Episode #83 - Morris Northcutt

Episode #83 - Morris Northcutt

Author: Bob Reeves Brass Mouthpieces July 16, 2020 Duration: 1:03:32

Morris Northcutt's playing has been described as artistic, lyrical and expressive with a beautiful, smooth, and rich tone.

At home in all musical styles from swing to Broadway to classical, this Global Music Award Winner and Bach Conn-Selmer Solo Performing Artist has shared the stage with a wide range of performance groups from Mannheim Steamroller, Critical Mass Big Band, The Blues Brothers Reunion Band, Puget Brass, and the Tacoma Concert Band to the Seattle Symphony Chamber Orchestra, Breath of Aire, and the Tacoma Symphony.  Morris has even performed the National Anthem for the Seattle Mariners Baseball Team.

After experiencing several unexpected personal losses and having taken nearly 12 years off from focused attention to the trumpet, Morris began a systematic approach to his practice sessions to not only bring back his playing but to take it to the next level.  Focusing on his purpose led to an explosion on social media interested in his sound, style, and phrasing.  This newly found attention helped launch his freelance career as a soloist and clinician, taking him across the globe from the Pacific Northwest to Canada, South America and Europe. 

In 2019, Morris completed a solo recital/masterclass tour of Ireland that included an appearance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.  This past January, he appeared at the 2020 Sao Paulo Trumpet Academy in Brazil. Later this year, Morris will debut his first EP, produced and engineered by Latin Grammy Award winner Danilo Alvarez  with arrangements by Justo Morao.


There's a whole world of sound that happens before the music reaches the audience, a space filled with the clatter of valves, the whisper of breath, and the shared stories of a unique community. The Other Side Of The Bell-A Trumpet Podcast invites you into that world, offering a backstage pass to the realities of brass life. Hosted by the team at Bob Reeves Brass Mouthpieces, this series goes far beyond simple gear talk. Each episode feels like a conversation in the practice room, blending practical trumpet tips that address the daily hurdles players face with deep-dive interviews featuring the musicians themselves. You'll hear firsthand stories about the craft, the unexpected challenges of performance, and the personal journeys that shape an artist's sound. This podcast is built on decades of specialized knowledge, translating the nuanced experiences of embouchure, articulation, and endurance into accessible insights. Whether you're a student navigating your first orchestral audition or a seasoned professional refining your approach, the discussions here are grounded in real-world application. It’s about the person behind the instrument as much as the instrument itself, creating a genuine resource for anyone passionate about the trumpet. Tune in for a blend of technical wisdom and personal narrative that only comes from a lifetime spent listening from the other side of the bell.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Episode #95 - Lasse Lindgren [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:21
Lasse Lindgren works as a jazz musician, trumpet player, composer, rehearsal leader, bandleader and lecturer. Ever since Louis Armstrong's unique trumpet voice captured my ear at the age of five, I have tried in differen…
Episode #94 - Mary Elizabeth Bowden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:42
Classical Trumpeter Mary Elizabeth Bowden has built a rapidly ascendant career as a soloist, praised for her "splendid, brilliant" playing (Gramophone Magazine) and the clarity, purity, and power of her sound. A Gold Med…
Episode #93 - Vinnie Ciesielski [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:45
Attending Towson University in Maryland,Vinnie Ciesielski majored in music performance on trumpet, which he has played professionally for over 50 years. Since coming to Nashville in 1992, Vinnie has played on over 6000 r…
Episode #92 - "Hollywood" Paul Litteral [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:37
Paul Litteral was born and raised in Western Kentucky and by the fifth grade he knew that he was going to play the trumpet. After enlisting in the U.S. Navy as a musician, Paul began to build his career in New York, play…
Episode #91 - Philippe Schartz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:35
Born in Luxembourg, Philippe Schartz developed an early interest in the trumpet from listening to his father play in the village wind band. His passion was cultivated by his teachers who have included Dino Tomba, a great…
Episode #90 - Philip Lassiter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:30
Philip Lassiter is an 11-time Grammy award winning horn/string arranger, and former section leader/arranger of Prince and the New Power Generation. Currently based in L.A., Philip has quickly garnered respect as the go t…
Episode #89 - Boyde Hood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01:05
A native of Dallas, Texas, retired Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter Boyde Hood received his BM degree in trumpet performance from the Eastman School of Music and master of music degree in theory and composition from Ba…
Episode #88 - James Morrison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:59
James Morrison is, by anybody's standard, a virtuoso in the true sense of the word. Besides the trumpet, this multi-instrumentalist also plays trombone, piano, saxophone and double bass. At the age of six he started on p…
Episode #87 - Steve Dillard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:57
Steve Dillard is a professional freelance trumpet player, founder of the popular HornTrader website, and an educator. Steve's first love has always been playing trumpet. Starting with his early work playing at Disneyland…
Episode #86 - Adrian Kelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:16
Trumpeter Adrian Kelly has built an international career as a multi-faceted musician; performing, recording, and writing pop, classical, and jazz music. Adrian is currently working towards a PhD at the Western Australian…