Painting Jazz - The Martin Committee Trumpet

Jazz, Period. - Painting Jazz - The Martin Committee Trumpet

Kevin Dean - 1944 Martin Committee Model Trumpet

Video and Sound by Randy Cole

In this installment of Jazz, Period., Montreal trumpet legend Kevin Dean shares his thoughts and feelings about the Martin Committee Model trumpet, and the themes and ideas of the Modernist movement that inspired its design. Simplicity, elegance, and self consciousness reverberate in Dean's impromptu solo, and he discusses how these themes are foundational to Modern Jazz, and to the celebrated trumpet that still captures the imagination of players.

For the session, Dean was paired with a rare Handcraft Committee, dating to 1944. The instrument had not been played in more than half a century, and we see Dean carefully examine this historic instrument, and put it to the test.

The Martin Committee represents the perfect overlap of fine industrial age craftsmanship, and effective modernist design, both in terms of aesthetics and physics. Artists like Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Dizzy Gillespie understood this, at least on an intuitive level, and the Committee model became the musical paintbrush of choice for countless visionary Jazz musicians in the golden age of American music.

Today, the original Committee Model trumpets are sought after by players like Chris Botti, and Kevin Dean for their unique tonal properties and feel.

Kevin Dean is professor, and a founding faculty member of the Jazz program at McGill University's Schulich School of Music (http://www.mcgill.ca/music/).

More on Kevin Dean:
http://kevindeanmusic.com/
http://people.mcgill.ca/kevin.dean/

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Kevin Dean
• Martin Committee trumpet
• Miles Davis
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Art Farmer
• Chet Baker
• Blue Mitchel
• Lee Morgan
• Kenny Dorham
• Jazz
• musical instruments
• blues
• instrumental music
• Easy Living
• Chris Botti

[wideangleman]

Hi, that's the Handcraft he's playing throughout, yes. Kevin wanted to show the more modern aesthetic features on one of his Committees while he spoke about the later, more recognizable version of the horn.

[wideangleman]

Hi, I think Kevin uses a Bach 5B.

Randy

[wideangleman]

Hi, that is a Japanese military ribbon microphone, circa 1940.  It's a very good copy of an RCA 44A.

Regards,

Randy

[wideangleman]

Thanks Dustin, I hope to keep making 'em better!

Randy

[bathopotatoes]

Awesome!

[amigomatt]

Beautiful! Thank you!

[SonicGem5]

man I want that horn

[cyberdaytona]

Just beautiful. Yes, that horn does want to play jazz... And that sound... Wow

[jazzadosa]

beautiful playing. wonderful horn. I own a '46 committee but I don't put in enough time to have the chops to play it. The Martin is tough to slot and intonate well. I can manage my Olds Ambassador somewhat. Actually rumor had it that Lee Morgan liked the Olds Ambassador. Thank you for the fine video.

[FeaSadei]

Thanks for a nice tribute video to the Committee... I have a 1945 that I wouldn't trade for another trumpet that cost 4 or 5 times what I paid! The modern Leblanc-made version came close, but sadly, I understand they're out of prodution again. You have a great sound and beautiful approach to playing!

[mississippiowan]

What a great sound! You must have had a great teacher when you started playing the trumpet.

[Arborwaychet]

Well we are hoping you post more. 

[chaoswolf13]

That sounds amazing, nice playing. I want a committee so bad now!

[joechidro]

FAVOLOSO! Great "vintage" sound.