Don Shire, one of our valued Harrelson trumpet customers, recently had these photos taken as CD artwork for an upcoming CD project by local photographer, Rob Schrader. You can see more photos from the photo shoot at http://robschrader.smugmug.com/.

I am just returning to my desk after the whirlwind of the ITG Conference. But, there is no time to waste... look what just came in the mail today: 

Tickets to see Harrelson Client John Whaley performing with the Portland Cello Project in Minneapolis at The Cedar Cultural Center! Saturday, June 29th! Tickets are still available here: http://www.thecedar.org/events/2013/06/29/portland-cello-project

The above photograph was taken by an 11 year old I met on the trip to the conference this week... I wrote a short blog about him here: http://www.jenniferdsandquist.com/1/post/2013/06/imagination-is-silly.html I will be posting a full blog with my take on the ITG in the coming week. 

Our eyes are now turned to the Satchmo Summerfest Festival ... happening the first weekend in August in New  Orleans... we are very excited to be donating another custom trumpet for auction this year... Watch for more information and photographs coming on that soon.
Here is a little more information about the festival: http://www.fqfi.org/satchmosummerfest/ August 1-4... It is one of the most amazing things I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of. If you are a trumpet player or a Louis Armstrong enthusiast... or if you just love great music and great food... then I would encourage you to go. The festival is FREE. And features some amazing local artists... in my favorite city. 

last night was Jake Baldwin's official musical homecoming... the courageous endeavors... aptly named for more reasons than one... graced the stage at The Dakota... the group is long on talent and they have creativity in spades... original compositions showcased the individuals that make the group whole... bravo!

Ok facebook friends... the count down to the ITG Conference in Grand Rapid Michigan is nearing an end... and WE HAVE ONE EXTRA BADGE! So, because I love contests and because we had such a great response with our last contest... I have decided to give away our 5th and final badge to the person that submits the best photo here on facebook... with the theme "Where Science Meets Sound" ... You will need to post the photo either on your wall or on ours... with the title "ITG Photo Contest" ... The contest begins NOW and ends Monday when I get to my desk in the morning... 

Here's the bonus... everyone that submits, provided you send me your mailing address, will receive a Harrelson Trumpets swag pack... I will send you out stickers... postcards, maybe a Tshirt... whatever I can find that has our name on it... and this is all new stuff... we just put in a huge print order and have thousands of stickers and such that no one has ever seen before.... READY... SET... GO.... 


Oh, and the ITG Conference Badge gets you in to all of the exhibits and concerts for the entire week... http://www.gvsu.edu/itg2013/itg-2013-schedule-58.htm

It's going to be an awesome week! Oh, and if you were to buy it... a badge is $345

Oh New Orleans... I love you. I have missed you even though it's only been a few short months... 

Just as I was getting ready to leave for The Dakota last night... I received an email confirming our participation in the Satchmo Summerfest in August... http://www.fqfi.org/satchmosummerfest/ We're donating another one of a kind trumpet this year... auctioning it off on ebay this time around and donating all proceeds to the French Quarter Festivals Incorporated. The email I received from Marci... started out... "Hey Friends".... yes, that is why I love New Orleans... everyone there seems like they want to be your friend... not in a weird way... just in a hey... we're all here on this planet together... lets have a good time kinda way...  it's hard to describe unless you've been there... and once you have it's sort of addictive... more than one time I have been walking down the streets of the city only to have a stranger flash me a smile and say... smile darlin' it's a beautiful day... no, i am not joking... it's happened several times.... everyone says hello... everyone dances... everyone sings... it's a really happy place... well.... last night The Rebirth Brass Band brought a little slice of that happy place right here to Minneapolis... I have been to The Dakota many many times... I have seen a lot of very talented musicians on that stage.... but, I HAVE NEVER EVER SEEN ANYONE DANCING THERE... last night... people just couldn't contain themselves... at one point i saw a woman with a parasol start a mini second line... a man whirling his napkin above his head just as i've seen paraders do in NOLA.... they were pulling people on stage to dance... the floor was literally moving beneath us... and for a second I wondered if The Dakota had planned for this type of merriment... were the floors designed to hold dancers? or just sitters? IT WAS AWESOME! 

I remember talking to members of The Pocket Aces brass band the first time I went to New Orleans a few years ago... I was so blown away... I told them people would eat that music up in Minneapolis... we don't get straight ahead New Orleans Brass Bands here! And based on last night, I would say, there's a severe need for it. Just imagine us nordic shut ins going to a brass band dance party in mid January... someone please open a dance club like that here... anyway... it was quite a night... and loads of fun... also there's something amazing about watching that many brass players belt out music at full volume... INTO A MICROPHONE... a trumpet at full volume is so loud already it could render you senseless... multiply that by 8 and then mic it... hahah.... wall of sound... 

Can't wait to get back to New Orleans in August :)

Never a dull moment here at Harrelson Trumpets... this week we are proud to say that not one, but two of our clients are performing at the Dakota Jazz Club... Chadrick Honore (New Orleans) of the Grammy Winning Rebirth Brass Band will be doing two shows, Thursday, June 6th @ 7pm & 9pm. There are still tickets available here on the Dakota's website: http://sa1.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/TicketRequest?eventId=716747&presenter=DAKOTA&venue=&event=

You can find out more about their tour and the band here: http://www.rebirthbrassband.com/
Chadrick plays one of the only Harrelson Summit Midnight Trumpets ever built... the sound is... quite frankly... awesome... and it's a pretty sexy trumpet to look at... 

Oh, and here they are in Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/the-hottest-live-photos-of-2013-20121212/rebirth-brass-band-0229237

And.......................... Saturday, June 8th... Harrelson Trumpets client, friend and most recent employee Jake Baldwin... is performing the late set (11pm) at The Dakota as well! with his latest project The Courageous Endeavors.... https://www.facebook.com/events/531393166920390/ this is the first time these guys have played out in this configuration and the group is chocked full of talent...

Nelson Devereaux on saxophones
Brian Courage on Bass 
Miguel Hurtado on Drums
Joseph Strachan on Piano
Jake Baldwin on Trumpet

If you follow Harrelson Trumpets at all, you probably already know a little about Jake... but here's some more. Jake recently graduated from The New England Conservatory of Music with degrees in Jazz studies and trumpet performance... This past year, his projects included but weren't limited to recording and gigging with various bands such as... Tiger Speak, The Love Experiment, Oblio, The Kim Mayo Band and his own trio Ra Ra Ru. This is his debut with The Courageous Endeavors! You might also see him around town performing with the David Yellen Band. 

Jake seems to always be in the thick of something... and he also took 2nd in the Jazz Division at the National Trumpet Competition this year. We're really excited to have him here in the Harrelson Shop... bringing our total number of staff trumpet performers to 3... I told Christine a few days ago that I feel like I've practiced trumpet for 100000 hours but I never have to pick up a horn.

Come down to The Dakota on Saturday at 11! See you there. Oh, and Jake wanted me to mention he'll be playing his custom 5 valve horn on the gig Saturday too!