Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

April 22, 1963 in Rhode Island

 

Dave Ballou is a renowned American jazz trumpeter, composer, and educator. He was born on December 30, 1962, in Warwick, Rhode Island. Ballou grew up in a musical family, and his father was a trumpet player. He started playing the trumpet at the age of nine and was soon performing in local bands. Ballou attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied with Herb Pomeroy, Greg Hopkins, and Bill Pierce. He graduated in 1985 with a degree in jazz performance. After college, Ballou moved to New York City, where he quickly established himself as a versatile and in-demand musician. Ballou has performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Steely Dan, Maria Schneider, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. He has also released several critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader, including "The Floating World" and "Ambiguity Manifesto." In addition to his work as a performer, Ballou is also a respected educator. He has taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and the Towson University Jazz Studies program. He is currently a professor of jazz studies at Towson University. Throughout his career, Ballou has received numerous awards and accolades. In 1993, he was named a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition. He has also been recognized by the Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. One of Ballou's most memorable performances was at the 2003 Newport Jazz Festival, where he performed with the Maria Schneider Orchestra. The performance was widely praised by critics and helped to cement Ballou's reputation as one of the most talented and innovative trumpeters in jazz. In addition to his work in jazz, Ballou has also collaborated with classical musicians and composers. He has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra, and has premiered works by composers such as Michael Formanek and John Hollenbeck. Despite his many accomplishments, Ballou remains humble and dedicated to his craft. He continues to perform, record, and teach, and is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential musicians of his generation.

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