One of the most common experiences among trumpet players is that playing with sound fundamentals and being a creative improviser often feel mutually exclusive. This book rethinks how to go about practicing and approaching fundamentals from the perspective of a jazz trumpet player.

It includes variations on time-tested exercises that are designed for players of all ages and ability levels, as well as for those who have any amount of experience in jazz or improvisation. It also outlines a framework for how to approach them in a way that mirrors the improvisation process, as well as how to develop and organize a fundamentals routine of your own. 

The book includes private streaming access to call-and-response style play-along recordings for ALL 175+ exercises, allowing players to hear an example of the exercise and then imitate it themselves. This reinforces the main theme of the book: to develop a vivid imagination of how something should sound and then to play what you hear. The result for the player will inevitably be more intuitive, creative and effortless trumpet playing than ever before.  

Subscribe to John’s YouTube channel and check out videos on a wide range of topics regarding music and improvisation. Videos outline everything from what to play over specific types of chords, to how to understand and approach modes, to practicing strategies, to avoiding burnout in music school.

Join John as he talks shop with some of the greatest jazz trumpet players in the world about how they developed their own voice on the instrument, what they've practiced over the years, and all the other juicy details you're dying to know about.

Seasons 1 and 2 include conversations with Tom Harrell, Marquis Hill, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Dave Douglas, Chris Botti, the Snarky Puppy Trumpets and more. Subscribe to the podcast and stay updated on any upcoming episodes!

John is the Jazz Trumpet Professor the Jazz Studies department at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He has also been a guest artist and clinician at over 100 high schools and universities around the world. He has worked extensively with small and large ensembles, and has presented masterclasses on topics such as “Foundations in Jazz Trumpet Playing,” “Concepts in Improvisation,” “Composition 101,” and various music business topics including his Jazz Education Network presentations on “Developing a Grass Roots Approach Towards Developing a Fan Base” and “Social Media Strategies for the DIY Musician.”

Read John’s Recent Articles

“Using Effects Pedals on your Horn” - Downbeat Magazine (Apr 2020)
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"Discovering A Voice That's All Your Own" - Downbeat Magazine (Apr 2018)
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“Developing the Entrepreneurial Mind: Teaching Students How To 'Bloom Where They’re Planted” - Jazz Education Network JazzED Magazine (Fall 2015)
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