The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer, composer and recording artist Liva Strazdina, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.

This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here:
"Liva Strazdina Trumpet Interview"
And, find the expanded show notes, transcript and more photos here
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Liva Strazdina made the decision to pursue post-secondary studies in jazz music, and had been accepted to the Carl Maria von Weber Dresden University of Music, but there remained one crucial thing that she had to tackle first:
Changing her embouchure.
She had heard the suggestions before, the recommendations to do something about it before it got worse and created excessive fatigue. But the time had come.
Liva was guided by the acclaimed yet demanding instructor Malte Burba, showing her breathing and muscle-building techniques that embraced the full body, not just the lips, mouth and lungs. Which led to Liva spending a solid three months practicing with only a mouthpiece, while her new classmates were progressing with her studies. Undoubtedly a test of perseverance and commitment!
Liva compares her training to that of an athlete, who must see the bigger picture and the ultimate trajectory, particularly during the repetitive and even painful days of practice and repetition.
Fortunately for her, and all of us, her commitment has led to a burgeoning career in jazz music, and the debut of her first album, Unbalanced, featuring a mixture of original compositions and interpretations. Listen in for a thoughtful conversation, and a thoughtful album, about trumpet, creativity, resilience, and building a life in music.
About Liva Strazdina:
Līva Strazdiņa, born in 1997 in Berlin with Latvian roots, combines depth, expression and a clear personal tone in her music. After studying jazz trumpet as her main instrument at the
Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden, with teachers including Sebastian Studnitzky, Malte Burba, Simon Harrer and Till Brönner, she developed a distinctive musical language marked by intense melodic writing and a fine balance between energy and intimacy.
As a trumpeter and flugelhornist, she chooses her instrument deliberately based on mood and tone color. Alongside numerous ensemble projects, big band experience, awards and tours including the Berlin Youth Jazz Orchestra, studio recordings with LaJJazzO and tours with the indie band BEACHPEOPLE, Līva is also active as a composer. Her music reflects not only influences from jazz greats such as Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard, but also singer songwriters like Billy Joel and pop icons like Pink Floyd and Eminem.
With her debut album, Līva shares her innermost thoughts and feelings. The album invites listeners to immerse themselves in these emotions and reflect on their own emotional world.

Episode Links:
Website liva-strazdina.com

Store https://timezonerecords.lnk.to/LSUnspoken?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/livastrazdinamusic

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@livastrazdinamusic

Bandcamp https://livastrazdinamusic.bandcamp.com/merch

Bob Reeves Brass Events and Appearances:
Joy Brass, September 17-24, Tokyo Japan
http://joybrass.com
email to sign up: [email protected]
Virtuosity Music, October 9-10, Boston, MA
Greg Black Mouthpieces, November 6-7, Mount Holly, NC
NCMEA Conference, November 8-9, Winston-Salem, NC
Podcast Credits:
"A Room with a View" - composed and performed by Howie Shear
Podcast Host - John Snell
Photo Credits - Aigars Hibneris
Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer, ensemble leader and recording artist CJ Camerieri, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.

