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Rich Wetzel

Rich is well known as a very powerful, very exciting, and high energy lead trumpet player, featured soloist, who is equally adept at gorgeous, soft, beautiful trumpet or flugelhorn lyrical concert settings, or soaring over the top of the band or orchestra on a power ballad in the Maynard Ferguson style. He is often a featured soloist for many top local and regional bands as well. Rich is also a top call contractor for both national and international acts for string and horn sections for some of the biggest names in the business at major venues.

Wetzel grew up in Garden Grove, CA, near Anaheim and Los Angeles, where on more occasions than you could count, you could go see the great jazz orchestras of people like Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Stan Kenton, and more.

He has played trumpet for and personally put together horn sections for groups such as The Four Tops, The Temptations, The Spinners, The Platters, The Ojays, Al Martino, Wayne Newton, and many more. Wetzel has that Ferguson stratospheric sound, and leads his amazing group on a stellar rendition of all these styles.

He is an amazing trumpet player who is rapidly becoming a star in the jazz world, along with one of the most exciting bands anywhere, Rich Wetzel and his Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra.

Professional Credits

Wayne Newton The Ojays The Four Tops The Temptations The Spinners The Coasters The Platters Smokey Robinson Al Martino Charo Legends In Concert Bobby Arvon Domenik Allen Stonebridge Richard Streets' Temptations Tribute Rick Michels Rat Pack Tribute El Chicano Lee Oskar Si Zentner Big Band Ian Finkel and Elliott Finkel Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Holland America Cruise Line Celebrity Cruise Line The US Army Band

As well as various top Seattle and LA local bands, shows, theaters, concerts, casinos, recordings, etc... Soloist, guest star, clinician, and leader of his own fabulous group, Rich Wetzel and his Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra!

Gigs Desired / Availability / Experience

Featured with his band, as a guest star with yours, or as a clinician. Contractor for horn and string sections, for national and international acts, star shows. Rich has played lead trumpet and contracted for the biggest names in the business. Lead trumpet for Big Band, Swing, Shows, Theater, Studio, Pop, Rock, Motown, Variety Shows, Concerts, Recording Sessions, Commercial Trumpet Material.

Quotes and Endorsements:

Ian Finkel (World renowned xylophone virtuoso and former trumpet player) latin jazz big band leader,"You really have great feel, style, time, a HUGE sound, and great high note chops. Solid lead trumpet player, a pleasure to work with"

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238
Album Review

Rich Wetzel and The Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra: The Mayn Thing

Read "The Mayn Thing" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Rich Wetzel is a Holton-Leblanc trumpet artist, clinician, chairman of the Tacoma Jazz Festival and representative of Conn-Selmer, leading manufacturer and distributor of band and orchestral instruments. He is also the leader of the fourteen-piece Tacoma-based Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra, which offers their third album and first studio recording, The Mayn Thing, in a tribute to the late great trumpeter, Maynard Ferguson, whose music and influence have provided an inspiration to Wetzel.

As was often the case, Ferguson ...

179
Album Review

Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra: Live!

Read "Live!" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Trumpeter Rich Wetzel may be leading a pretty darned good big band out on the left coast in Tacoma, WA, but it’s hard to say for sure, as the evidence on the band’s second album, Live!, suggests that the microphones may have been inadvertently placed somewhere north of Seattle. We exaggerate, of course, to make a point, which is that the over-all sound quality on the album is, shall we say, somewhat less than pristine -- although there’s no doubt ...

113
Album Review

Rich Wetzel and his Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra: Live at Jazzbones

Read "Live at Jazzbones" reviewed by Harvey Siders


Jazz and Blues come in all hues. The basic sounds of jazz and blues that we have been weaned on are so enduring, so indestructible, they show up in rock, country, pop, Dixieland, every idiom from Afro-Cuban to Zydeco...from hip-hop to be-bop. They also form the basis of much of the big band swing heard on a new, double disc, “Live At Jazz Bones," featuring the Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra.

