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Tatum Greenblatt

TATUM GREENBLATT
Tatum Greenblatt has established himself as one of the most in-demand trumpet players on New York City's music scene. Named by Wynton Marsalis as one of his favorite "up-and- coming trumpet players," Greenblatt has performed with Marsalis, as well as with Joe Lovano, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, The Mingus Legacy Bands, Maria Schneider, India Arie, George Gruntz, Donny McCaslin, David Berger, Christian McBride, Jimmy Cobb, Jeremy Pelt, Sara Gazarek, Reggie Workman, George Garzone and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, among many others. After earning his Master's Degree from The Juilliard School, Tatum can now be heard performing all over the world with The Richard Bona Group, and frequently around New York City with The Mingus Big Band, Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band, Fat Cat Big Band, and Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra. In May 2011 at the request of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Greenblatt formed and led the Essentially Ellington All-Stars Band performing to sold-out audiences at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. His upcoming album, Imprints, his third as a leader, is slated for release October 2011.

A native of Seattle, WA, Tatum Greenblatt grew up in a musical household with a musician/educator father and filmmaker/educator mother. With frequent rehearsals and impromptu jam sessions often popping up in the family living room, Greenblatt picked up drumming while still a toddler, emulating the musicians who were often at his house to play, and became enamored with the music in his father’s record collection. “My favorite above all others was Art Blakey and The Jazz Messangers,” Greenblatt recalls, “particularly the album, Ugetsu, with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. I used to ask my parents to put it on when I was just two years old.” At the age of 9, Tatum picked up the trumpet and one year later, began performing with Imperials, a local music and youth organization. Seattle's excellent music programs, which produced several great young musicians including Anne Drummond, Aaron Parks, and a host of others, offered Greenblatt the chance to thrive at an early age. He played his first professional gig, performing with his father, when he was only in the 5th grade. "I was lucky to have some incredible teachers--Robert Knatt in middle school, Clarence Acox at Garfield High School," Greenblatt remembers. "I gigged in Seattle throughout high school, and got to tour Europe twice during that time."

One of Greenblatt's biggest influences at the time was Patience Higgins, a highly respected saxophone teacher and professional gigging musician in New York City, and close friend of Greenblatt's father. Higgins stayed with the family when he came through Seattle, tutoring Greenblatt and offering advice on the life of a New York musician. Higgins connected Greenblatt with John Longo, Wynton Marsalis' former teacher, as well as Stanford Davis and Laurie Frink. Higgins continued to mentor Greenblatt after he moved to New York, with the two often meeting up at the regular Jam Session Higgins lead at St. Nick’s Pub in Harlem. A turning point in Greenblatt's education and professional development came when he participated in Jazz at Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington High School Band Competition program as a junior and senior. It was at Essentially Ellington that he initially met Wynton Marsalis, leading to a three-hour private lesson with the trumpet great and on-going lessons when Greenblatt moved to New York City at the age of 18 to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. In addition to Marsalis, the move to New York spurred lessons with such trumpet luminaries as Laurie Frink, Joe Magnerelli, Terrell Stafford, Jimmy Owens, Mark Gould, and Chris Jaudes. Jam sessions at New York clubs such as Cleopatra’s Needle, Zinc Bar, and Smalls, and work with his classmates at the New School, drove Greenblatt to explore experimental, Latin, hip-hop, rock, ska and pop music, greatly expanding his musical horizons. As his education continued, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt became an important mentor to Greenblatt as well, leading to his first experiences playing with The Mingus Big Band. This exciting time period also included a trip to Freiburg, Germany for a jazz workshop with the New School (International Association of Schools of Jazz). Legendary Swiss pianist, composer and big band leader George Gruntz, president of the association that year, presided over the workshop, leading to an offer for Greenblatt to tour with his band. Greenblatt went on to earn his Master's Degree at the Juilliard School, traveling, performing and conducting educational workshops along the way. While still in school, Greenblatt embarked on three European tours with George Gruntz, performed in two concert series with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, began performing regularly with The Mingus Big Band, and subbing in Broadway musical orchestras. By the time he graduated, Greenblatt had solidified his place as one of New York’s top young trumpet players.

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Album Review

Glenn Close & Ted Nash: Transformation

Read "Transformation" reviewed by Paul Rauch


Transformation is a multi-disciplinary work from saxophonist/composer Ted Nash, and iconic actress Glenn Close, exploring the multi-faceted and abstract theme of transformation. The works included examine the theme from both universal and individual conceptions. Music and literature at its best is clearly transformative for anyone experiencing it. Transformation is by essence, the highest and most illuminating expression of change. Nash embraced the project by creating a colorful and illustrative collection of pieces, embracing Close's curated literary selections recited by the ...

