Episode #145 Imogen Whitehead
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring classical trumpeter and soloist Imogen Whitehead, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" Find the expanded show notes, transcript and more photos here: About Imogen Whitehead: British trumpeter Imogen Whitehead is in demand across the UK and internationally, enjoying an increasingly diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral principal. A passionate advocate for new music, Imogen serves on the International Trumpet...
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Episode #144 Pete Rodriguez
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpeter, vocalist, composer and percussionist Pete Rodriguez, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Pete Rodriguez: Trumpeter, vocalist, and percussionist Pete Rodríguez carries the bloodline of Nuyorican salsa as he takes his unique brand of jazz to exciting new places. Son of salsa singer Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez and godson of Fania Records bandleader Johnny Pacheco, Rodríguez cut his teeth playing with some of the greatest...
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Episode #143 Dave Adewumi
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer and recording artist Dave Adewumi, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Dave Adewumi: Dave Adewumi is a trumpet player and composer recognized as one of the leading new voices in jazz. A graduate of the New England Conservatory and The Juilliard School, he went on to win 1st place at the 2019 Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition, the 2024 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award and Gregory Morris Composing...
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Episode #142 Chris LaBarbera
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer and instructor Chris LaBarbera, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Chris LaBarbera: Christopher LaBarbera began playing trumpet in middle school in 1974, and by the age of 14 was already sitting in on local jam sessions and gigs. By his early twenties he had become an in-demand freelancer, performing with artists such as Wayne Newton, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra Jr., and many others. Chris studied with the...
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Episode #141 Tim Larkin
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer, composer and sound designer Tim Larkin, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Tim Larkin: Tim Larkin is a composer, trumpet player, and sound designer whose work spans decades across the gaming, jazz, and film industries. His credits include Portal, Dota 2, Team Fortress 2, and HBO’s The Rat Pack, with past live performances alongside legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Sheila E., and Huey Lewis. Tim won an Academy Award...
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Episode #140 Greg Curtis
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer and recording engineer Greg Curtis, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Greg Curtis: Greg Curtis is equally at home behind the trumpet and behind the mixing board. A former student of Al Butcher, John Aley, Wayne Cook, Dennis Najoom, and Leonard Candelaria, Greg has performed with ensembles including the Milwaukee Civic Symphony, Racine Symphony, Kenosha Orchestra, Green Bay Opera, and later the Redlands Symphony. He...
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Episode #139 Getting to know John Snell!
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring our own podcast host and trumpeter John Snell, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" Who is the man behind the microphone? You've been asking for a long time, 12.5 years and 138 episodes in fact, and today's the day: it's time to put John Snell himself on the other side of the bell! John is the steadfast presence at Bob Reeves Brass, from the shop to the studio to the numerous conferences and events he attends every year....
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Episode #138 Dave Douglas
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet composer educator and entrepreneur Dave Douglas, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Dave Douglas: Dave Douglas is a prolific trumpeter, composer, educator and entrepreneur from New York City, known for the stylistic breadth of his work and for keeping a diverse set of ensembles and projects active simultaneously. His most recent project is a rotating ensemble under the name Gifts, and the resulting album included...
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Episode #137 Will Leathers
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring rising trumpet star Will Leathers, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Will Leathers: Will Leathers earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School in 2022 and 2023 and was the first undergraduate classical trumpeter to receive the prestigious Kovner Fellowship. In 2022, while still completing his studies, Will secured the highly sought-after position of Principal Trumpet for both the Nashville Symphony...
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Episode #136 Alexandra Ridout
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring rising trumpet star Alexandra Ridout, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Alex Ridout: UK born multi award winner Alexandra Ridout is a trumpeter, bandleader, composer and educator based in Harlem NYC. At only 26 years old, Alexandra is already one of the most talented young trumpet players on the international scene. Since winning the UK’s prestigious BBC Young Jazz Musician in 2016, she has been catapulted into a busy high-profile...
info_outlineThis episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trailblazing lead trumpeter Liesl Whitaker, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.
This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here:
"Liesl Whitaker trumpet interview"
About Liesl Whitaker:
Liesl Whitaker is an American lead and commercial trumpeter based in the New York City metropolitan area.
She currently plays lead trumpet in the pit orchestra of the hit Broadway musical Death Becomes Her (2024). Her other lead trumpet Broadway credits include Mr. Saturday Night - starring Billy Crystal (2022); Some Like it Hot (2023) and Suffs (2024). Off Broadway credits include Tappin’ Thru Life – starring Maurice Hines (2016).
Liesl is a twenty-one year veteran of the United States Army: In 2000, she won a national audition and became the first female lead trumpet player to be selected by any premier military unit when she won the lead chair with the US Army Blues.
In 2012, she repeated this feat when she won the lead chair in the US Army Jazz Ambassadors, a second premier unit - something not done by anyone (male or female), prior or since. Liesl deployed twice with the Sergeant Major of the Army and the Third Army to Afghanistan and Iraq (2002; 2004).
Additionally, Liesl was the lead trumpet player for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in Washington, D.C. (2004 – 2022). She is a charter member of the all-woman big band The Diva Jazz Orchestra (1993 – present) based in New York City.
Liesl attended college at both Appalachian State University (Boone, NC) and The University of Cincinnati—College Conservatory of Music (Cincinnati, OH). She studied trumpet with Bill Adam, Pat Harbison and Joe Phelps.
In 2004 and 2005, Liesl performed with the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany, recording with the ensemble and Conductor/Chief Arranger Michael Abene and guest artist Joe Lovano.
Additionally, she has performed on various recordings including projects by the Army Blues and Jazz Ambassadors, Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Victor Goines Big Band, Ed Palermo Big Band, various original Broadway cast recordings, as well as many others.
Liesl currently resides in upstate, New York with her husband, Kenny Rampton, and her daughter, Lauren. When not performing or touring, she spends her free time honing her skills as an amateur writer.
- Blog: lieslwhitaker.wordpress.com
- Liesl Whitaker on Instagram (@lieslwhitaker)
- William Adam Trumpet Festival, June 19-22, Clarksville, Tennessee.
Podcast Credits:
- “A Room with a View“ - composed and performed by Howie Shear
- Podcast Host - John Snell
- Cover Art - courtesy of Liesl Whitaker
- Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg