In the years since I wrote “Mr. Trumpet…the Trials, Tribulations and Triumph of Bunny Berigan,” I have been asked by people all over the USA to make presentations about Bunny Berigan’s life and music. I recently returned from doing just that for three separate audiences at the 2017 Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee, which was presented last weekend in Bunny’s home town of Fox Lake, Wisconsin. I was gratified by the attention people paid to Bunny’s music, images of him and his fellow musicians and family members, and most of all by the questions that were asked. These questions led to informative discussions where everyone, including me, learned. In one of my audiences was the fine jazz trumpeter Duke Heitger, who performed at the BBJJ, and knows a thing of two about trumpet technique and jazz. Duke provided insights about why Bunny was such a great jazz trumpeter.
Whenever I have made presentations about Bunny Berigan, I can expect one question to be asked: why did you write this book? I got that question a couple of times last weekend. The answer is presented in the introduction of the book. But the explanation is also presented in a You Tube post.
Shortly after the book was published, my friend Michael Steinman, the man behind the wonderful Jazz Lives blog… https://jazzlives.wordpress.com/ …asked me to provide the explanation of why I wrote the book, while he filmed me on a street in Manhattan in front of a small saloon called “The Ear Inn,” where classic jazz is often presented. Despite quite a bit of traffic , sidewalk noise and the falling of dusk, the resulting video turned out quite well. I want to thank Michael once again for producing it, and present it here for all “Mr. Trumpet” followers to watch and hopefully enjoy.
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