J A M I   D A U B E R

Jami Dauber is a graduate of the University of North Texas, where she earned a Masters degree in Jazz Studies and was the first female trumpet player in the world-renowned One O'clock Lab Band. Her Bachelors degree is in Music Education from the University of Florida. She has studied trumpet with Don "Jake" Jacoby, Victor Paz, Laurie Frink, and John McNeil. Currently Jami is living in New York City and freelancing in the New York area. Jami has been a member of DIVA, an all woman big band led by drummer Sherrie Maricle, since 1995 and has subbed on many Broadway shows.

Some highlights of her career include performing with CLARK TERRY, STEVE ALLEN,and with DIVA with NANCY WILSON, DIANE SCHUUR, the NEW YORK POPS, JOE WILLIAMS, DAVE BRUBEK, JON HENDRIX, DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER, ROSEMARY CLOONEY, JACK JONES, JAMES BROWN.

Jami teaches private trumpet lessons and is currently involved in the NEW YORK POPS' Salute to Music program. Jami can be heard on 2 of DIVA's CDs, I BELIEVE IN YOU and LEAVE IT TO DIVA, which has Jami's arrangement of "Makin' Whoopie." She can also be heard on DEBRA BARSHA's debut CD, WOMEN IN WINDOWS, DON ADOLFO AND HIS ORQUESTA ORGANIZACION'S newest CD, RITMO CALIENTE, and ED PALERMO PLAYS THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA, the first CD by the ED PALERMO BIG BAND. Jami has played on a Benge trumpet for 19 years and is a United Musical Instruments (UMI) Artist.

T H E  I N T E R V I E W. . .

Sherrie Maricle and DIVA Jazz Orchestra website

jdauber@nyc.rr.com

Was your family background musical?

Yeah, I guess. My dad played saxophone, bassoon, and piano in his early years and continued with piano (all non-professionally) up until I was in high school. Music was played in my home all the time, especially jazz, classic rock, the "in-between" stuff (Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears, etc.), and folk music (mom). And my dad used to take me to hear bands a lot in Dallas when I was around 11-13 years old, like Lou Fischer's band, which was a great big band to go hear live, usually on Tuesday nights at a club called Strictly Tabu. And my mom played a lot of music, like Bob Dylan, Moody Blues, etc. So there was quite a variety!


What made you decide to play trumpet?

I never know how to answer that. I began playing piano at age 3, and when I was in 5th grade, which was the first year I could be in concert band, I played percussion. We were put in a class with the brass players, and I think it was there that I decided that I'd rather be playing trumpet. I had always loved the sound of the trumpet, especially the recordings I'd heard of Louis Armstrong, Chicago, and B,S &T. So I switched to trumpet in 6th grade (age 10).



On leaving your education, have you always been a full time musician?

YES.



Describe your early experiences of semi / pro work.

Well, the first gig I remember getting paid for was in 9th grade in Dallas, TX for an Easter gig. It was at a Southern Baptist church, and it was quite traumatic, actually, because I am Jewish, and this guy was up there talking about how the Jews killed Christ, and all this shit, so it was pretty much a drag. I got paid for it, but my mom didn't care and definitely discouraged me from doing anymore Easter gigs. Fortunately, times have changed, and I don't hear that crap anymore. I've made a ton of money playing in churches, and everyone's been very cool. They don't care what religion you are, as long as you can play. After graduating from UNT, I moved to Branson, Missouri and lasted there about 4 months. It was very beautiful, being in the Ozark Mountains, but shows there are very unstable, every show has the typical patriotic and religious theme, and there was really no culture or diversity there. So that is when I decided to make the move to New York.

Anyway...in college (University of Florida, undergrad), I played at a local theater for some shows, and for 3 years, I worked at Disney World during the Holiday Season in December. That was a really great experience (not counting the HOT, SWEATY parades...Int'l TV exposure...big deal when you're wearing a clown outfit!). Most of the guys I played with went on to be professional players (Marcus Printup, for example).

