Good Days and Great Days, The Importance of Pop Music Mastery, Why Movies are Keeping Orchestras Alive and More with Vinnie Ciesielski [Part 1 of 2]
I want to give a special thanks to previous podcast guest Del Lyren for introducing me to our guest today, Vinnie Ciesielski. Vinnie is a longtime stalwart of the Nashville music scene. His playing can be heard on countless recordings, commercials, soundtracks, symphony concerts, and the list goes on and on.
Vinnie is also founder of a group called Vinnie And the Hitmen, of whom you can hear some samples on his website.
In this episode, Vinnie talked a good deal about his founding origins as a trumpeter, and has some poignant insights into the importance of pop music, even for those of us who maybe have a tendency to thumb our noses at it while salivating over the likes of Mahler and Strauss.
You’ve got be able to put food on the table at the end of the day, and sometimes mastering the art of pop music is what is necessary if you expect to put some of that food on the table with your musical skills.
Our time went by so fast, which meant as usual we were just warming up to each other by the time we had to part ways. So we went ahead and scheduled another recording session! This Part 1 is great in many respects, and Part 2 is great as well, and deeply personal. So I highly recommend you listen to that one as well.
Probably best to listen to them in order as you get to hear host and guest establish rapport before diving deep into the “why” of doing music, and how it relates to the deep needs within all of us.
That’s all I’ll share about Part 2, for now enjoy Part 1!
What you’ll hear in this episode:
-Ciesielski is spelled how it sounds…06:00
-How to find your way into a local scene, and play what you really want to play…11:30
-Vinnie’s founding origins as a trumpeter…16:15
-Good days and great days…19:00
-A solid foundation on the mental element of trumpet playing…23:00
-Pop music pays the bills…30:00
-What we call “classical” music was at one time “pop” music…33:00
-Why do we thumb our noses at “pop” music?…38:45
-Movie soundtracks and classical music finding its niche in modern culture…42:00
-The need for a pleasing personality in keeping the gig…48:00
-There are no bad days; there are only good days and great days…53:00
–Plus whatever your discerning ears deem worthy of your time and interest…
Resources mentioned:
Check out James Newcomb’s new book: PinPoint Persuasion
Trumpet Dynamics podcast with Paul Baron and Bobby Medina
About the Guest:
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 thousands of recordings with artists such as Lyle Lovett, Travis Tritt, Tracy Byrd, Smokey Norful, Tanya Tucker, Glenn Frey, T.D. Jakes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bad Company, Gregg Allman, Kirk Franklin, Queen Latifah, Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Israel Houghton, Demi Lovato, Grace Potter, Delbert McClinton, Alison Krauss, Taylor Swift, The Clark Sisters, Thomas Rhett, Nuno Betencort, Marcus Scott (Tower of Power) Steven Tyler, Vince Gill, Michael McDonald, Keb Mo, Johnny Taylor, Bobby Blue Bland, Via Con Dios, Martina McBride, Don Was, Zac Brown Band, and many more.
He has performed live with artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Gladys Knight, Kid Rock, Keith Richards, Jimmy Buffett, Paul Simon, Sting, Tony Bennett, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Kenny Rogers, Shelby Lynne, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The O’Jays, Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Shawn Colvin, Eddie Floyd, Booker T. and the MGs, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Bob Hope, Frankie Valli, Sheryl Crow, Adrian Belew, Bruce Hornsby, Michael McDonald, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles and The Beach Boys.
He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,, Late Night with David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, CBS New Years Eve Bash, The Road, SoundStage, Disney and Universal TV specials, Nashville Now, Music City Tonight, Austin City Limits, Grand Old Opry, Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen’s Really Big Show, Crossroads, The Dove Awards and The Stellar Awards. Vinnie has performed on numerous Radio, Internet, TV and Movie soundtracks and Trailers. He has also performed with the Nashville Symphony, Chattanooga Symphony, Orchestra Kentucky, Nashville and Knoxville Jazz Orchestras.
Well known in the performance and recording community, Vinnie’s resume includes work on over 6,000 recording sessions, 50 Grammy-nominated and 25 Grammy-winning recordingsand dozens of Stellar and Dove Award nominated and winning recordings. Vinnie has also been the horn arranger on multiple Grammy, Dove and Stellar nominated and winning recordings.
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