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Jazz Round Table #19 – Trumpet Night with Wayne Bergeron, Dan Fornero, and Mike Rocha

by | Jun 6, 2022 | Jazz Round Table Show


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Trumpet Night

Each of these three Trumpet Players have incredible resumes and they also play in Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band together!  Really great stories and some insights into trumpet playing, high notes, and who they are listening to now!

Wayne Bergeron

Wayne Bergeron is enjoying a career as one of the most sought-after musicians in the world. Studio sessions, film dates, international touring, jazz concerts, guest appearances, and clinics keep him busy not only in his hometown of Los Angeles, but worldwide.  Maybe Grammy winning composer and bandleader, Gordon Goodwin said it best, “Wayne is a once in a lifetime lead trumpet player.”

Waybe discusses his new smartphone App “Wayne Bergeron Playalong” – find it at – https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wayne-bergeron-play-along/id1578404590

Dan Fornero

Six months after moving to Los Angeles in 1982, Dan toured for a year playing lead trumpet with Woody Herman, kickstarting his career as a freelance trumpet player.  He has also played with Tom Jones, Brian Setzer, Al McKay, Phil Collins, Niel Diamond as well as the films Incredibles 2, Coco, La La Land, The Brothers Warner, Tag, Purl, CHiPs, Tangled, Horrible Bosses 2, Night School, Ferdinand, Sing, Rio 2, Despicable Me 2, Epic, Monster Trucks, Ice Age 3,  Ice Age 2

Mike Rocha

Gwen Stefanie, Panic at the Disco, Christina Aguilara, Bob Dylan, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band & Little Phat Band, Jeff Bernat, Death from Above 1979 the Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble, the John Daversa Big Band, the Geoff Stradling Large Ensemble, the Alan Chan Big Band, and the Vardan Ovsepian chamber ensemble.

He has his own album out with the Lappitt-Rocha Sextet called First Take.  Find it on Apple Music at https://music.apple.com/us/album/first-take/1431368869

Mike also talkes about the Berklee Reserve Bookroom (playalongs).  You can find it at https://lrweb.berklee.edu/resources/playalongs/

