Episode #135 Liesl Whitaker
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trailblazing lead trumpeter Liesl Whitaker, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" 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)...
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Episode #134 Eric Baker
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet performer, teacher and internet sensation Eric Baker, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About Eric Baker: Eric Baker grew up in Ft. Worth, TX, and began playing the trumpet at age 11. He received his B.M. in Music Education from the University of Texas at Arlington and earned his master’s degree in Trumpet Performance from Arizona State University. Mr. Baker moved to Odessa, TX in 2006 to begin his tenure as Co-Principal...
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Episode #133 AdamFest: Celebrating the Legacy of William Adam
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring a live panel discussion on the legacy of William Adam and AdamFest, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "" About the William Adam Trumpet Festival (AdamFest): The 11th Annual William Adam International Trumpet Festival will take place June 19–22, 2025, at Austin Peay State University, hosted by Dr. Rob Waugh. This year’s festival brings together a distinguished roster of William Adam’s former students—many of whom are among today’s leading...
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Episode #132 Marie Speziale
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet legend and women's trumpet trailblazer Marie Speziale, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: *Note to listeners and viewers: we're rebalancing our podcast release schedule, to alternate The Other Side of the Bell with our other two podcasts: Trombone Corner and The Horn Signal. Hence the back-to-back episode of TOSOTB this week! If you haven't already, check out our other two shows for more fantastic interviews with horn-playing...
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Episode #131 Susan Slaughter
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring women's trumpet trailblazer, founder of the International Women's Brass Conference, and 40-year First Trumpet of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Susan Slaughter, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: About Susan Slaughter: Born in McCordsville, IN, Susan Slaughter started playing trumpet at the age of 10. Graduating from Indiana University with a coveted performer’s certificate, Susan auditioned for and won the Principal Trumpet position in 1967...
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Episode #130 Ashley Hall-Tighe
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet soloist, chamber musician, educator, and life coach Ashley Hall-Tighe, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: About Ashley Hall-Tighe: Ashley Hall-Tighe is an internationally renowned trumpet soloist, chamber musician, educator, and life coach and her passion for authentic human connection drives every facet of her career. As a soloist, Ashley has been praised for her “energetic joy” (Rochester Post Bulletin) and her “warm...
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Episode #129 Kenny Rampton
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpeter, band leader and iconic plunger mute designer Kenny Rampton, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: About Kenny Rampton: Trumpeter Kenny Rampton grew up in Las Vegas, and studied music at both the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and the Berklee College of Music. In 1989, he moved to New York, where he quickly established his reputation as a versatile musician, touring and performing with a veritable who's who in jazz. ...
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Episode #128 Lee Loughnane of Chicago
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpeter, recording artist and co-founder of the bank Chicago, Lee Loughnane, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: About Lee Loughnane: Lee Loughnane of the band Chicago joins host John Snell today to talk about discovering the trumpet and committing to a career in music, the groundbreaking idea of putting horns front and center in a rock and roll band, and stories of writing and recording some of those famous and iconic trumpet...
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Episode #127 Clay Jenkins
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpeter, educator and recording artist Clay Jenkins, is brought to you by . This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: About Clay Jenkins: Clay Jenkins is a renowned jazz trumpeter and educator whose dynamic career spans decades of performance and teaching. He launched his performing journey with the Stan Kenton Orchestra before moving to Los Angeles, where he toured and recorded with the big bands of Buddy Rich and the Count Basie Orchestra. A charter member of the...
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Episode #126 Emile Martinez
The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpeter , is brought to you by . Visit Bob Reeves Brass at TMEA 2025 in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 13-15! We'll have over 350 trumpet mouthpieces, mutes, cases, Shires trumpets, and valve alignments. For more information and to sign up for a valve alignment go to . About Emile: Emile Martinez, a Los Angeles native and two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter, composer, arranger, producer, and educator, embodies a multifaceted musical journey that transcends genre boundaries. Graduating with a Master of Fine...
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