mouthpiece, and it's heaven. The versatility of it allowed me to play solo and lead trumpet for Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis, Pat Boone, and others here in LA at the Beverly Hilton last week in a tribute to Andy Williams. This new design you made for me just made my life even easier as a professional trumpeter. Thanks a million Dave!!!!"
Scotty's note to Dave describing the recording session:
Hey Dave,
The recording session in New Orleans went great. I signed with the record label Unity Music back in April. It's my very first recording contract as a leader and I waited 15 years for the right opportunity to come along. They are all very excited about the project as am I and with the likes of Ellis Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Wycliffe Gordon, Bennie Maupin (former saxophonist with Miles and Lee Morgan), and my colleagues at FSU, and not to mention Clark Terry and a very, very special guest that everyone knows, the final product is sure to be one I'm proud of. We have already finished 8 of the 12 songs for the CD with the remaining 4 to be finished by the end of July.
I also enjoyed using the Flumpet for the session, and everyone loved the sound! I used it on an original of mine that I wrote for the late author Alex Haley entitled "Haley's Passage." There is a video clip on my Youtube page of that particular take and Unity filmed the entire two day session in high definition DVD. I've completed the trumpet/piano duet with Ellis Marsalis, bassist Rodney Jordan and drummer Leon Anderson (head of Jazz Studies at FSU). In addition I've recorded quartet/sextet pieces with Delfeayo Marsalis on trombone (also engineer), along with pianists Bill Peterson and Lindsey Sarjeant. There is also one of our FSU students on guitar, Rick Lollar, who will be a big surprise to everyone.
Perhaps the highlight of the two day session besides hearing Ellis do his piano intros was the last minute addition of master percussionist/jazz drummer Herlin Riley. He came in and played the tambourine on one of my originals that I wrote for my experience growing up in Ebenezer Baptist Church with Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. It's called Say It Plain - which is what he used to tell his son, Dr. King, Jr., when he was preaching.
Thanks Dave!
Scotty
Check the videos out below for a sampler of some of the trumpet and FLUMPET tunes Scotty played for us at the shop.
Also, check out the YouTube video Scotty posted of the actual recording session in New Orleans for Unity Music at Piety Street Studios playing the same borrowed FLUMPET on the original tune "Haley's Passage.
Scotty shows off some amazing fast finger technique with his new inlaid fingerbuttons on his PRANA AJNA Bb on YouTube.
Watch Scotty's website for more information about a release date:
Ravi has used the horn extensively for the last year, subbing in all the chairs on Broadway shows such as "The Color Purple," and “Gypsy.” He also gets fairly regular calls to play with commercial groups, and has been featured with such as artists such as Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilara, Jay Z and Beyonce. If this variety of work isn’t enough, he regularly tours with the Ellington Band playing the "Cootie Williams" book, where he has used the new horn on extended tours.
About two dozen players from four continents came to Portland recently to help us celebrate our 25th anniversary. We enjoyed three days with dear friends, filled with good food, great comaraderie and three outrageous concerts with just about every type of trumpet performance imaginable.
We recently located some exceptionally bright raw opal to cut and polish, and have made several sets of complex mosaic black opal finger buttons. This opal is so bright it practically glows in the dark! This material is by far the most expensive stone we use, and as a result these are the most expensive inlays we make. They must be seen in person to be fully appreciated! We also have a limited amount of matrix opal, with the multi-hued brown matrix that is not reflective contrasting beautifully with the classic green and blue reflective portions of the stone. This matrix opal is a less expensive material than the black opal above, but still quite striking to see in person.
turquoise sky. The night scene has a carved lapis sky with gold pyrite specs to simulate stars, and a picture jasper foreground. This inlay set took us over 60 hours to make, with many of the first attempts making it only as far as the recycling bin! Perserverance eventually paid off, and the client was thrilled to have the reminder of his childhood home under his fingers every time he plays.
