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Alan Gaumer
Jazz Trumpeter, Composer
About Me
Alan Gaumer has been playing trumpet since 1958. As a young trumpeter he
appeared on many national television shows including “the Ted Mack Amateur
Hour”.
As featured Jazz trumpeter in US Navy Show Bands, he performed in over 70
countries throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.
He was jazz trumpet artist/lecturer @ Moravian College,and served as
director of the College’s Jazz Fusion Ensemble for over 25 yuears. He was very
active in local jazz education adjudicating regularly at regional school jazz
festivals. Several of his students won positions in the prestigious Pennsylvania
State High School Jazz Band.
Alan performed with several ensembles. In retirement he still performs with
the Quintet- Co-op Bop and in duet with Robin Bryan (Body and Soul). In
addition he free-lances in a number of varied musical genres from Dixieland to R
& B.
Alan was the founder of and Artistic Director of the Lehigh Valley based,
non-profit organization: The Pennsylvania Jazz Collective. Its mission- “to
educate and expose community members of all ages to the richness, the history,
and the diversity of American jazz”. Over a period of 8 years, Alan produced and
directed seven (7) November Jazz Series, five (5) PAJAZZ Idol programs, three (3)
major jazz festivals and - numerous jazz education programs.
He has performed with a “Who’s Who” list of jazz personalities. A short list
includes Randy Brecker, Bill Goodwin, Tony Marino, Craig Kastelnik, Nelson Hill,
Tom Kozic, Jerry Weldon, Dave Leonhardt, Tom Schuman, Paul Rostock, Neil
Wetzel, Bill Washer, Matt Vashlishan, Al Cohn, Tom Harrell, Urbie Green, Bill
Watrous, Bob Dorough and more.
As a young trumpeter he played with the big bands of: Glenn Miller, Tommy
Dorsey & Harry James. From 2013 – 15 Alan was a member of the trumpet
section of the Phil Woods Big Band and the COTA Festival Orchestra.
Relevant Professional Music History
1993 – 2018 Artist / Lecturer – Moravian Uuniversity RETIRED
2010 – 2018 Executive / Artistic Director- Pennsylvania Jazz Collective
1993 – 2023 Member Duo – Body & Soul
1984 – 2023 Leader & Librarian CO-OP BOP JAZZ SEXTET
2001 – 2005 Band Instrument Manager - Paynter Music Stroudsburg, Pa,
1995 – 2001 Band Instrument Manager - Dave Phillips M & S Allentown, Pa.
1992 – 1995 Band Instrument Manager - Kempfer Music Bethlehem, Pa.
1988 – 1992 Jazz Leader House Band – Acorn Hotel Allentown, Pa.
1985 - 1988 Trumpet House Band - Woodlands Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
1983 - 1985 Leader & Trumpet - Fernwood Resort Bushkill, Pa.
1982 - 1983 Leader Trumpet - Hilton Hotel Allentown, Pa.
1980 - 1982 Military service (see below)
1974 - 1980 Performing Artist (US) groups include: Kato, PF & the Flyer, AG
Quartet, Harry James, Glenn Miller & Tommy Doresy
1969 - 1974 Military Service (see below)
Recording credits (a short list)
2017 Executive Producer “Celebration Sax Quartet (Phil Woods Works for
Sax)
2016 Trumpet & Percussion- Co-Producer CO-OP BOP “Unlimited”
2014 Trumpet “Cowboys & Capes” ( A Neil Wetzel Project”
2012 Trumpet “Winter Wonderland” A PAJAZZ Production
2010 Trumpet “Introducing” the Moravian Faculty
2009 Trumpet “In Time” Gary Rissmiler & June Thomas
2008 Trumpet “One To Go' Original Compositions
2005 Trumpet “Co-op Bop” Co-op Bop Quintet
1995 Trumpet & Vocal “Caught In The Web” Rob Stonebach Big Band
Awards
PCA – Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Composition Grant
Pennsylvania Artist in Residence
Mayfair Artist in Residance
Military Service
1970 – 1973 US Navy European Show Band (Featured soloist)
toured, Europe, North & East Africa, Middle East Asia , Vietnam &
Thailand
1973 – 1974 US Naval Academy Band (Featured Soloist
1980 – 1982 US Navy Show Band (Featured soloist)
toured South America, Carribean & West Africa)
My Jazz Story
I love jazz because...it is a true life long art I was first exposed to jazz...in third grade I met [musician name]... Fred Ruth The best show I ever attended was... Hard to say. I do not agree with terms like the "best", etc. The first jazz record I bought was... the Best Of Cannonball Adderly My advice to new listeners... Keep listening and practice what you hear. Or whatever else you have in mind.