Trumpeters Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott make up the front line of this power-packed quintet. Both veterans of their respective scenes, the two trumpeters bring their formidable abilities and influences to bear on arrangements of jazz classics and original material. Representing the sensibilities and styles of both coasts of the United States, this band covers a good deal of stylistic territory while remaining both lyrical and exciting.
Their 2010 release on Origin Records spent an astounding 21 weeks on the national jazz radio airplay chart JazzWeek and made it all the way to Number One. In addition to performances at the Denver Jazz Festival, The Ballard Jazz Festival, The Cellar (Vancouver, BC), Marian’s Jazz Room (Bern, Switzerland), Jazz At The River Festival (ID), Tula’s Nightclub (WA) and many others, their album was also featured on NPR’s Morning Edition. Denver jazz radio station KUVO named it as their top pick for 2010.
DISCOGRAPHY:
- East / West Trumpet Summit (Origin Records)
PERSONNEL:
Thomas Marriott – trumpet
Ray Vega – trumpet
Travis Shook – piano
Jeff Johnson – bass
Matt Jorgensen - drums
PRESS AND REVIEWS:
Working the two coasts of jazz theory together, but using the Northwest as representative of modern West Coast jazz rather than the L.A. area, trumpeters Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott combine their formidable powers for good in a massive set. The two trumpeters have played together over the years, and have become stalwarts of the local scenes in the…
East-West Trumpet Summit is a rollicking showcase for longtime friends Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott. Vega, a New York native and the elder of the two, has served for many years as a mentor to Seattle’s Marriott. The two first met when Marriott was a student at the University of Washington in Seattle, and Vega was in town touring with the lat…
Trumpet blow-offs, like harmonica cutting sessions, many times are unsuccessful as they can be exercises in ego inflation. Dating back to the 1950s there has been an impression that when East coast players meet their Western counterparts, the East coast horn players blow hot and the Left coast brass players blow in a cooler vein. It’s kind of like …
The two-trumpet ensemble is not a new thing in jazz, but it sure is a good thing in the hands of New Yorker Ray Vega and Seattleite Thomas Marriott. Their paths had crossed on both coasts over recent years, and a friendship and mutual respect developed. Resulting, of course, in this recording. Former Seattle pianist (now New Yorker) Travis Shook le…
Trumpet players have a well-deserved reputation for machismo. Put two jazz trumpeters in the same studio at the same time and the testosterone count is sure to jump. In the case of veteran Ray Vega and relative newcomer Thomas Marriott, however, the emphasis of this warm-blooded session is on mutual respect, not one-upmanship, as they partner in a …
Throughout the history of jazz, trumpet players have pitted their ability to improvise against one another. My guess is it started with King Oliver and Louis Armstrong in New Orleans. In more recent times audiences have thrilled to the creative talents of groups that had Howard McGhee matched with Fats Navarro, Art Farmer with Donald Byrd and Fredd…
Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott present a compelling recording, brimming with creative imagination, technical fluency, and a deep respect for the jazz tradition. This album also features fine performances by Travis Shook, Jeff Johnson, and Matt Jorgensen. Shook’s soloing is daring and adventuresome, while Johnson and Jorgensen lock down the time and t…
The trumpet has long been an iconic symbol of the music we fondly call Jazz. With East-West Trumpet Summit, you double your fun–if you happen to be a brass lover–as Big Apple veteran Ray Vega joins longtime buddy Thomas Marriott (representing the West Coast and already with several titles under the Origin logo to his credit). Backing these arti…
This Ray Vega/Thomas Marriott dual trumpet release emphasizes collective interaction, cohesive ensemble presentation and the spirit of teamwork embodied in the title, though there are also plenty of times during the eight songs where differences in style and approach are evident despite the fact they’re playing identical trumpets. Both men are supe…
