I am excited to run a new photo contest! Because we are in the final week of summer... and it's about as hot as it will be all year all over this country... I want to see your Trumpet on Summer Vacation! The theme is "Summertime, Living is Easy" ... so please submit your photos on facebook (don't forget to put them on our page or tag us) with that as the caption... or submit via email to: harrelsontrumpets@gmail.com at my attention (JEN) with "Summertime, Living is Easy" as the subject and I will post them for you.

This contest will run until Labor Day! I will be the judge... and the top 5 submissions will receive our new T-Shirt & a swag pack of stickers. 

The Grand Prize is all of the above... but with a $100 Gift Certificate.

Remember to send me your address... we have tons of great new stickers and posters etc!!! So I am excited to send them out.

AND DON'T TELL ME YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS TO SEND TO ME... I JUST FOUND ALL OF THESE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES... I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE... HAVING FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME... AND I ALSO KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T DO MUCH OF ANYTHING WITHOUT YOUR TRUMPETS... SEND ME SOME PHOTOS... YOU HAVE A WEEK!

Check out my article! Featured in MPLSzine!... this was my review of the Rebirth Brass Band's performance at The Dakota Jazz Club... http://issuu.com/mplscollective/docs/mplszine-performance

We are lucky to have clients and friends passing through the Harrelson Shop on a fairly regular basis... but in recent months I think this is the visit I am most excited about...

Jeremy Pelt, will be in town for the Trumpet Summit at The Dakota Jazz Club on Wednesday, September 11th... there are two shows that night (7pm and 9pm... the Harrelson Crew will be down in the front at the 9pm show) and the Summit features: Jeremy Pelt, Randy Brecker, Dr. Eddie Henderson and Leon Jordan Jr. It promises to be quite a night and we are all very excited about it... I have had Jeremy belting from my computer all week long while working on bits and pieces of this post and I will admit I have been really doing my researach... I started with his album Soul ... I have probably listened to it about 3 times a day all week... and today... after watching the above video... I moved on to his newest album Water & Earth he's right it really is different... to me it feels like it comes from somewhere bigger... maybe all the world travel is expanding Jeremy both mentally and musically... I know it has that effect on me... even though I don't play the trumpet :)

I have also watched a lot of Pelt videos this week... a few interview pieces... and a lot of live performance... and I just like what he has to say... not only when he plays... Here is a link to his website if you'd like to start a little research of your own... http://jeremypelt.net/home.html

Jeremy plays on two Harrelson Trumpets.... A Summit (w/ a #7 Bell) and a Summit Midnight in Black Lacquer (w/ a #8 Bell)...

I swiped the write up below off The Dakota's website...  There's still time to get tickets... HERE

This is pulled directly from Jeremy's website: 

Pelt's recordings and performances have earned him critical acclaim, both
nationally and internationally. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal
by legendary jazz writer and producer, Nat Hentoff, and was voted Rising Star on
the trumpet, five years in a row by Downbeat Magazine and the Jazz Journalist
Association. Pelt is currently touring throughout the United States and Europe
in support of his latest release, "Water And Earth" (High Note Records, January
2013).

... he was voted Rising Star on the trumpet... FIVE YEARS IN A ROW? Whoa! That's just insanely awesome...

Here's some more reviews: http://jeremypelt.net/reviews.html
Follow him on facebook like I do: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Real-Jeremy-Pelt-Fan-Page/148166221876056

Or pick up some more of his recordings here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jeremy%20pelt

Or join us at The Dakota on September 11th! Come say hello.

Last night, I spent a couple of hours at The Dakota... Jake Baldwin's Quintet was featured on the early set and it was truly an awesome night.

The group consists of: 

Jake Baldwin: Trumpet,
Nelson Devereaux - saxes
Brian Courage - Bass
Joe Strachan -Piano
Miguel Hurtado - Drums

Last night they played 3 sets... for a packed house! A hearty mixture of standards (with a new twist) and originals... I asked Jake a little about the group and he said, "I love playing with this group
because, although it has my name, everyone in it contributes to the music that we play so within a set we can go a lot of places musically." And they did... it was hard to watch without smiling... it's quite obvious that everyone involved loves what they're doing... loves being on stage... and was excited to play to the crowd.

