Love these words of wisdom about making music from the trumpter Doc Severinsen....Something all of us at Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop in the Hamptons and New Jersey use a source of inspiration. I remember him as a flashy and charismatic trumpeter who was great at small talk on the “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” Glad I came across this to understand the real person and talented musician he is!
"Speaking to an auditorium of students, Severinsen was asked by one pupil what makes a trumpet player the best in his field. His reply was a masterclass in reveling in the beauty of music and the present moment.
“I think it’s what’s in you,” he replied. “How do you feel about other people? Are you nice to other people? Do you see the best in them? Can you cry when you play a melody that’s so beautiful it deserves every tear you can give? You’re so filled with joy, that it comes out in the form of tears. Release all the bad things you ever thought about, all the sadness you’ve ever had in your life is gone, and you’re joyous."
“That’s why I play the trumpet. I do it because I love it. You gotta have some humor in your life. Get a laugh out of life, and you’ll play better,” Severinsen said. “The happy people are the lucky people. Be happy.”