1. Would you like to add your web address at this
point?
http://www.billchurchville.com
2. What made you decide to play trumpet?
I was a kid in New
Orleans. My
extended family was musical. My
Grandmother was an accomplished pianist.
My uncle was a school band director in Arkansas.
I would always watch the musical variety shows on TV. The summer before 5th grade in New Orleans we had band
tryouts. The local music store came out
with their Dixieland group. I was
immediately attracted to the trumpet.
The trumpet played the lead in the Dixie
style and I liked that happy sound. My
Uncle the band director sent me an old Conn Director cornet. The first song I learned was "When The Saints Go Marching In."
3. At what age did you start?
I was 9 that summer between 4th and 5th grade.
4. On leaving your education,
have you always been a full time musician?
I've always played music.
I worked a few different jobs along the way until I came to Los Angeles. I've been pretty much a full time musician,
educator, clinician ever since.
5. Describe your early experiences of semi / pro
work.
I think my first professional gig was when I was 16. It was a society party at a local country
club in Louisiana. The local college band director had a jazz
quartet and his regular trumpet player had bailed on him at the last
minute. He called me. We played "The Girl From
Impanema." I crashed and burned so
bad on the bridge. I was so embarrassed, I went home and learned that tune. I've never missed that bridge since.
6. Who were your teachers?
Hugh Hardin was my elementary/ junior high school band
director. He whipped a bunch of us snotty nosed kids into a cohesive musical
ensemble. We never failed to win sweepstakes
at district festival. Joseph M. Tate was
my High School band director. He
inspired us to always pursue excellence.
We had an incredible High School marching band. Being in Joe Tate's band formed the
foundation of my music career and I'll always be in his debt.
My first real trumpet teacher was James West. It was my
freshman year at Louisiana
State University. I was such a natural in high school that I
thought I was going to go to college and teach them a thing or two. I had a full scholarship for the LSU band and
I thought I was hot stuff. Jim West
HUMBLED me. I ran smack into a little
book called Arban's and the Clark Technical studies. I left college after two
years to play with the Army Band for a few years in the 80's. Later after I got out of the Army Band my
chops were just about destroyed from playing too hard for so many years. I went back to finish my undergrad degree at McNeese State University
and studied with Dr. Michael Ewald. He's
probably responsible for my playing professionally today. He helped fix my chop problems and got me
back to playing the horn correctly. Mike
is now the head of the brass department at U of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana. He and Ronnie Romm have built one of the
finest brass departments in the country.
I think they have something like 60 full time trumpet majors. That's a lot of buglers!
I also studied with Bobby Shew for about a year when I was a
graduate student at USC. Bobby helped me
find a good efficient commercial mouthpiece. I was killing myself all those
years on the wrong equipment. After one
lesson with Bobby I hit on the mouthpiece combination that I still play
today. It's amazing what the right equipment
will do for your playing.
As for other teachers, I've learned from every trumpet
player I've ever worked beside in a section.
I've been very fortunate to sit next to some great players. From Malcolm
McNab to Buddy Childers, Snookie Young, George Graham, Rick Baptist, Walt
Johnson, Warren Luening, Carl Saunders, Wayne Bergeron, Tim Morrison, Lee
Thornburg, Pierre Michelou, Jon Lewis, Charlie Davis, Barry Danielian, John
Thomas, Don Thomas, Jessie McGuire, etc...
I'm a lifetime student of music.
7. What Orchestral experience have you had?
Besides university orchestras, I've played in a few regional
orchestras. They usually hire me to play
lead on the pops material. I do play the
orchestral trumpets, C, Eb and piccolo however in LA people tend to categorize
you and I'm generally considered more of a commercial player than
orchestral. I have been fortunate to
work with several of the recording film scoring orchestras in Los Angeles.
The film orchestras are more reading orchestras than repertoire. I find the reading more fun than playing all of the repertoire... well except maybe Mahler or
Bruckner.
8. What session (Jingles / TV) experience have you
had?
Geeze, where do I start. My website lists these credits better than I
can. I've played on dozens of films. My favorite to date was "Swordfish"
with Christopher Young and Paul Oakenfold.
