Jazz Trumpet Player Jim Rotondi of
New York City
Jazz Trumpet Player Jim Rotondi of New York City is truly one of the great unsung heroes of Jazz Trumpet artistry. I was first exposed to Jim's jazz trumpet artistry on a couple of Toshiko-Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra albums that I own.
Jazz Trumpet Player Jim Rotondi grew up in Butte, Montana where he began playing the trumpet at age 12. My first musical influence was my mother, who remains a strong influence. Jim relates, "My first trumpet teacher was a man in Butte, Montana named Larry Cragwick. Larry really showed me the basics of playing a brass instrument, like the proper use of air and embouchure, very thoroughly." Jim graduated from Butte High School in 1980. After high school, Jim went to the University of Oregon for two years, but without declaring a major. When Jim decided to get serious about his trumpet playing, he transferred to North Texas State University, (now the University of North Texas). Jim remembers, "When I was at Oregon, I didn�t do too much; some rock band gigs and gigs with school groups. Also while I was in Oregon, I remember Bobby Shew coming to do a workshop and concert with our big band, which made a very strong impression upon me." During Jim's time at North Texas, he went through the ranks from reading band to the One O�clock Lab Band. In the One O'Clock Band, Jim did a lot of gigs. In fact, Jim states, "it was almost more like a gig itself than a college big band." Jim also did quite a few Latin gigs in the Dallas area at this time, as well as some private trumpet teaching. While in Texas, Jim was awarded first place in the International Trumpet Guild's Jazz Trumpet Competition for the year 1984. Jim fondly recalls, "My most influential trumpet teacher at North Texas was a man named Don Jacoby, (whose name probably recurs frequently on this site) since he taught just about every notable trumpet player from North Texas until his death. He was a truly inspired teacher.
After Jim graduated from North Texas, he worked on a cruise ship in Florida to save money, since he knew at that time that he wanted to move to New York City eventually. Jim recalls, "This was not a particularly enriching gig musically, but it was my first time receiving a regular paycheck for playing my trumpet. My father, in particular, was ecstatic about this. On this gig I met quite a few good musicians with whom I later worked in New York and on the road." Jim moved to New York in June of 1987, and immediately went on the road with the touring company of a Broadway show. After that, Jim went out with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, which was and still is based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Jim wanted to mention a great jazz trumpeter, Kerry MacKillop, who was on the Artie Shaw band at that time and who ... " showed all of us about making great MUSIC every night."
Jim's next professional gig after Artie Shaw was with Ray Charles.
Jim did this gig for about a year and a half, on and off. Jim recalls, "This was a truly great experience, and I consider it to be my graduate degree. Among the many things I learned on this gig was that if you�re a professional, or aspire to be one, you really have to try to bring it every night, regardless of the situation. Ray demanded that of us and gave it himself. One memorable occasion that would illustrate this was a night in Italy when Ray was sick with a 100+ degree fever AND he was drunk. The keyboard he normally used wasn�t working for some reason, so they wheeled out a concert grand piano. That was the best I ever heard him, and the band, sound.
Speaking of booze, I also remember that we had a size regulation for our suitcases because there HAD to be space for Ray�s custom-made anvil case containing his Bol�s gin under the bus. If it didn�t fit, somebody�s suitcase got left (LOL)!" Immediately following the Ray Charles gig, Jim commenced a six year tenure with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. During this time Jim also became a member of organist Charles Earland's quintet.
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JIM ROTONDI
JIM ROTONDI
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