In just one short week Jake is headed out East... there is never a dull moment... he  is playing a house party with Love
Experiment on the 28th.... he has been busy writing/arranging horn parts for the new Love Experiment he will be
recording while on this trip... and at the same time preparing for his own recording with Ra Ra Ru. 
They will be performing live at the Lily Pad in Cambridge on September 3rd from 7pm-8pm and then recording their first album on september 8th. 


Ra Ra Ru was originally conceived as "anti music school mentality jazz." But
basically ... "we take all of the things we like, throw them into a song and try to
make some sense of it. Some of the music is really twisted, but in the best kind
of way."

http://rararu.bandcamp.com/

This band features:
 
 Jake Baldwin- Trumpet
(fellow minnesotan) John Cushing - Trombone
Asher Kurtz - Guitar
Nick Neuburg - Drums/Percussion

Jake is certainly on the top of my list for young musicians to watch... he seems to have his heart in a bit of everything musically... and this is just the sort of thing I admire. I am, myself, a person with an eclectic taste in music... and it's great to watch someone so talented try his hand at a little bit of it all. To hear more of Jake's music... or see where he'll be playing next... check out his website: http://www.jakebjazz.com/the-music.html or just keep an eye out here. I will certainly be following him along the way.
 

We've decided to try an compile a list of horns ... by year... serial number... model and owner... if you're a Harrelson Client and you'd like to be added to the Trumpet Registry online... please follow this link:

I currently have a google document list... that is 3 pages long and growing... this list is simply titled... "clients to watch"... when people ask me what I do I sometimes say... "everything" but essentially... I like to think that I am sort of the go-between person here. I keep my eyes and ears on the music. I watch our clients carry our instruments around the world. We just ran an ad in downbeat magazine... one of our clients... Kermit Ruffins... is featured in this issue and Downbeat contacted us... asking if we'd like to run a print ad... in our company history... this is only the second print ad we have ever run. The other was in an issue of The Brass Herald. Simply put... our trumpets... and our clients... advertise for us. So, my favorite thing about my job... is that I get to watch our horns travel around the globe... many times I am lucky enough to attend these gigs... and watch our instruments in action... but often times I get photographs... and when I am lucky recordings. I have a stack of client cds on my desk right now that I going to be reviewing in the coming weeks.

Well... near the top of the "clients to watch" list is Jake Baldwin... and tonight Jake is playing at The Artistis'Quarter: 408 St. Peter Street, St. Paul 651-292-1359 at 9pm


A new group of old friends and 
collaborators making splendid sounds together.

Ted Olsen-Bass

Quentin Tschofen- Piano
Jake Baldwin- Trumpet
Emerson Hunton-
Drums

Thursday, August 15th
9 pm

Here's a great write up by jazzpolice about Jake and his upcoming gig at The Dakota! on teh 19th as well!
http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/10815/115/

And, as a footnote... I do my best to watch all of you from afar... students... teachers and performers alike... but I can't keep track of everyone all day every day... if you're out there... working... playing... learning... and you have a photo, a story or an album to share... please send it my way... it really is what I love most about this business... for me it really is all about you... and your music. Keep up the good work: jenniferdsandquist@gmail.com

It's been a very busy week here in the Harrelson Trumpets Shop... After our return from New Orleans we hosted James Knabe for an Open House... and Jason and I both worked full days on Saturday and Sunday... I have finally had a chance to dig into some of the marketing design work I have put on the back burner for months. We had a short run of new T-Shirts printed out in a variety of colors....