This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here:
"CJ Camerieri Trumpet Interview"
And, find the expanded show notes, transcript and more photos here
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"If you want to have a career in this, you have to know why you're the right person to call, and why you have a skill set that's exactly right for this particular thing. It's hard to make a living at it if they can just hire a different person and pay 'em less." - CJ Camerieri
Julliard grad, Grammy winner, collaborator with Bon Iver, Paul Simon, Rufus Wainwright, Sufjan Stevens, Ben Folds, Bruce Hornsby and so many more, CJ Camerieri is the personification of passion: starting piano lessons at 4 years old and never looking back.
But it's one thing to be music-obsessed from childhood, it's another to forge a successful, sustainable career in a cutthroat industry. Our conversation today is a fascinating and introspective look into the the business side of music: the back end, the royalties, the songwriting credits, the mindset and the versatility required to succeed and thrive.
For CJ, this has meant being adaptable, embracing different styles of music, being open to change and doing things that others may be less interested in.
But also, always, doing it for joy, not just a paycheque. You'll rarely meet someone more passionate about trying new things and taking on new challenges. Hence the formation in 2008 of yMusic, "A chamber ensemble with a unique mission: to work on both sides of the classical/popular music divide, without sacrificing rigor, virtuosity, charisma or style."
The threads of yMusic are woven throughout our conversation today. Transitioning to a new music scene can reignite your passion, while touring teaches practical lessons about maintaining your craft. CJ will inspire you with his insight and innovation!
About CJ Camerieri:
Since graduating from The Juilliard School in 2004 with a degree in Classical Trumpet Performance, CJ Camerieri has become an esteemed artist, songwriter, producer, and an indispensable collaborator for some of the most important artists of our time.
Camerieri is a two-time Grammy award winner (Best New Artist, 2011 and Best Alternative Album, 2011) and a co-founder of the acclaimed contemporary classical sextet yMusic (who the New Yorker has called "six contemporary classical polymaths who playfully overstep the boundaries of musical genres"). Camerieri has toured the world as a core member of Paul Simon's band since 2013 and with artists such as Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Ben Folds, Plastic Ono Band, and Sting, among many others. He has contributed to over 300 recordings and has commissioned over 100 new works of chamber music featuring the trumpet, including pieces by Andrew Norman, Gabriella Smith, Nico Muhly, Marcos Balter, Ryan Lott, and Missy Mazzoli.
In 2021 Camerieri debuted his solo project CARM, which was highlighted by performances on The Colbert Show and Tiny Desk Concert. For Paul Simon's "Farewell Tour" in 2018, Camerieri brought yMusic into Simon's touring band. This resulted in contemporary classical arrangements of the artist's iconic songs being performed in arenas around the world, as well as in featured performances on Saturday Night Live and The Colbert Show. His trio project, Heavy MakeUp, featuring himself, Edie Brickell, and Trever Hagen just released their second full length record on Sony Records.
Camerieri is also an accomplished French Horn player, keyboardist, arranger, composer, and improviser—comfortable in all styles and genres of music. In addition, Camerieri has held numerous chairs on Broadway; played principal trumpet with orchestras such as Orpheus, The Knights, and Orchestra of St. Lukes; and has written arrangements for many types of ensembles on countless recordings and performances.

 
Episode Links:
yMusic: https://www.ymusicensemble.com
Linktree: linktr.ee/CJ_Camerieri

Instagram: @carm_band
Bob Reeves Brass Events and Appearances:
Bob Reeves Brass pre-owned instruments, find your next treasure!
https://trumpetmouthpiece.com/collections/used-instruments
 

Podcast Credits:
"A Room with a View" - composed and performed by Howie Shear
Podcast Host - John Snell
Cover Photo Credit - Courtesy CJ Camerieri
Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet educator, conductor and performer Nick Smart, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.

This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here:
"Nick Smart Trumpet Interview"
And, find the expanded show notes, transcript and more photos here
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When Nick Smart was a teenager in Toddington, England, a retired professional trumpet player bought a local pub and turned it into a venue for daily jazz performances, from big band to traditional, mainstream and more, 8 shows per week. Nick was hooked, and set off on a career in music.
But although that career has involved lots of composing, performing, touring and recording, he ultimately found his passion (and a steady gig) as an educator, eventually becoming Head of Jazz Programmes at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Nick is thus in excellent position to give us solid advice on not just being a student in higher education, but pursuing a career as a professional music educator. Nick's approach is carefully centred around what will ultimately be of best service to students, and understanding your role as the member of an academic department.
How do you prepare for such roles? Like any job application, do your research, read the posting carefully, and identify what they are looking for.
But for music specifically, there are further nuances. Do you understand the role and placement of the department within the broader community? What are their objectives and priorities when it comes to music education and reputation? What do they want to be known for? How would you fit into that scene?
As a student applicant, remember that a program may not be judging you so much on your ability as to how well you'll work together with others, and integrate into the spirit of the program.
We talk about jazz education, music theory, the construct of scales and arpeggios, and understanding structure: to then dance and improvise around that structure. That's what makes theory so fascinating.
Nick was with us recently alongside Brian Shaw, talking about their recent biography of Kenny Wheeler: Song For Someone: The Musical Life of Kenny Wheeler 
Now, they've each had their own spotlight on The Other Side of the Bell, make sure to check out both episodes! Brian Shaw: Versatility, Baroque Trumpet and Serendipity. Ep. 158 
"As an educator, get your ego out of the way too.  It's about the  students and it's about their range of experience and what you're into doesn't have to be important. It's only part of it." - Nick Smart
About Nick Smart:
Head of Jazz Programmes at the Royal Academy of Music, Nick Smart is an internationally renowned Grammy nominated jazz trumpeter, conductor and educator who has given guest masterclasses and performances around the world.
 
