Interview with Dawn Kramer, Trumpet

In anticipation of our upcoming concert at the Arvada Center honoring Trumpet Greats, we sat down with Dawn Kramer and asked her some questions about her experience with the band and as a musician in Denver!

How long have you played with the band? About 10 years

What’s your favorite chart to play with the band? This is a tough one and I have a few, but if I have to pick one right now it’s ‘The Joint’ by Drew Zaremba from our latest album.

What is your favorite concert that you’ve played with the band? All of the ‘jazz royalty’ shows. I love exploring all of the older classics and playing/learning that style. My college experience didn’t include a lot of those charts and the history of big band classics like that, so I love learning about the genre each concert.

What’s your favorite part about playing with the CJRO? The trumpet section, hands down. We all have a similar enough playing style that we play well together, but have different enough strengths that we compliment each other well. I learn something every time I play with any of them, and they’re really kind and good people.

What’s your favorite track on ‘Compared to What?’ The Joint, I think it’s so cool and different from what we normally do.

If you could switch places with one member of the band, who would it be? No one - I really like listening and adapting to the lead player/section/band and being a sideperson, which my chair allows me to do. I can’t see myself anywhere else.

If you could do any concert theme with the band, what would it be? I’d love to do more horn band music of the 60s/70s. Doing the concert with Larry Braggs actually stemmed from this idea I threw out a few years ago, and that music has been so much fun to play. Beyond that music we’ve already done, I’d love to do some arrangements of music from Chicago or Blood, Sweat, and Tears.

Who are some of your favorite trumpet players? Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Phil Smith (former principal trumpet in the New York Philharmonic), and Gabe Mervine, a fantastic local trumpet player who unfortunately wasn’t available for this concert.

What are some shows/events you’re excited for coming up? Elektrohornz, a funk/horn band I’m in run by my brother, trombone player Darren Kramer, has a lot of exciting gigs this summer I’m looking forward to (check them out here). Additionally, I’m looking forward to the rest of the shows this season with the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra - I love playing for silent movies (check them out here).

Catch Dawn and 6 other Denver trumpet players with the CJRO big band at our upcoming concert ‘Trumpet Greats’ May 20 at the Arvada Center. Click here for tickets and more information.