My Education

Growing up in Canada with one of the best big bands in the world, The Boss Brass, with lead trumpeter, the late Arnie Chycoski, was a huge influence on me and probably every other aspiring trumpeter. I was very lucky to have played with Arnie, one of my heroes, and learned as much by what he said verbally as what he said on his horn. It was when Arnie and I were playing a long run of a show where much to my terror at first, I was hired to play lead with Arnie in the section. He was a most gracious and supportive section player and after a couple of weeks on the show paid me the most amazing compliment. After the gig that night when we were having a little taste, he said he was going to call me “L’il Goz” from now on. I don’t think he knew that one of my heroes and someone whose sound I tried to emulate was Gozzo but that was such a heart warming compliment coming from him.

Another huge lesson for me was sitting next to Wayne Bergeron for two weeks playing a show in LA. I often ask players whom I admire if there were one or two exercises or methods that had the biggest impact on their playing. Wayne laid a version of James Stamp’s routine on me and it’s been an amazing transformation for me. Thanks Wayne!!

Thanks to all the wonderful players I’ve been fortunate to sit next to and the ones I’ve grown up listening to.

- Paul Baron

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