Its leader, trumpeter Rich Wetzel, has gathered, with missionary zeal, ...

83
Album Review

Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Orchestra: Live at Jazzbones!

Read "Live at Jazzbones!" reviewed by Jack Bowers


More swinging big–band Jazz from Washington State. On the heels of Kevin Seeley’s superb Emerald City ensemble from Seattle ( Alive and Swingin', SMP 0004) comes this two–disc set by trumpeter Rich Wetzel’s far less polished but no less earnest Groovin’ Higher Orchestra, recorded in concert at Jazzbones in Tacoma, where the band has been performing for standing–room–only audiences. As Wetzel writes in the liner notes, the concert was transcribed “exactly as it happened, the way Jazz was meant to ...

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143

Event

A Stan Kenton Christmas Featuring Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra

A Stan Kenton Christmas Featuring Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra

Source: All About Jazz

Monday Dec 11th @ The Triple Door in Seattle

A Stan Kenton / Big Band Christmas

featuring Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra

Tickets: $25.00 each (show only - dinner and or drinks are billed separately)

Beautiful non-smoking theater, all ages, family event friendly, full restaurant and beverage services in a wonderful atmosphere, all tables and booths with great sight lines to the stage. The doors open at 6:00pm - show starts at 7:30pm.

Rich Wetzel's band will perform music ...

109

Festival

Bobby Shew & Rich Wetzel at Tacoma Jazz Music Festival - May 23rd & May 24th

Bobby Shew & Rich Wetzel at Tacoma Jazz Music Festival - May 23rd & May 24th

Source: All About Jazz

Special guest star, legendary international trumpet artist, Bobby Shew.

It's coming up, May 23rd and 24th, Memorial Day Weekend. Friday night is jazz in participating night clubs, and Saturday is the main event where one ticket, $20, gets you into all events, five stages, over 32 bands, about a dozen clinicians, master classes, music vendors, beer gardens, as well as a family event. Students, players, and fans alike will see and hear a lot of great stuff, you will not ...

148

Event

A Stan Kenton / Big Band Christmas Dinner Concert with Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra - WED Dec 18th

A Stan Kenton / Big Band Christmas Dinner Concert with Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra - WED Dec 18th

Source: All About Jazz

WED, DEC 18th, 7-10pm @ The Temple Theater

“A Stan Kenton / Big Band Christmas with Rich Wetzel's EXPANDED Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra A 30 piece jazz orchestra and dinner show"

Tickets $27.50 includes gourmet dinner buffet and the show Call (253) 383-3245 or Ticketmaster / details at www.groovinhigher.com

Dinner and the show are included in a beautiful and spacious theater, Tacoma's Temple Theater. Tickets are going fast, call now!!!

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Rich Wetzel Band Leader, Trumpet Artist, Holton - Leblanc ...

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Performance / Tour

Wayne Bergeron featured with Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra - Sat May 25th@Broadway Center

Wayne Bergeron featured with Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra - Sat May 25th@Broadway Center

Source: All About Jazz

Wayne Bergeron “Nationally acclaimed trumpeter , special guest Artist”

will be featured with

“Rich Wetzel’s Groovin Higher Jazz Orchestra”

Saturday, May 25th @ 8:00pm

Tacoma’s Broadway Center For The Performing Arts, at The Rialto Theater

John Clayton says, “Wayne is the most amazing sharp shooting, powerful, and swinging lead / feature trumpet player I have ever played with”

Maynard Ferguson says, “Wayne is probably the most musical lead player ever on my band”

$20.00 Ticket – Festival Seating, includes access ...

"Wetzel plays with a Maynard Ferguson-inspired sound that can be clearly heard on every chart"

Mark Lynn, ITG Journal, June 2009

Primary Instrument

Trumpet

Clinic/Workshop Information

Rich Wetzel is available as a Bach, Conn-Selmer trumpet clinician usually working with high school and college jazz ensembles or with all ages at open clinic events. The focus of the clinic is proper techniques for maximum results with regard to range, sound, and over all playing.

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