Westend Shows And Their Musicians

Back in the day (i.e. before I was around) Westend show work was seen often seen as being bellow the higher class of players, coming second to session work and other London gigs. These days however the Westend sees some of the finest musicians around sitting in their pit orchestras. Derrick Watkins, to source only a single example, is currently playing in ‘Hair Spray’ and he’s considered (and deservedly so) as one of the trumpet greats.

I love shows and I’ve been playing in pits since I was 13. I’ve played all types of shows and for my age I’d say covered a fair few. The list includes:

West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Kismet, Student Prince, Barnum, Joseph and his Technicolor Dream Coat, Grease, South Pacific, Dancing Years, Carousel, Perchance to Dream, Gay is the Word, Call Me Madame, Calamity Jane, Kings Rhapsody, Le Cage aux Folles, Chess, Les Miserables, Princess Ida, Oklahoma, High Society, Anything Goes, Copa Cobana, Sweet Charity, Jesus Christ Super Star, My Favorite Year and Me and My Girl.

And a number of these I’ve played 2 or 3 times.

I have a couple of friends who are currently knocking at the Westend door. Ben Kennedy who was my accompanist at the Birmingham Conservatoire has deped for ‘Wicked’ a number of times and James Newton who I met when playing ‘My Favorite Year’ at LIPA who has sat in (on kit) at half the shows currently playing in London.

I’d love to get into the Westend pit. However not to do my friends accomplishments a disservice but it’s a bit different on the trumpet. You have to be very very special to be sitting on the big shows. The chops that these guys have are great and something that to listen to can re-inspire any trumpet players dull practice routines.

At least this is what I felt when I went to see ‘Wicked’ last week, especially when I stood over the pit to watch the play out at the end of the show. In fact… I felt so inspired after they’d finished and were all getting up to leave I shouted across this Westend pit for the trumpet player. I had a short chat with him and ended up meeting up with him at the stage door where I asked him for a lesson and we traded details.

I think even Mr Newton the networking machine would be proud of me for that. However I will point out that I think I was lucky to get such a kind response. Keep that in mind if you have an insane urge to follow my example.

The reason I wanted a lesson with this trumpet player was watching him and how he played I could see what I was aiming for. I’m not putting myself down. I’m a pro, I’m making a good living and I do some great gigs. But I still want more out of myself, that’s why I still practice hard everyday.

I had my lesson today backstage at ‘Wicked’ witch was very cool (see that clever play on words). The guy was great. I asked him about how he started and how he got to where he is, he told me about being in Europe on lead trumpet trials for a National Radio Big Band (I’m being purposely vague), about the guys he trained with and of course the kit he uses.

Incidentally not only has he played and is a fan of Calicchio trumpets, but he also has a GR mouthpiece -like me. So I was happy about that. He also knew a lot of the guys who have taught me and who I’ve been lucky enough to meet and play with which shows I must be on the right track.

We worked on some great stuff and because I’d done the research about the physicality and processes of playing a few years before I was already a few steps down the line on the exercises we did. It was really worth it. Even more so because he was very encouraging about my technique and the way I play and he really didn’t have to be. Baring in mind that he was modestly slurring double octaves to a double C. Legend 🙂

I’ve got some things to think about and now I feel even more inspired to play.

All in all… not a bad day.