Was Herb the first?

[manifan]

Not sure if this has been discussed elsewhere; I didn't know how to do a search for it. I was wondering: was Herb the first trumpeter to use his horn to make "comments"? I think it's been mentioned that he used his trumpet like a voice, and that's obvious, but did any other artist before him play like this?

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I was wondering: was Herb the first trumpeter to use his horn to make "comments"? I think it's been mentioned that he used his trumpet like a voice, and that's obvious, but did any other artist before him play like this?

To me these are two different questions. Was Herb the first trumpeter to make comments? I'd say no. To me King Oliver and Louis Armstrong were doing that in the early 1900's. Playing his horn as a voice? To me most great musicians do this. Herb is just another in a long line of musicians to play like this. It's what he said and how he said it that made him stand out.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captaindave]

As far as I am concerned, the aspect of trumpet playing that makes a player exceptional is sound, or tone.

This is something that makes Herb Alpert especially unique. His sound.

No one else sounds like Herb Alpert.