Trumpet Player James Barela was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming and began his musical/trumpet training at the age of 10. James learned quickly and was soon forming and booking his own jazz and rock combos. After graduating high school, James attended Northwest College and studied with Neil Hansen, Mike Masterson, and Ronnie Bedford (whose group James regularly performed with). James later transferred to the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music/Trumpet Performance and a Master of Music/Composition both with Honors. While at Lamont, his teachers included: Joe Docksey, Dan Kuehn, Bob Montgomery, Dave Hanson, Malcolm Lynn Baker, Vincent Laguardia, Donald Keats, and Art Bouton.
During his stay, James became a first call trumpeter with many of Denver's finest musicians and performed in a number of diverse musical settings. Some of those he performed with are Bob Montgomery, Willie Hill, Sam Bivens, Joe Bonner, Eric Gunnison, Freddie Rodriquez, Ronnell Bright, Mitchell Long and Hi-Fi-Mo-Fo, Drew Morell, Paul Musso, Rich Chiarluce, Tony Klatka, Backstreet, Art Lande, Paul Romaine, Lou Fischer, Ron Miles, Bruno Carr, and Raw Brass, just to name a few. James also made a bigger name for himself with his quintet co-led by tenor saxophonist Pete Peterson. This group, which included Shamie Royston, Artie Moore, and Rudy Royston, placed runner-up in the Cognac-Hennessy Jazz search.
In 1998, James moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and continued his musical career as a first call lead/jazz trumpeter with many of the best groups and shows including, Jump, Jive, and Wail, Dian Diaz, Patty Janura, Sin City Daddies, Tropical Splash, Backstreet, Storm, David Poe, and countless others. James has also become a requested writer/arranger/producer for many of Las Vegas' finest acts. On the national/international scene James has performed with the Woody Herman Orchestra, Cyrus Chestnut, David Amram, Mike Stern, Joel Kaye's Neophonic Big Band, the Ronnie Bedford Quartet, Bill Watrous, Butch Miles, Byron Stripling, Clay Jenkins, Kim Richmond, Lew Tabakin, Bobby Shew, Jamey Abersod, Nick Brignola, John McNeil, Phil Wilson, Ray Price, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Joe Williams and Dian Diaz.
James' playing can be heard on several recordings by artists such as, Nick Brignola, Unit Five, Neophonic Jazz Orchestra, Mark Massamino, Jump Jive and Wail, Josephine, and his own group BLU7. James has also been featured in the television mini-series, "Steven King's-THE SHINING". James has been featured in magazines ranging from Downbeat and The Rocky Mountain News to Westword magazine, Las Vegas Weekly, All about jazz and The Gift of Jazz. James has performed all over the world with just about every type of musical ensemble and continues to search for new sounds to incorporate into his writing and playing.
A recent injury to the upper lip led James to Dr. Simon McGrail in Toronto. Dr. McGrail performed a surgical procedure to repair the injury. This sidelined James for 3 years. James then sought the help of trumpet great Bobby Shew and within a year had regained most of the ability he had prior to the injury. This has led James to reach out to others who have suffered similar injuries and begin the process of writing a study on embouchure injuries, how to recognize, recover from, and the residual psychological effects.
TRUMPET PLAYER JAMES BARELA
TRUMPET PLAYER JAMES BARELA
James Barelas' only teacher until he got to college was John Wacker. James relates, "We did not really focus on any pedagogical methods but more on music and sound. I really learned how to read with John. I could, obviously, read before studying with him; However, I learned how to read, recognize, and remember what was on the page. This allowed me and his other students to concentrate more on making music. It wasn�t until college that I had a teacher dedicated to my technical advancement. At Northwest College it was Neil Hanson who introduced me to Arban, Clarke, etc. He really got me into practicing and making good use of my practice time. At Lamont School of Music, it was Dan Shaner who really showed me how to articulate and F. Joseph Docksey who challenged me to leave the boy and become a man on the horn. Also at Lamont, was Bob Montgomery whose teaching was and is priceless. I can honestly say that Bob may have had a direct influence on everything I know in one way or another. Lou Fischer was also there and really challenged my creativity and helped me conceive a basic improvisational philosophy. John McNeil opened my head up. Lew Soloff taught me to not worry about mistakes and always be the lead player ... regardless of what chair I am sitting. Ron Miles was an epiphany. Bobby Shew brought me back from the dead. Clay Jenkins introduced me to a chromatic approach.
I recommend every method book. There is something that can be taken and learned from in every method. I really am a walking prototype of the eclectic embouchure. The books are only as good as what you can get from them and what you intend to learn from them in the first place.
I like to play scales and arpeggios in ways that I or someone else has come up with. This makes the mind and body work and ultimately us all better trumpet players with more facility.
I teach only those willing to learn. I don�t really have the time to spend on a student not willing to open their minds. I believe that I have a method of teaching jazz improvisation that is unique and practical. It is a method that focuses on knowledge of history, technical facility and forward/progressive thinking."
Trumpet Player James Barela favors jazz music but as he states, "I like all music done with integrity and respect to the listeners. I love a lot of players probably most all that I hear. My favorite trumpeters and those who influenced my playing most are Louis Armstrong, Bix Biederbecke, Louis Prima, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Chet Baker, Booker Little, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, Chuck Findley, Bobby Shew, Bob Montgomery, John McNeil, Ron Miles, Carl Saunders, Wynton Marsalis, Terrence Blanchard, Clay Jenkins, Neil Hanson, F. Joseph Docksey, Adolph Herseth. Those are all guys I can say directly influenced the way I think and play. But I really take and learn something from every player I hear. When it comes to lead playing I really like Dave Stahl, Snooky Young, Wayne Bergeron, Roger Ingram, Pete Olstead, Byron Stripling and Doc Severinson.
Those who are not trumpeters and have influenced me and my playing/composing are too numerous but a few are Beethoven, Phillip Glass, George Crumb, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Tower of Power, Eric Dolphy, Van Halen, Chicago Symphony Brass-Bud Herseth and Arnold Jacobs, and David Poe."
