Wayne Bergeron

Wayne Bergeron, American jazz musician and trumpet player, was born in 1958 in Hartford, Connecticut and grew up Southern California. His interest in music started on the French Horn before he switched to the trumpet in 8th grade. While he was in middle school, Wayne was balancing on a box next to car, while trying to balance, he slipped smashing into the car and chipping his tooth. This accident turned into a triumph. It is thought that due to this chip in his tooth he is able to blow more air through the horn and play higher notes easier, however this hasn't been proven and even Wayne himself isn't really sure what all contributes to his natural ability on trumpet. "I found I had natural ability for playing the trumpet in the upper register at an early age." Even early on, he was able to capably play in a high register on the trumpet, a skill that takes most trumpet players years to develop. Wayne has said that it was difficult for him to learn the trumpet because he naturally played everything up two octaves. He could play a double high C (C7) before he could play low C (C4/middle C). Wayne took to trumpet quickly, Ron Savitt, his high school band director, molded his natural abilities into practical working skills. Savitt did this by having Wayne play and sight-read many different types of music, rather than focus on any one particular type of music. Wayne has credited this teaching method to his success in the studio industry today. In 1986, Wayne landed a lead trumpet position with the Maynard Ferguson Band. Ferguson spoke highly of him, "Wayne is one of my all time favorite lead players that has performed in my band. His first solo CD is long overdue." Wayne eventually released his first solo album in 2004, 'You Call This a Living?' and snagged his first Grammy nomination. His second album, 'Plays Well With Others' was critically acclaimed as well, and was released in 2007. One of the last recordings of Maynard Ferguson playing trumpet is on this album, titled "Maynard and Waynard." Wayne is a national artist for the Yamaha Corporation where he designed his own trumpet, the YTR-8335LA, alongside with master trumpet designer Bob Malone. This is a custom built Yahama trumpet that has a wider bore down the lead pipe. Today Wayne still resides in Southern California and is a mentor to young musicians. He is staffed at California State University, Northridge as the lead trumpet instructor. Wayne is also one of the house trumpet players for the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California. His next scheduled work is for the production Wicked that is scheduled to return in November 2011. Wayne also plays lead trumpet for Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. Goodwin states that Wayne is the most important person in the band. Goodwin writes his trumpet parts specifically for Wayne, saying that, "...If Wayne isn't there, it just sounds different." Examples of Wayne's work are shown in Rocky Balboa and The Incredibles. Artists who Bergeron has worked alongsideedit: As a sideman, Wayne has been involved with hundreds of recording projects that include: Christina Aguilera, Mike Andreas, Ray Anthony, Avenged Sevenfold, Shinedown, David Benoit, Beyoncé, Bobby Caldwell, Frank Capp, Ralph Carmichael, Matt Catingub, Ray Charles, Buddy Childers, Chicago, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Cocker, Harry Connick, Jr., Bob Curnow, Celine Dion, Green Day, Bill Elliott, Bob Florence, Josh Groban, Warren Hill, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Dave Koz, Diana Krall, Tom Kubis, John La Barbara, Bill Liston, Barry Manilow, Eric Marienthal, The Mars Volta, Bette Midler, Ronnie Milsap, Sammy Nestico, Roger Neumann, The Offspring, Bill Perkins, Tito Puente, Lou Rawls, Diane Reeves, Kim Richmond, Arturo Sandoval, Diane Schuur, Brian Setzer, Jack Sheldon, Keely Smith, George Stone, Mel Tormé, Gary Urwin, Chris Walden, Bill Watrous, Pat Williams, Robbie Williams, Lee Ann Womack, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Maynard Ferguson, Notesedit: ^ 1, ^ Liner Notes from Album, "You Call This a Living?" 2002 Wag Records., ^ 2, ^ 3, ^ 4

Source: Wikipedia

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