Scott Belck Trumpet Interview
Welcome to the show notes for Episode #124 of The Other Side of the Bell – A Trumpet Podcast. This episode features trumpeter Scott Belck. Listen to or download the episode below:
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About Scott Belck
Dr. Scott Belck currently serves as the Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Music at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) where he directs the CCM Jazz Orchestra and teaches applied Jazz Trumpet.
He is a founding member of critically acclaimed Tromba Mundi contemporary trumpet ensemble and has toured as a member of Grammy Award winning funk legend Bootsy Collins’ Funk Unity Band as lead trumpet. He has served as trumpet and cornet soloist with the Air Force Band of Flight in Dayton, Ohio where he also held the post of musical director for the Air Force Night Flight Jazz Ensemble. He is the Founding Artistic Director Emeritus of the Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra.
His playing credits include recordings lead trumpet/guest soloist with the Cincinnati Pops featuring the Manhattan Transfer and John Pizzarelli, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Van Dells, and jazz soloist with the University of North Texas One O’clock Lab Band with whom he recorded four CDs as jazz soloist and section trumpet.
He has performed as principal/lead trumpet with the St. Louis Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra of the Dominican Republic, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lexington Philharmonic, the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and as section trumpet with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra and the Duluth Festival Opera.
He has performed as lead trumpet for shows/concerts of Christian McBride, Jimmy Heath, Aretha Franklin, Gerald Wilson, the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra, Linda Ronstadt, John Lithgow, Donna Summer, Maureen McGovern, Michael Feinstein, Lalo Rodriguez, Sandy Patti, Tito Puente Jr., Tommy Tune, Manhattan Transfer, Lou Rawls, Patti Austen, The Coasters, Yes, Ben Vereen, Doc Severinsen, the Temptations, Olivia Newton-John, Neil Sedaka, the Blue Wisp Big Band, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, the Dayton Jazz Orchestra, the Ink Spots, the Four Freshmen, The Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Bobby Riddell, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Frankie Valli, The Maritime Jazz Orchestra of Canada as well as touring Broadway shows and regional and national recording sessions.
He has performed as a leader, musical director, or sideman with many top jazz players on the scene today including: Fred Hersch, Rich Perry, Adam Nussbaum, Lew Soloff, Randy Brecker, Slide Hampton, Jim McNeely, Claudio Roditi, John Riley, Rick Margitza, Bob Belden, Jimmy Heath, Bobby Watson, Tom Harrell, Tim Hagans, Regina Carter, Wes Anderson, John Hollenbeck, Steve Turre, Conrad Herwig, Gordon Brisker, Hank Marr, Marvin Stamm, Gerry Mulligan, Kenny Garrett, John Fedchock, Phil Woods, Ed Soph, John LaBarbera and Diane Schuur.
He has also served as the Artistic Director of the Dayton Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz Central Big Band, and the Miami Valley Jazz Camp in Ohio. He is the author of the text “Modern Flexibilities for Brass”, published by Meredith Music and distributed by Hal Leonard. In his spare time, he is the CEO and founder of Lip Slur World Headquarters.
Belck’s new book “Progressive Lip Flexibilities for Brass” is quickly becoming one of the most popular sarcastic lip slur books in the lower South-Central Ohio River valley region. Scott Belck is a Powell Signature Trumpet Artist.
Scott Belck Links
Podcast Credits
- “A Room with a View“ – composed and performed by Howie Shear
- Audio Engineer – Preston Shepard
- Cover Art – Phil Jordan
- Podcast Host – John Snell
Inspired by the great valve trombonist BOB BROOKMEYER, Barry Mosley is keeping the legacy of playing jazz valve trombone. The first important jazz valve trombonist were JUAN TIZOL and BRAD GOWANS in the 1930s and 1940s, setting the stage for others. The valve trombone has a unique place in jazz history.
Toru “Tiger” Okoshi was born in the Year of the Tiger on March 21 1950, just outside of Osaka (Ashiya city, Hyogo) As a child he was, in fact, devoted to painting as he loves today. At 13, he had an enlightening experience to see Louis Armstrong Perform live in Osaka, Japan, only 6 months after he begun to play the trumpet. ”He was painting the air with his trumpet” recalls Okoshi. Today, Okoshi often describes the relationship with his horn: “When I play, I want to paint the air with my colorful tone. Choices between long or short strokes, quick or slow, high in the canvas or low, brighter color or darker, with a fat brush or a pen. Paint the air one note at a time.”
Tiger, who loves sports, was invited to perform “The Star Spangled Banner” at the opening game of the 2007 season between Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees at Fenway Park, as well as the playoff games in 2007 and 2008. Tiger’s trumpet was surrounded by 20 trumpets, 10 trombones and 7 Japanese Taiko drummers playing his original arrangement. In 1997, Tiger recorded a CD entitled “Hustle Tigers” for Japanese major league baseball team Hanshin Tigers.