I was featured soloist on that film and I got to do some pretty cool
things on that score. It was kind of
like Miles Davis meets Don Ellis, with an electronica groove. Chris basically turned me loose on the
score. I could play anything I
wanted. The only notated part was the
opening scene. Everything else was
totally improvised... with a 100 piece orchestra in the other room.
As for other media, I've played on many TV shows from David
Letterman to Boston Legal to Dharma and Greg.
As for commercials, I have played for everything from Coca Cola to
Nike. My website has a more complete
list.
9. What small group / ensemble experience have you
had?
I've recorded a few albums with small groups for Vitamin
records. We did a jazz tribute to Sting
and the Police, also a tribute to the music of Prince. Jim McMillan arranged and produced these
sessions. He is a fine arranger and
trombone player.
My favorite small group jazz album is an album I recorded
with the Bruce Escovitz Jazz Orchestra (BEJO) called "Regions."
On the title track, I trade solos with the great Ernie
Watts. The word humbled once again comes to mind. Ernie came up with a great quote on that
session. Ernie played his solo
(brilliantly) in one take. When asked if
he'd like another shot at the solo, Ernie replied, "I can do another take.
It won't be any better. It will just be different." Anyway, there's some great ensemble playing
on that record. Bruce's writing is stellar
on that record.
10. Other playing experiences?
Let's see, there was that 6 year stint with Tower Of Power.
Thanks guys, it was a gas. There
was also Les McCann's last record entitled "Pump It Up." There were some stellar musicians on that
album. Very Funky!
The Willie Nelson "Outlaws and Angels" concert DVD
is a highpoint. I have a solo with
Willie and Ricky Lee Jones center stage on that DVD. It was broadcast
nationwide on Memorial day last year. We also got to back up an unbelievable
lineup of artists. I think I added about
10 BIG names to my resume from that one show.
We even got to do a tune with the Killer himself, Jerry Lee Lewis.
11. Do you have a solo recording online?
I've played a few commissioned pieces in clinics but I don't
believe any have been released on cd.
12. Any news on new projects?
Right now I'm so busy arranging and playing for other
people's projects that I haven't had any time to spend on my own. My friends always say, "When are you
going to release a solo album?" I guess I'm going to have to do one
now.
13. Favourite four albums?
Woody Shaw, "Rosewood"
Miles Davis "Davis"
(Cookin' and Relaxin' w/ Miles Davis- Double album.)
Donald Fagan "The Nightfly"
Vince Mendoza "Vince Mendoza"
14. Favourite two movies?
Pulp Fiction
The Godfather
15.Favourite three foods?
Boiled Louisiana
Crawfish
Louisiana
Bar B Que
Homemade banana pudding
16. Non-musical hobbies / points of interest you enjoy?
Motorcycle touring
camping / high adventure
White water rafting
17. Do you take days off from playing? (How does it
affect you?)
I used to stress out if I took a few days off the horn. Then I took a few lessons with Bobby Findley
and he changed the way I look at chop maintenance. Bobby's approach basically expands on the
legacy of Carmine Caruso. Using Bobby
and Carmine's approach, I don't sweat taking off a couple of days. I wouldn't do it before a big tour, or an important session but if I have a light week, I
don't stress about taking a couple of days off.
Bobby has a great book, entitled "Bob Findley On
Trumpet." I recommend it highly.
18. Have you had any chop problems?…if
so, how did you work through them?
I used to have a recurring problem with the mouthpiece
slipping down into the red on my top lip when I got tired. The Louis Maggio/Carlton Macbeth method
helped me correct this problem.
19. Three Trumpet tips you wish to share with the
readers.
You don't have to be a jerk to play lead trumpet. Yes, it takes confidence but nobody likes an
arrogant bugler. Usually it's the insecure guys who have the attitudes. The
great players are a joy to work with.
Balance. Everything must be in balance to play the
trumpet most efficiently. Relax.
Concentration. One thing that sets the best apart from the
rest is their ability to concentrate and focus at a very high level for long
periods of time. My mantra is "No
pressure, Play the music."
20. End of interview sentiment.
Thanks for the opportunity to share Rod. I hope this helps. Peace, Bill
