Paul's Trumpet/Wind Instrument Page

In spent much of my youth playing trumpet, picking it up from my Dad who would regularly play along with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass recordings, which were amazing to me! He handed down to me his Martin "The Indiana" 1950s era student-grade trumpet and I was was hooked.

I studied at North Shore Conservatory (Endicott College) and was taught by, among others, Jim Pastore who played with Chick Corea in a teenage jazz band, the Dorsey band, and the Larry Elgart band. I was a member of the St. Anthony's (Revere, MA) CYO marching band; we performed at parades and also in field competitions, feeder to DCI drum corps 27th Lancers. This was a super fun experience.

All this ended when I got braces. Then I switched to piano!

In 2010, I rekindled my interest, and mounted a "comeback." I bought an early 90s Bach Stradivarius 37 (LT180) and reacquainted myself with the Arban book (using a guide from Eric Bolvin) as well as the Clarke Technical Studies. I joined the River's Edge Community Band in Hudson, MA and began lessons with jazz trumpeter Phil Grenadier, who has appeared on 50 recordings and played alongside such famed artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Carlos Santana, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Dionne Warwick and Steve Smith's Vital Information.

This period lasted several years, and then I took another break. As of 2025, I'm mounting a "second comeback" and joining the Nashoba Symphonic Band in Bolton, MA.

I also have great fun playing blues on harmonica. I have a Hohner Marine Band Deluxe in A, Hohner Pro Harp in C, and a Hohner Crossover Marine Band in G. I also have Hohner Blues Harps in C and G, but I don't like them nearly as much as the others. My Hohner Alto Melodica is an unusual harmonica-like instrument with a keyboard. It's fun to play, but more a novelty. Finally, I also play a bit of Irish Whistle; I have the Cillian Faedog in D, a custom-made John Sindt D, and a Howard Low D.