We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Flugelhorn Meditations and Improvisations

by Matt Lavelle

supported by
John Ebersbaker
John Ebersbaker thumbnail
aberdones
aberdones thumbnail
Yorick
Yorick thumbnail
Paul Acquaro
Paul Acquaro thumbnail
Burning Ambulance
Burning Ambulance thumbnail
Matt Lavelle
Matt Lavelle thumbnail
/
1.
Velvet 03:53
buy track
2.
Thistle 02:51
buy track
3.
Amethyst 03:24
buy track
4.
Magenta 03:30
buy track
5.
Lavender 03:44
buy track
6.
Lilac 03:39
buy track
7.
Orchid 05:24
buy track
8.
Violet 03:03
buy track
9.
Flugel Cymatics 04:20
buy track
10.
The Purple Express 04:09
buy track
11.
Hope 04:43
buy track
12.
Purple Sunset 05:53
buy track
13.
Flugel Sky Meditation 03:43
buy track
14.
Flugel Wind Meditation 03:14
buy track
15.
Flugel River Meditation 02:33
buy track
16.
Flugel Wind Meditation 02:00
buy track
17.
Flugel Sun Meditation 03:06
buy track

about

When I started getting deep into jazz in the late 80’s, I wanted a flugelhorn for one reason: Freddie Hubbard had one. I didn’t know anything about the nuance of the horn. At a gig right after 9/11, and only a few blocks from the disaster site at a place called the Orange Bear, Roy Campbell took me aside and told me a flugelhorn is not a trumpet. Up to that point I was just hitting it hard thinking of trombone players. I have been trying to find the flugel inside me ever since. After I played the first comeback concert we did with Giuseppi Logan, Roy pulled me aside again and said that flugel was now my true horn, the one where my personality and sound came through the strongest. I did more than half of my album on Silkheart called Spiritual Power on flugel around then. At various times I have tried to make the flugel my number one horn, even practicing it first above the trumpet. The main obstacle is that trumpet is what I get called to do the most. For this record I started solo trumpet, but found my recording set up unable to contain the blast zone. I then turned once again to the flugel. To try and go a step further I recorded using a very rarely used mute, the velvet tone bucket. I gave one of these mutes to Roy on his birthday after NY Trumpet Nemesis played CBGB’s Gallery. After the 12 improvisations, I went and sang 5 flugel plunger meditations. Throughout the record I'm using quarter tones with no 4th valve and no tuning slide manipulation. I've been chasing non-western sounds about as much as I've chased the flugelhorn over the years. Is this the first solo flugelhorn record ever made?

Flugelhorn itself is such a trip. Roy Eldridge said he brought the horn to America. I have been told I’m like a free Roy Eldridge on trumpet before, without the range. Clark Terry is of course King. Clark, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Campbell, Alan Shorter, Hugh Masekela, Lee Morgan, and Red Rodney are my primary flugel inspirations. My whole idea on this one is try something different no matter the cost. I got to spend some time with Hugh once, and I asked him why he never used a mute. He explained it to me in a way that only he could (Ask me what he said in person, as it’s too hot for Bandcamp liner notes) Roy Campbell is the only person I ever saw use mutes with a flugel. Speaking of Roy’s, Roy Hargrove is a true champion to me- playing quiet flugel ballads in front of huge festival crowds, just an incredible amount of courage.

Anyway, you might be turned off by the sound here, or maybe you might feel like pulling up a chair with me on my backyard deck in Philadelphia with a wide open sky and a purple sun

Peace ML

This album is dedicated to Tazz, Roy Campbell Jr. TAZZ LIVES

credits

released August 15, 2021

Matt Lavelle: Flugelhorn

Album Cover: The Purple Hand Temple in the Color Multiverse by Matt Lavelle

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Matt Lavelle image

Matt Lavelle New York, New York

Matt Lavelle plays trumpet, alto and bass clarinet, is a bandleader, painter. and writer based in Philadelphia and NYC

"You have to be who you are in this world, no matter what" (Denzel Washington)

contact / help

Contact Matt Lavelle

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Matt Lavelle recommends:

If you like Matt Lavelle, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Beans joins the show to discuss his album release, "ZWAARD".

listen now