PAUL MORELLI MUSIC

Paul Morelli's trumpet experience covers all styles, from Baroque to modern classical music, and from jazz to Latin to soul. Mr. Morelli has performed with such ensembles as the Temptations, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, and the James Mathus Band (leader of the Squirrel Nut Zippers). He has recorded for composer Eric Ewazen on the recording of Southern Landscapes: Music for Wind Ensemble. Paul's trumpet playing can also be heard in Heinz ketchup TV commercials and on such recordings as James Mathus' albums "Jimmy the Kid" and "Knockdown South", Lynn Cardona's "Loving You", the Black Diamond Heavies' "All to Hell", and many more. Around Memphis, Tennessee he performs regularly as a classical soloist, with brass quintets, with jazz orchestras, with salsa bands, and with soul bands. He plays with some of the region's top ensembles, including the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, the New Memphis Hepcats, the Caribbean Sound, the Soul Outsiders, Jumpback Jake, and many more.

Unlike many trumpeters, Paul is comfortable in both classical and jazz settings. He can read charts with no problem, can improvise on chord changes well, transpose on sight, and play by ear without charts easily. Should you need something played on B-flat, C, D, E-flat, or piccolo trumpets or on flugelhorn, Paul can perform it, having logged many hours studying and performing each one.

Mr. Morelli holds a Bachelor's degree in Music and a Master of music degree from the University of Memphis. While in college, he performed with the jazz orchestra (lead and solo trumpet), wind ensemble (principal and soloist), orchestra, contemporary chamber players, jazz combos, trumpet ensemble, and jazz singers. Paul has performed at the Montreaux Jazz festival, the College Band Directorss National Association Conference in Oxford, MS, and for the Jazz Educators National Conference in New Orleans, where he played lead trumpet and premiered his jazz orchestra arrangement of Cole Porter's So In Love. He has studied trumpet primarily with Dr. David Spencer and Scott Ducaj, and has also studied with Keith Johnson, Marvin Stamm, Ray Riccomini, and Kai Palmer.

Paul Morelli's main professional focus is the trumpet. However, he has logged a great many performing, recording, and teaching jobs on woodwinds. Mr. Morelli performs on clarinet, saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone), flute, alto flute, and bass clarinet. Paul has performed as a reed doubler for the Bob Hardwick Sound, the New Memphis Hepcats, Joyce Cobb, Jeremy Shrader, the Bob Turner Jazz Octet, Even Odds Dance Band, Delta Saturn Blues Band, Jumpback Jake, the Flying Squid Battalion, various church orchestras, and on NPR's Toast of the Nation which was broadcast live internationally. Paul's recording credits on woodwinds include TV commercials for Heinz ketchup, James Mathus of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Jumpback Jake, the Black Diamond Heavies, Alcazar Hotel, Lynn Cardona, Third Man, and Psychedelta.

Paul's classical ability and improvisational skill are somewhat limited on woodwinds, but as a reader and ear player his woodwind skills are on par with his trumpet skills. In a jazz, rock, or blues group his flexibility to perform comfortably on many different instruments is fully professional. Because of the rarity of trumpet players who can double on reeds, Paul can be extremely helpful to a band or a recording session, able to switch between instruments as needed. In a performing band, he can, say, play trumpet one night and alto sax/flute the next if the band cannot find an alto sub. In a recording session, he can overdub an entire horn section alone. Also, he owns and can play slightly unusual instruments like baritone sax, alto flute, and bass clarinet.