Wayne Bergeron – Trumpet
Performed with: Jazz Round Table #19 Trumpet Night 3/8/22 Bio – Wayne Bergeron is enjoying a career as one of the most sought-after musicians in the world. Studio sessions, film dates, international touring, jazz concerts, guest appearances, and clinics keep him busy not only in his hometown of Los Angeles, but worldwide.
 Born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1958, Bergeron came to Los Angeles at age one, so considers himself a native Californian. Originally starting on French horn, he switched to trumpet in seventh grade and found he had natural upper register ability. Bergeron credits his junior high and high school teachers, Ron Savitt and Bob Smith, for molding his talent into practical working skills.
 Bergeron first caught the ear of many when he landed the lead trumpet chair with Maynard Ferguson’s band in 1986. Bergeron can be heard on Maynard’s recordings of Body and Soul, Big Bop Nouveau, Brass Attitude, and The One and Only Maynard Ferguson.  Bergeron demonstrates daily why Maynard remarked, “Wayne is the most musical lead trumpet player I’ve had on my band.”
 As a sideman, Bergeron’s list of recording credits reads like a who’s who in contemporary jazz and pop, running the stylistic gamut from Ray Charles to Green Day. Other names include Panic, AT the Disco!, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand, Michael Buble, Mary J. Blige, Indina Menzel, Leslie Oden Jr., Herb Alpert, The Jonas Brothers, Burt Bacharach, The Dirty Loops, Seth MacFarlane, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Seal, Diana Krall, Tito Puente, Christina Aguilera, Dianne Reeves, Michael Bolton, Earth Wind & Fire, The Pussy Cat Dolls, My Chemical Romance, The Mars Volta, Chicago, Rosemary Cloony, Diane Schuur, Barry Manilow, Lee Ann Womack, Lou Rawls, Eric Marienthal, Kenny G., and David Benoit.
 Bergeron has worked on over 450 TV & motion picture soundtracks. A partial list of film credits include Minions 2:The Rise of Gru, Soul, Ford vs. Ferrari, Toy Story 4, Frozen 1, 2, Despicable Me 1, 2, and 3, Secret Life of Pets 1, 2, The Lion King (2019), The Mule, The Incredibles 1, 2, Wreck it Ralph 2, Alita:Battle Angel, Crazy Rich Asians, First Man, Smallfoot, The Predator, Sing, Moana, Frozen 1 & 2, Bridge of Spies, Get On Up, Toy Story 3, Monsters University, PlanesCars 2, High School Musical 3, Pink Panther 2, Marley & Me, Get Smart, Superman Returns, The Simpson’s Movie, Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Mission Impossible 3, Ice Age 2, Spiderman 1 & 2, Team America, Catch Me if You Can, and South Park. 
 Bergeron’s featured trumpet solos can be heard on the motion pictures West Side Story (2021), Secret Life of Pets 2, La La Land, Rough Night, Ted 2, Minions, Jersey Boys, The Incredibles 1 and 2, Rocky Balboa, The Green Hornet, The Interview, Smurfs 2, Despicable Me 2, Duplicity, Leather Heads, Princess & the Frog, The Perfect Game, High Crimes, Rounders, Fled, Hey Arnold (the movie), The Life Aquatic, The Rat Pack, Child Star, Illegal Tender, Aladdin King of Thieves, Foolproof, and Two Days in the Valley.
Numerous TV credits include Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, SAG Awards, NBC, ESPN & TNT sports themes, American Idol (2001-02), Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy’s, Animaniacs Reboot, Family Guy, American Dad, World of Mickey Mouse, Simpson’s, The Cleveland Show, Green Eggs and Ham,  Jeopardy, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Will and Grace, Phineas & Ferb, Emperor’s New School, Mouse Works, Have a Laugh, House of Mouse, King of the Hill, Futurama, Buzz Lightyear, Hercules, Disney Mickey Mouse Shorts, and Hey Arnold.
 Bergeron’s passion for big bands has led to his inclusion in some of Los Angeles’ most well respected bands. He has recorded and played with Quincy Jones, Gordon Goodwin, Arturo Sandoval, Pat Williams, Sammy Nestico, Jack Sheldon, Chris Walden, Tom Kubis, John La Barbara, Bob Florence, Joey Sellers, Ray Anthony, Bill Watrous, Bob Curnow, Bill Elliot, and Gary Urwin.
 After being behind the scene for so many years, Bergeron stepped out on his own with his first solo effort, You Call This a Living?  This debut project earned him a Grammy nomination in 2004 for Best Large Jazz Ensemble, as well as rave reviews from fans and press worldwide. Bergeron’s second CD, Plays Well With Others, released on the Concord Jazz label in 2007, was met with the same acclaim. Bergeron’s most current CD, Full Circle, was released in January of 2016. Bergeron feels this is his best work to date.
 Bergeron performed as principal trumpet at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles from 1997-2017 playing on hundreds of musicals. Bergeron also performs various events for the Hollywood Bowl summer season. He has done guest appearances with the L.A. Philharmonic, The New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Taiwan Symphony, and Tokyo Philharmonic.
 Bergeron is a National Artist for the Yamaha Corporation of America and is co-designer of the YTR-8335LA trumpet and YFH-8315G Flugelhorn. Bergeron also designed a series of trumpet mouthpieces with Gary Radtke of GR Technologies that are available through Bergeron’s website.
 Bergeron was mentored by legends like Uan Rasey, Bobby Shew, Warren Luening, Gary Grant, Rick Baptist, and George Graham. He hopes to inspire a new generation of young players and enjoys his work as a clinician and educator. “Nothing makes me feel more accomplished than hearing a young musician say that I inspired them or had a positive influence on their life. For me, that’s the real payday.” Bergeron is currently on faculty at California State University Northridge.
 Maybe Grammy winning composer and bandleader, Gordon Goodwin said it best, “Wayne is a once in a lifetime lead trumpet player.”...MORE INFO!
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Dan Fornero – Trumpet
Performed with: Jazz Round Table #19 Trumpet Night 3/8/22 Bio – Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, Dan Fornero attended North Texas State University from
1977-1981 where he played first trumpet in the famed One O’clock Lab Band in 1980 & 1981.
Six months after moving to Los Angeles in 1982, Dan toured for a year playing lead trumpet with Woody Herman, kickstarting his career as a freelance trumpet player.
Some Career Highlights:
1988    Began a three-year tour with Tom Jones
1990    The Brian Setzer Orchestra was formed with Dan on first trumpet
1991    Became a founding member of the Vine Street Horns
1993    Toured the world with Tom Jones
1993    Vine Street Horns tour with Al McKay & The LA Allstars,
performing the music of Earth Wind & Fire
1994-2005    Toured the world with Phil Collins
1998-2003    Toured with the great French rocker Johnny Hallyday
2001-2005    Toured with Neil Diamond
2003    Became a member of the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band...MORE INFO!
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Mike Rocha – Trumpet
Performed with: Jazz Round Table #19 Trumpet Night 3/8/22 Bio – Los Angeles-based music artist, expert arranger, and meme connoisseur Mike Rocha is a talented and charismatic force in this age of musical enterprise. Whether performing in formal orchestral settings, high-profile cinema appearances, in a jazz club with other dude(tte)s, or in costume singing and dancing, Mike is noted for his professional excellence and integrity.
While Mike plays with countless ensembles, too many to list here, he is most noted for his work with the Lappitt-Rocha Septet, who just recorded their first album. Watch for its arrival! Other artists’ groups which have been graced with Mike’s presence include Christina Aguilara, Bob Dylan, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band & Little Phat Band, Jeff Bernat, Death from Above 1979, the Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Ensemble, the John Daversa Big Band, the Geoff Stradling Large Ensemble, the Alan Chan Big Band, and the Vardan Ovsepian chamber ensemble.
In addition to these elite performance undertakings, Mike works as an educator, tirelessly shaping the minds of our musical future. Mike imparts the great importance of technical diligence to his students while also managing to keep lessons enjoyable; students have been known to exclaim spontaneously during class, “THIS IS SO FUN!!!” Mike currently teaches at Occidental College, El Camino Community College, Harvard-Westlake High School, and MiraCosta Community College.
As if this all wasn’t enough, Mike is a sought-after composer, arranger, and transcriber. Recent endeavors include two new books of jazz arrangements for string quartet, available for purchase in the sheet music section of this website. You won’t want to miss this chance to own music written by such an incredible talent.
In his free time, Mike likes to cook salted noodles and lentil soup and to partake in various bro activities. He aspires to compete in chess tournaments, for which he practices daily on his iPhone....MORE INFO!
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