Nick was a close colleague and friend of the late Kenny Wheeler and has been instrumental in keeping Wheeler's legacy alive. As well as being a member of Kenny's big band, Nick helped manage the latter stages of Kenny's career, secured the Kenny Wheeler Archive into the Royal Academy of Music Collections, and completed a PhD focused on Wheeler's development.
 
He also led and produced the Grammy nominated album recording, Kenny Wheeler Legacy - Some Days Are Better - released to critical acclaim on the US label Greenleaf Music in January 2025, featuring the Academy Jazz Orchestra in collaboration with the University Miami's Frost Jazz Orchestra.
 
Episode Links:
Royal Academy of Music: www.ram.ac.uk/profile/nick-smart
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nicksmartmusic/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nicksmartmusic/
Bob Reeves Brass Events and Appearances:
William Adam Trumpet Festival
July 9-12, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill.
Book your trumpet alignment here: https://trumpetmouthpiece.com/products/william-adam-trumpet-festival-valve-alignment-presale

Podcast Credits:
"A Room with a View" - composed and performed by Howie Shear
Podcast Host - John Snell
Photo Credits - Courtesy Nick Smart
Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet educator, improviser and composer Kris Tiner, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.

This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here:
"Kris Tiner Trumpet Interview"
And, find the expanded show notes, transcript and more photos here
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How do you turn improvisation into an album, without taking forever to finish? How do you know when it's ready and complete?
Kris Tiner has been improvising his whole life, in fact, he would point out that we all are:  "We're all improvising right now. You get up and walk to the door, and which room do you go into next? That's an improvisation. What are you going to have for dinner?  You get in your car and you drive down the highway, that's an improvisation."
Improvisation is a natural state of being for musicians, just witness when kids pick up an instrument and start exploring.
But as adults (and professional recording musicians), well, time is money, the album's gotta get released, and you've got to decide when to stamp that recording and send it out into the zeitgeist.
Kris shares some of the fascinating mindset of recording improvisational jazz pieces, as reflected on his brand new album, "Sung," a collaboration with pianist Cathlene Pineda.
We also talk about the experience of providing music education in a small city, not a big urban hub, and the connections and community that can be found therein. Kris teaches trumpet, jazz, composition and improvisation as Professor of Music at Bakersfield College in California, helping students gain access to music and opportunities that they may not receive otherwise.
Of whom one of those students was himself, having embarked on his musical education at CSU Bakersfield in the 1990s. A full circle journey, indeed.
About Kris Tiner:
KRIS TINER is a California-based trumpet artist, composer, and educator.
His music has been performed on five continents, his 100+ recordings have been enthusiastically reviewed in the international jazz press, and he has performance credits on MTV, NBC, PBS and Comedy Central.
Tiner has received awards from ASCAP, the American Composers Forum, Chamber Music America, Montalvo Arts Center, and in 2023 was recognized as the CMEA statewide jazz educator of the year. He is a member of the Empty Cage Quartet with recordings on Portugal's Clean Feed label, and he collaborates with guitarist Mike Baggetta in the duo Tin/Bag.
Tiner also performs with the Cathlene Pineda Quartet, Psychic Temple, the Industrial Jazz Group, and the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra.
He is the Director of Jazz Studies at Bakersfield College, and has also taught at CalArts and CSU Bakersfield. Tiner is the founder of Epigraph Records, an independent label dedicated to new creative music recorded in Bakersfield.
Episode Links:
Sung, the new album: https://orendarecords.bandcamp.com/album/sung
Website: www.kristiner.com
Bandcamp: https://epigraph.bandcamp.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kctiner
Facebook: https://facebook.com/kctiner
Instagram: @kris.tiner
Bob Reeves Brass Events and Appearances:
William Adam Trumpet Festival
July 9-12, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill.
Book your trumpet alignment here: https://trumpetmouthpiece.com/products/william-adam-trumpet-festival-valve-alignment-presale

Podcast Credits:
"A Room with a View" - composed and performed by Howie Shear
Podcast Host - John Snell
Photo Credits - AJ Rodriguez, Aviva Diamond, Talley Sherwood, Corey Stock
Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring historical, classical and jazz trumpeter Brian Shaw, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.

