Virtuoso trumpeter Dave Ballou discusses his activities as an improvising musician, his work as a composer of chamber music, and his philosophy on creativity. Topics include the Macro Quarktet (which he co-leads with trumpeter Herb Robertson), his transition from playing split lead trumpet in the big bands of Woody Herman and Tommy Dorsey to the school of creative improvisers he’s worked with for the last two decades, and his compositions for members of the TILT Brass and the Meridian Arts Ensemble. The conversation is interspersed with duo improvisations between Dave Ballou and James Ilgenfritz.
Dave Ballou (photo by Scott Friedlander
Dave Ballou has released nine internationally recognized CD’s as a leader and co-leader. He has performed or recorded with ensembles led by Michael Formanek, Kevin Norton, Maria Schneider, Andrew Hill, Dave Liebman, Oliver Lake, Joe Lovano, Sheila Jordan, Steely Dan, Rabih Abou-Kahlil, Don Preston and an extensive list of jazz personalities. Dave has performed Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #2 with the Bella Musica Orchestra of NY, and Larry Austin’s Improvisations with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. He also was a featured soloist for the premiere of Gunther Schuller’s Encounters, a composition celebrating the 100th anniversary of Jordon Hall. Dave is currently head of the Jazz/Commercial Music division at Towson University in Maryland. He earned a BM from Berklee College of Music in 1986 and a MA from the University of New Hampshire in 1991.
Ten Thousand Hours 
[…] Ten Thousand Hours has a new installment with Dave Ballou. […]