James Davison: "All of a Sudden, I Could Play High Notes." Ep. 164

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer, band leader and recording artist James Davison, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.

This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here:

"James Davison Trumpet Interview"

And, find the expanded show notes, transcript and more photos here

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James Davison had a misconception that trumpeters should only have one mouthpiece, that any professional should be able to do everything with only one, and if you used more you were "cheating."

It was Chris Deacon in fact who finally asked him one day, in a moment of struggle, " Why don't you just try a slightly narrower mouthpiece?"

From there, a whole new world opened up.

Jim was already well on a path to building a career in music, having become enraptured by the trumpet and cornet as a child, playing Dixieland jazz with his father and learning to play by ear, and then studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music.

But sometimes, we just need a little kick, a new perspective from an outside source, to shift our understanding and mindset.

Since that crossroads, Jim has gone on to become a regular player in the British music scene, from musicals and big bands to studio sessions film soundtracks. Earlier this year, Jim released his long-awaited trumpet & bass collaboration with Misha Mullov-Abbado, "Moon Beans," a mix of original compositions and collaborative arrangements. And he features on Callum Au's ambitious new recording of original music, "Sing Seven Seas."

"If you sing down the horn and you make people smile, and there's a connection for the audience with your playing, then I think that's the only thing that really matters." - James Davison