This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here:
"Brian Shaw Trumpet Interview"
And, find the expanded show notes, transcript and more photos here
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Whether it's big band jazz, classical baroque, or any number of styles in between, Brian Shaw's trumpet career is a reflection of the word, "versatility."
Brian is the type of musician who, when having trouble deciding whether to major in classical or jazz, decided to simply do both! Hence a double major in jazz studies and classical performance, which yes, did result in him having to do two senior recitals. But Brian embraced the challenge, just as he did in finishing his doctorate in one year instead of three, so that he would have more time to pursue all the various avenues he wanted to explore.
Today, Brian pursues teaching, writing, performance, arrangement and more from his home base near Seattle, WA. And, as you'll know from our recent "Kenny Wheeler Special," he and Nick Smart recently collaborated on a biography of inspirational trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, Song For Someone: The Musical Life of Kenny Wheeler, which added published author to Brian's resume as well.
Brian joins us today to talk about his early inspirations coming from a non-musical family in small town southern Illinois, to being the first in his family to attend college, taking control of your musical education, and the various stops and projects he's pursued along his trailblazing journey.
About Brian Shaw:
Brian Shaw is an active performer, arranger, and educator known for his versatility. He is one of the few trumpet players in the world equally comfortable in early music, orchestral, jazz, and commercial settings on modern and period instruments, and enjoys an international performing career as a modern and historical trumpet soloist. He holds principal positions with the Dallas Winds, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Spire Baroque Orchestra. He is also a regular guest instructor of Historical Trumpet at the Eastman School of Music. From 2007-2021, he was Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at Louisiana State University and was Principal Trumpet of the Baton Rouge (Louisiana) Symphony from 2014-2021. Brian has also served as guest Principal Trumpet of the Oregon Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra (US).
A noted Baroque trumpet player, Shaw's 2008 recording Virtuoso Concertos for Clarino includes some of the most difficult pieces ever written for the instrument. Early Music America observed: "Shaw's tone is beautiful, and his playing unfailingly musical… His is a voice that will make a major mark on Baroque trumpet playing." His critically-acclaimed 2014 solo trumpet recording redshift was accompanied by the Dallas Wind Symphony and conductor Jerry Junkin. Brian has also released a collaborative album of classic recital pieces with pianist Jan Grimes called Sonatas and Fantasies: A Century of Standards for Trumpet and Piano, and has just completed another recording project called Virtuosic Versatility, outlining the history of the trumpet, from early music to modern jazz. 
As a jazz musician, Brian plays solo and lead trumpet professionally in the Seattle area and leads a big band in Baton Rouge every December, which released a holiday-themed album titled Christmas at the Manship! in 2017. He is in demand as an arranger as well, with many scores for jazz band, brass ensemble, studio orchestra, and wind ensemble to his credit.
Brian Shaw lives near Seattle with his wife Lana, their sons Thomas and Elliot, and their dog, Ernie.
Episode Links:
www.brianshawmusic.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/bshawmusic
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/brian-shaw/1564984803
Kenny Wheeler book: https://equinoxonlinelibrary.com/book/58282/song-for-someone
Bob Reeves Brass Events and Appearances:
William Adam Trumpet Festival
July 9-12, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill.
Book your trumpet alignment here: https://trumpetmouthpiece.com/products/william-adam-trumpet-festival-valve-alignment-presale

Podcast Credits:
"A Room with a View" - composed and performed by Howie Shear
Podcast Host - John Snell
Photo Credits - Courtesty Brian Shaw and Equinox Publishing
Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg