Calicchio trumpets

Anthony Lenzo

I hope I spelled it correctly.I mentioned another trumpet that are expensive and hard to find Martin Committee.Is Calicchio trumpets hard to locate or expensive? Maybe not as expensive as Martin ?
Thank you Anthony

Kehaulani 0

Anthony, if Committees were that much better than many other horns, why do you think most professionals do not play Committees?

Anthony Lenzo

@Kehaulani-0 yes why could you elaborate ?

barliman2001

Several reasons come to mind...

Many professionals have been contracted as Signature Artists - they get paid (sometimes huge sums) to play on a certain manufacturer's horns, and endorse them. Their personal horns are then crafted to whatever specification they prefer. So it may well be that some professionals are playing Committee clones - we just don't know.
Many professionals in the past were playing Committees - when they were still being manufactured and readily available Nowadays, full professionals - whose livelihood depends on being able to perform very full schedules - would probably shy away from using an instrument that could not, in case of accident, be readily replaced. There are myriad stories around of professionals' horns getting lost in transit or being mislaid on airports, or being severely damaged by luggage staff (remember Dave Carroll of Sons of Maxwell fame whose valuable guitar was damaged by United Airlines staff, inspiring him to write an appropriate song...
and several sequels...

flugler

I have played both Martin Committees and Calicchio trumpets. I don't like the Martins. They got their reputation because I think some famous players played them (like Miles). But I find them dead sounding. I play in big bands, and need to project. They don't. Calicchios can be be excellent instruments, but you need to play test them. I play a Bach 43* (lightweight). Very responsive horn with excellent intonation.

Dr GO

@flugler said in Calicchio trumpets:

I have played both Martin Committees and Calicchio trumpets. I don't like the Martins. They got their reputation because I think some famous players played them (like Miles). But I find them dead sounding. I play in big bands, and need to project. They don't..

I somewhat cautiously agree with this but rather then call them dead sounding, perhaps the better term is it can produce a rather subdued quality. For this reason, I play my Committee with my performances with small group ensembles that play more from the Miles song book as well as serving more as back up for a rhythm section or for female vocalists (therefore a more subdued sound). I do and rather choose play all my big band performances with my Harrelson that has quite different projection characteristics than the Committee.

However there was this performer some may have heard of, Dizzy Gillespie, that was known as a big band, high range trumpet player that was more associated with the iconic bent-bell trumpet Committee to enhance its projection; however, he did experiment with Martin Committee trumpets for more than a decade in his career before switching to the King silver flair. Mick Gillette of Tower of Power fame was also known for his lead chop performed with that band on the Committee. So I caution be careful when generalizing. The use of this horn is more related to the ability of the owner. It is an amazingly versatile horn.

Dr GO

@barliman2001 said in Calicchio trumpets:

Several reasons come to mind...

Many professionals have been contracted as Signature Artists - they get paid (sometimes huge sums) to play on a certain manufacturer's horns, and endorse them. Their personal horns are then crafted to whatever specification they prefer. So it may well be that some professionals are playing Committee clones - we just don't know.

True enough. I had the tremendous honor to play a concert with Allen Vizzutti and during rehearsal in which I played my Committee, Allen came over to me to say he really admired that horn and until coming over to being a Yamaha sponsored musician, was playing the Committee.

Till Bronner and I also had the chance to play together and he too shared his admiration for the Committee. He is also a Yamaha sponsored musician.