WALTER SIMONSEN

Walt is one of the most in-demand young musicians in the industry, and "This is Trumpetology," is just the latest example of his work.   He has performed with a wide variety of musicians, including Steve Miller, Grammy Award winner Mary Mary, Bill Holman, Bob Florence, Bob Mintzer, Radiohead, Of Monsters and Men, and Alicia Keys.  He has also performed in the 50th and 51st Grammy Awards and the 62nd Golden Globes.  Recent notable performances include 2015 Playboy Jazz Festival with Gerald Wilson and many Sinatra 100 celebrations.  His jazz arranging will be featured on the upcoming major motion picture titled, “Going in Style,” set for a 2017 release and he can currently be heard on the recent Michael Buble album, "Nobody but Me."

In addition to his performing, playing, and writing Walt is passionate and dedicated to sharing his love of music with young musicians.  His community involvement includes the Harmony Project and YOLA.   He is currently on faculty for the Colburn School of Music Jazz Workshop leading ensembles that have gone to the Monterey Jazz Festival for the past 3 years, and teaching private students that have recently won several Downbeat Awards.  He's also proud to be a clinician and guest artist with local and national jazz festivals.  Whenever possible, he loves to work with music educators and speak at SCSBOA and other conferences to help move the art form forward. 

Walter Simonsen in an alum of University of North Texas and University of Southern California Thornton School of music.  He holds his DMA in Jazz Studies.

Walter Simonsen exclusively plays Stomvi USA trumpets & mouthpieces.

SIMONSEN SOUNDS

COLBURN JAZZ WORKSHOP

CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

CITRUS COLLEGE

USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC JAZZ STUDIES, LIVE SOUND, A1

SIMONSEN MARCHING DESIGNS: USC, UCLA, ELAC, Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, Cathedral City High School, Dana Hills High School, Burbank High School, Mission Viejo High School, Aliso Niguel High School, Garden Grove High School, Lincoln High School, Godinez High School, Palo Verde High School, Bonita High School, Lakewood High School, Carson High School, La Costa Canyon High School

RED LIGHT BRASS BAND

WALTER SIMONSEN BIG BAND

TRUMPETOLOGY is an ensemble of 5 trumpets and rhythm section led by emerging jazz trumpet player, arranger, and composer, Walter Simonsen.  On their debut album, “This is Trumpetology,” released October 2015, the trumpets perform harmonized passages of legendary trumpet solos, such as Kenny Dorham: Prince Albert, Chet Baker: Autumn Leaves, Miles Davis: So What & Milestones, and Lee Morgan: Sidewinder.

If you’ve been waiting to hear the future of jazz, This is Trumpetology is the album for you.  Bob Mintzer, long-time member of the Yellowjackets, jazz saxophonist, professor and chair of jazz studies at USC Thornton School of Music notes that “Walt Simonsen has come up with a clever and swinging rendition of jazz classics orchestrated for a trumpet section and rhythm that sounds terrific! The playing and writing are first rate.”

This is Trumpetology was a labor of love for Walt with the goal to pay homage to the great jazz trumpeters of the past while leaving space for the musicians in the group to put a new spin on the style.  The arrangements are carefully crafted to feature the individual voices of this progressive and unconventional ensemble.   

Choosing the best of his peers, Walter Simonsen has created an innovative jazz ensemble, the trumpet section is comprised of serious young talent from the Southern California Area.