Mack Rice’s composition became a hit when it was covered by Wilson Pickett in 1966. Since then, everyone has covered it. Including those of us in this global virtual collab.
Our collab was based on a recording by Jimmy Barnes, who had a tight horn section on board for his cover version. My transcription is based on that, which I think is “more Wilson Pickett and less The Commitments”.
Our cover also marks the first time I was brave enough to play trombone in public!
In collaboration with James Wilkas and Tori Holub, we added a horn section to Tori’s band to cover Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.
The original Carpenters recording used a studio orchestra of around 160 musicians. We managed our version within the constraints of two horns, plus rhythm section.
My transcription covers the original brass and woodwind lines, arranged for flute, soprano sax (or clarinet), tenor sax, trumpets, and flugelhorns (masquerading as French horns). If you’re looking to cover this song with horns, this will do the job nicely!
It was bound to happen eventually: I’ve transcribed something that was created by AI, so that real people can play it.
This one’s a funk take on the AC/DC hard rock classic, reimagined for a funk band with a hot horn section. Power chords have been swapped out for funk-friendly chords, and the iconic guitar riffs are now carried entirely by the horns.
Some of the horn lines were hard to distinguish in the AI source while I was transcribing, because there were none of the usual human characteristics that help me to identify a trumpet, sax, or trombone player. As a result, I made a few educated guesses and also took some creative license where there were opportunities for improvement.
This chart has already been played live, and it sizzles!
Here’s a full-power brass tribute to Come On Eileen — inspired by Dexys Midnight Runners’ 80s classic and Save Ferris’s 90s ska revival.
This cover stays faithful to the Save Ferris version, so if you know that recording, you’ll hear all the classic horn lines come through.
Although I’d transcribed the trumpet chart a few years ago, I found a more complete version by Marshall Parker, which we leveraged for this recording. Be sure to check out Marshall Parker’s full score on MuseScore.
I recently rediscovered this fun collaboration from early 2019, recorded on the Bandhub platform back when it was still active.
This is The Sound of Silence arranged as a flugelhorn duet, right up until the final chorus when my good friend Adriam Munn steps in, channeling Maynard Ferguson with a soaring trumpet line in the upper octave.
Featuring on recordings with Tori Holub and James Wilkas has certainly plonked my trumpet playing before many new listeners. Our cover of We’ve Only Just Begun garnered nearly 500,000 views on YouTube within the first 8 months. It has received rave reviews in countless reaction videos, with praise for Tori’s authentic vocal resemblance to Karen Carpenter as well as the high-quality collaborative production led by James. Some of them even enjoyed the trumpets and flugelhorns! 🤣
Close to You is our latest Carpenters cover release, once again showcasing Tori and James’ incredible talents alongside those of our other collaborators. This time, I’m featured in the brief yet iconic trumpet solo. I did my best to channel Chuck Findley, who was himself filling in for Herb Alpert when he recorded the original solo in 1970. Below is my transcription of that tiny solo, which I must admit I put together some time after I recorded it.
I recently recorded the introduction to one of my favorite Don Ellis Big Band tunes, A Rock Odyssey, composed by the brilliant Hank Levy. A masterpiece in 7/4 time!
While I played this snippet for YouTube as a ‘Short,’ I didn’t transcribe it so it’s not on offer here. But for those of you who want to dive into the full arrangement, you can grab the entire big band score and charts for just USD $40 from UNC Jazz Press!
PS: My video shows off the new range of Flugelhorn Mutes made in Australia by Tech Tone Mutes. No longer just for trumpets, cornets, and trombones. Check them out!
What if H.L.Clarke had been overly-influenced by J.S.Bach?
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing!
Clarke Study #2 is a staple for trumpet players, from students to professionals. But what if H.L. Clarke had been overly influenced by J.S. Bach? This trumpet exercise with a play-along video is my answer: an adaptation of the iconic theme from Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor—reimagined in the format of the Clarke study for B♭ trumpet. And instead of a boring metronome, we’re keeping things fresh with a funky backing track.
Looking to break free from your daily Clarke #2? Give this play-along a try for a little fun and variety. I made it to mix things up and give my neighbors a break from hearing the same old exercises—maybe you should too!
The written exercise is displayed on-screen as the video plays, while the PDF copy may be downloaded here.
This piece also doubles as an “Expanding Range” exercise, inspired by William Adam’s teaching approach. By starting in the middle register and gradually expanding up and down, you’ll be prepared for any range, high or low.
A quote from the book A Tribute to William Adam:
It may have been Mr. Adam who was the first to employ the concept of expanding exercises. Mr. Adam would start up in the middle register. Then we played the next exercise a ½ lower, then a ½ higher, and continue this pattern expanding outward. By doing this the player would not set themselves up for high or low register but instead be ready for either.