These guys stopped by on Saturday and picked their T-Shirts up in person... if you'd like to order one of these limited run shirts... (for just $5) you can do so here: http://www.harrelsontrumpets.com/product_p/jazz-is-tshirt.htm

And, while I am on the topic of T-Shirts... we also have the 5MM Mouthpiece T-Shirts available in our online store ($15)

5MM Mouthpiece T-Shirts are available here: https://www.harrelsontrumpets.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=5MM-TShirt

And, as you may have noticed in all of the photographs of Jason that float around the internet... his favorite Harrelson Shirt... and mine... and our first design... I believe we've had this one for about 5 years now... is the "Where Science Meets Sound" Tshirt... I just put in a re-order for these... it seems to be everyone's favorite... you can get yours here: https://www.harrelsontrumpets.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TShirt 

I am working hard to get all of our new posters and stickers up on the website today too. But... if you'd like to get some Harrelson Swag... here is a groovy way to get it for free... You guys know how much I love a good photo contest :) 



Because we are nearing the final weeks of summer... and it's
about as hot as it will be all year all over this country... I want to see your
Trumpet on Summer Vacation! The theme is "Summertime, Living is Easy" ... so
please submit your photos on...  facebook (don't forget to put them on our page or
tag us) with that as the caption... or submit via email to:
harrelsontrumpets@gmail.com at my attention (JEN) with "Summertime, Living is
Easy" as the subject and I will post them for you.

This contest will run until Labor Day! I will be the judge... and the top 5 submissions will receive
our new T-Shirt, a swag pack of stickers.

The Grand Prize is all of the
above... but with a $100 Gift Certificate.

All entries will receive a swag pack of stickers and print materials... as long as you remember to send me
your address... we have tons of great new stickers and posters etc!!! So I am excited to send them out.
 

Yesterday Harrelson Trumpets held it's fourth Open House. We had a great turn out and it was our most successful Open House to date! We had people come as far as North and South Dakota to try out horns and see how our instruments are made. Schmitt Music brought by their entire stock of Harrelson Trumpets for people to try... Jason did demos on CNC equipment... James Soh gave some tips on how to keep your instrument clean... and James Knabe... Harrelson Trumpets Client Liaison... did a presentation with his entire family... about their life on the road and their involvement with Harrelson Trumpets! It was a great day. Here are some photo highlights... 

Jason did an impromptu video interview with James Knabe about his experience... his vision and his time here at Harrelson Trumpets... I am editing that tomorrow morning and will have it posted soon. Here are a few more photos from the Open House... 

James is now scheduling stops around the USA for the coming months... this map is a rough sketch of where he'll be from now through December of 2013... if you'd like him to come to your school or to meet with you and your trumpet studio... please email me at harrelsontrumpets@gmail.com or contact him directly: 

Phone: 630-988-0375
Email: james@trumpeter.com
Web: www.trumpeter.com
Blog: http://whyharrelson.weebly.com/on-the-road-with-james.html

Tour Schedule:

August:

Minneapolis
Iowa
Chicago- Joliet, Rockford, Milwaukee, Madison
Indianapolis, Bloomington, Champaign


September:

Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Louisville


October:

Southern Kentucky, Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green
Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga
Atlanta


November:

Northern Alabama- Huntsville, Birmingham
Tennessee- Jackson, Memphis, Nashville


December:

St. Louis
Iowa
Chicago

Well, we're back from New Orleans... and both Jason and I are going to do a re-cap here in the coming days... but I am excited to run a new photo contest! Because we are nearing the final weeks of summer... and it's about as hot as it will be all year all over this country... I want to see your Trumpet on Summer Vacation! The theme is "Summertime, Living is Easy" ... so please submit your photos on facebook (don't forget to put them on our page or tag us) with that as the caption... or submit via email to: harrelsontrumpets@gmail.com at my attention (JEN) with "Summertime, Living is Easy" as the subject and I will post them for you.

This contest will run until Labor Day! I will be the judge... and the top 5 submissions will receive our new T-Shirt, a swag pack of stickers. 

The Grand Prize is all of the above... but with a $100 Gift Certificate.

All entries will receive a swag pack of stickers and print materials... as long as you remember to send me your address... we have tons of great new stickers and posters etc!!! So I am excited to send them out.