When I was at school at University of North Texas, I did a lot of freelancing around the Dallas area.


Who were your teachers?

My first trumpet teacher was Ray Akin in Dallas, and he introduced me to the Clark Studies book.

In high school in Stuart, Florida, I studied with Harry Grant (Gary Grant's father). I still have the copy of the Charlier book he gave me (ancient! but the only one I own). He was a really great teacher. I really didn't have a good trumpet teacher again until I got to Univ. of North TX. I got a lot of technical stuff from Leonard Candelaria, but the ABSOLUTE GOD OF THE TRUMPET, Don "Jake" Jacoby, was my best, favorite, MOST AMAZING teacher.

Since I moved to New York in 1994, I have studied off and on with Laurie Frink, who is really great with the Caruso method. I've also taken some jazz lessons from John McNeil.


What Orchestral experience have you had?

I played in the Irving Symphony Orchestra when I was at UNT.



What session (Jingles / TV) experience have you had?

I was on that same session that Scott Englebright was on at UNT. Besides that...some jingles for Nickelodeon TV, but that's about it. It's really tough to break into that scene in NYC.



What small group / ensemble experience have you had?

A lot. My first experience was in Florida with Marcus Printup, and then at UNT. I had my own quintet in Dallas, and right when we started to get a lot of gigs, I graduated and moved away. I've had a quintet of my own off and on here in New York, but I've also been a side"man" in a lot of situations.


Other playing experiences?

WAY too much to go into detail. But basically, after North Texas, I lived in Branson, Missouri for a few months playing in various theaters, and then I moved to New York in 1994. I began subbing on Broadway, with "Showboat," and then many other shows, including "Titanic," "Little Me," "Music Man," and most recently and currently, "Sweet Smell of Success" with John Lithgow.

My main jazz gig is with a jazz orchestra called DIVA. That has been a really amazing experience, TONS of road experience, and for more info, you can check out the website at www.divajazz.com. All of the charts that DIVA plays are written specifically for the band. I also played on a recording benefiting the families of the September 11th attacks. I also have LOTS of funny stories with DIVA...WAY too many to go into here. ; )

Oscar Peterson, "Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One (Clark Terry)"

Clifford Brown, "Live At Basin Street"

Miles Davis, "Live Around the World"

Trumpet tips you like to share?

AIR

SOUND

TIME

(and not necessarily in that order)

Also, I don't spend much time on equipment "b.s." I found what worked (in 1982!) and have stuck with it all this time. I play on an LA Benge, MLP, 3x and I use a Bach #3e mouthpiece for lead/jazz playing and a Yamaha 14 B-4 Gold Plated for everything else.

Also, I don't spend much time on equipment "b.s." I found what worked (in 1982!) and have stuck with it all this time. I play on an LA Benge, MLP, 3x (and I don't even know what all that crap means), and I use a Bach #3e for lead/jazz playing and a Yamaha 14 B-4 Gold Plated for everything else. Guys that talk about equipment all the time...well, that's really all they can talk about.

The best thing that Jake ever taught me was this...chop problems do NOT exist, unless you have a serious physical/medical problem. Everything else is all in your mind. And YOU have complete control of that.


********NEW PROJECTS

DIVA will be recording a LIVE CD on June 19th in Pittsburgh at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild

....here's also a partial discography for me….

"All Join Together," Benefiting "The New York Times" 9/11 Neediest Fund, The Performance Series, 2001

"I Believe in You," DIVA, 1999

"Women in Windows," Deborah Barsha, 1999

"Leave it to DIVA," DIVA, 1997

"The Ed Palermo Big Band Plays the Music of Frank Zappa," 1997

any recordings of the One O'Clock Lab Band from 92-94, including the recording of Scott Englebright playing "Danny Boy"

Jami D

Thank you very much indeed for sharing your thoughts with the
' Trumpet Web Community ' 22nd April 2002.