5
Album Review

Glenn Close/Ted Nash: Transformation

Read "Transformation" reviewed by Jack Bowers


When confronted by an album whose tracks include the names “Creation" (Parts 1 and 2), “Preludes for Memnon," “Wisdom of the Humanities" and “Reaching the Tropopause," among others, one braces for whatever may transpire, buoyed by the thought that with Glenn Close, Ted Nash and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on board, how displeasing could it be? The verdict: not at all displeasing—but it must be appraised on its own terms, as a series of philosophical and hopefully transformative ...

4
Album Review

Uptown Jazz Tentet: What's Next

Read "What's Next" reviewed by Jack Bowers


A tentet is a rather strange bird; too large to be labeled a small group, yet too small to be counted as a big band, it resides somewhere near the edges, mapping out its own musical profile. Some may rate that an asset, while others may deem it a mere hybrid, unworthy of their consideration. Wiser auditors, however, most often reserve judgment, preferring to take an impartial stance and allow the music to speak for itself. And that is where ...

7
Album Review

Uptown Jazz Tentet: What's Next

Read "What's Next" reviewed by Edward Blanco


New York-based trombonist Willie Applewhite birthed the idea of forming a new big band comprised of friends, and in 2016 The Uptown Jazz Tentet was established, co-led by trumpeter Brandon Lee and trombonist James Burton III. After playing to live audiences for several years, What's Next is the group's debut recording, and what an outing it is. Grounded in the traditions of the Billy Strayhorn, Gill Evans, Duke Ellington big bands and others, as large ensembles go, these ten players ...

3
Album Review

George DeLancey: Paradise

Read "Paradise" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Is it acceptable to label a musical recording as “delicious"? If so, it describes bassist George DeLancey's sophomore release Paradise. He presents eight compositions, half from his pen and the remaining from Oscar Pettiford, John Lewis, Thelonious Monk, and Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein. The eight tracks, none of which tops five minutes, are well balanced with solos commensurate with that concept. Delancey is a young man (b.1988) with a very old soul. His music brings to mind the aforementioned ...

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Performance / Tour

Trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt And His Quintet To Perform At Smalls Jazz Club August 30th

Trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt And His Quintet To Perform At Smalls Jazz Club August 30th

Source: Jennifer Kramer

Tatum Greenblatt Quintet August 30 at Smalls Jazz Club, NYC 9:30pm – Midnight | $20 cover featuring Tatum Greenblatt, trumpet Geoff Vidal, tenor sax Adam Birnbaum, piano Sam Minaie, bass Ulysses Owens, drums For his Smalls Jazz Club debut, Tatum and his band will perform selections from his latest 2012 release, Imprints as well as favorites from his two previous recordings and new compositions. His third recording as a leader, ...

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Recording

Trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt To Release Third Recording "Imprints" Available March 13, 2012

Trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt To Release Third Recording "Imprints" Available March 13, 2012

Source: Jennifer Kramer

BI-COASTAL CD RELEASE CONCERTS IN MARCH 2012: NEW YORK CITY'S DIZZY'S CLUB COCA-COLA MARCH 12 & SEATTLE'S TULA'S JAZZ CLUB MARCH 29 Tatum Greenblatt offers his third recording as a leader, Imprints, which will be released for digital and hard copy sales beginning March 13, 2012. Imprints is a follow-up to his two previous recordings; Break of Day (2008) was recorded with The Here and Now Quintet for Origin Records OA2 label, and Mance's Dance (2006) recorded with Tatum's quintet ...

Primary Instrument

Trumpet

Location

New York City

Clinic/Workshop Information

Workshops and Master Classes

For additional information and availability, [email protected]

Jazz Improvisation: For musicians at all levels wanting to learn the art of improvisation

- Beginning theory to advanced harmonic techniques
- Learning to play in time, feeling odd meters and developing a sense swing
- Developing improvisation vocabulary
- Learning jazz repertoire

Trumpet Technique: Covering all facets of modern trumpet performance

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Holidays

Sunnyside Records
2023

buy

Transformation

Tiger Turn
2021

buy

The Art Of...

Nardis Music
2021

buy

Paradise

Self Produced
2020

buy

What's Next

Irabbagast Records
2020

buy

Imprints

Self Produced
2012

buy

What's Next

From: What's Next
By Tatum Greenblatt

Paradise

From: Paradise
By Tatum Greenblatt

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