LJS 87: Inside the Development of a Jazz Musician (feat. Chris Davis)

Welcome to episode 87 of the LJS Podcast where today we are joined by special guest jazz trumpeter Chris Davis to talk all about his development into the jazz musician he is today. Chris talks about the stuff he practiced during his formidable years and some excellent lessons we can learn from his story. Listen in!
Listen to episode 87







Today's episode of the LJS Podcast is a real treat! I really enjoyed talking to professional jazz trumpeter Chris Davis all about his musical development and how he became the amazing player that he is today. We can all learn a lot from Chris' story.
Chris is a professional jazz musician and educator based out of Chicago. He has toured and played with a host of star jazz musicians and is an important part of the Chicago jazz scene. He also teaches students around the area at schools and in his private studio. The bottom line is Chris is the real deal.
He also is the host of the Behind the Note Podcast, which is a show for musicians that gives out advice for having a successful music career. He has a host of A-list guests on the show and is definitely worth checking out.
In addition, he has an awesome new resource specifically for trumpet players called Trumpet Lessons HQ where he's dishing out lessons for becoming a better trumpet player.
Chris has a great story about the development of his musicianship. Here's what we talk about in today's episode:

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Chris' musical beginnings and why he chose the trumpet to stick it to the man.

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When Chris first realized he wanted to become a professional musician and how that changed everything.

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Lessons he learned from touring with the likes of Benny Golson and Wynton Marsalis in college.

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How 6 months on a cruise ship gave his jazz playing a serious boost.

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What he practiced during his formidable years, and what you should be practicing too.


Regardless of what you want to get out of playing jazz, whether it just be a hobby or you have aspirations to play professionally, we can all learn a lot from Chris' story.







Read the Transcript
Brent: All right, what's up everybody? My name is Brent. I am the jazz musician behind the website, Learnjazzstandards.com, which is a blog, and a podcast all geared toward helping you become a better jazz musician. I'm really excited you're here and welcome to another episode of the LJS podcast. Welcome if you are a first time listener to this show. Or if you're a returning listener, someone who listens regularly, I want to especially thank you for hanging out with me. In return, I have a very value packed episode for you today. I have on the show a very special guest. He is professional jazz trumpet player, Chris Davis all the way from Chicago and man, today's episode was a real treat for me just to be able to talk to him and learn from him. I know it's going to be a real treat for you as well.
On today's show, Chris just goes over his story of how he became a professional jazz musician, really starting from the very beginning, his evolution as a student starting from even how he first became acquainted to his instrument to how he decided he'd want to play jazz from his after college training and playing with jazz legends and all kinds of crazy stuff, and the lessons that he's learned in between. Specifically I really enjoyed hearing him talk about what he was practicing during the more formidable years of his musicianship that really helped him become the solid jazz musician he is today. I know, just by listening to Chris's story today, you're going to get some ideas for your own playing.