Trumpeter Nate Wooley’s recent albums include the solo records The Almond and 8 Syllables and the quintet recording (Put Your) Hands Together. In this interview, Wooley talks about putting 100 trumpets on one solo (!) recording; why he was surprised when one of his albums made him feel good at the end; how he started playing solo trumpet; and how the death of his grandmother led to his recent quintet album. Learn more at natewooley.com and follow him on Twitter at @nate_wooley.

Ottawa trumpeter Craig Pedersen’s new album is Days Like Today (2011). In this interview, Pedersen talks about how literature influences his musical compositions; why he gravitates toward the avant garde; and the nature of the improvised music scene in Ottawa. Learn more at craigpedersen.com and follow him on Twitter at @pedersencraig.

Trumpeter Amir ElSaffar’s new CD is Inana (Pi Recordings, 2011). In this interview, ElSaffar explains maqam music and his decision to spend five years studying it in depth; how he plays microtonal music on a standard Bb trumpet; and his particular combination of traditional Arabic music with jazz. Learn more at amirelsaffar.com and follow him on Twitter at @amirelsaffar.

Trumpeter Tim Hagans’ new CD is The Moon Is Waiting (Palmetto Records, 2011). In this interview, Hagans talks about his special relationship with his drummer of choice; how he worked with a choreographer to write some of the music on the new album; and how he’s evolved over the years as a composer for large and small ensembles. Learn more at timhagans.com.

Trumpeter Nicholas Payton’s new CD is Bitches (In+Out Records, 2011). In this interview, Payton talks about his outspoken presence on social media; why he thinks it’s important to bring groove and sensuality back to jazz; and how his New Orleans roots have shaped the way he approaches music and performance. Learn more at nicholaspayton.com and follow him on Twitter at @paynic.

Composer and bandleader Gerald Wilson’s new CD is Legacy (Mack Avenue Records, 2011). This is part two of a two-part conversation. (Listen to Part 1.) In this part, Wilson talks about his time in the Navy during World War II; his subsequent work as an arranger for record labels and Hollywood studios; the development of his own band; and his new CD.

Composer and bandleader Gerald Wilson’s new CD is Legacy (Mack Avenue Records, 2011). This is part one of a two-part conversation. In this episode, Gerald Wilson talks about growing up in the South and listening to music with his brother; his move to Detroit to attend an arts high school; his early days as a professional musician; his time with Jimmie Lunceford and his first arrangements; and the beginning of his time in the Navy. Learn more at mackavenue.com/artists/detail/gerald_wilson/.

Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith’s newest album is Heart’s Reflections (Cuneiform Records, 2011). In this interview, he talks about his Ten Freedom Summers project, inspired by the Civil Rights Movement; how each ensemble is a model for a universe; and how meaning is communicated even without words. Learn more at wadadaleosmith.com.

After putting his trumpet in the closet for several years, guitarist and trumpeter Rhys Chatham returns to the instrument in a new way on Outdoor Spell (Northern Spy Records, 2011). In this interview, Chatham talks about going back to the trumpet but playing it with fewer effects; how his attendance at a 1976 Ramones show altered the course of his musical life; and how his music has evolved over time while retaining a distinctive compositional identity. Learn more at www.rhyschatham.net.

NOTE: Chatham has a series of European shows over the coming weeks. His tour schedule is available on his web site.

Trumpeter Ben Syversen’s most recent record is Cracked Vessel (2010). In this interview, Syversen talks about the wealth of inspiration available in New York; how authors such as Roberto Bolagno have influenced his music; and why it’s important for him to write for specific musicians. Learn more at bensyversen.com and follow him on Twitter at @bensyversen.

Pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura have been making adventurous music together for years. In this interview, they talk about the influences of Japanese folk music; the need for risk and fun in music; and why they’re involved in so many diverse projects. Learn more at satokofujii.com and natsukitamura.com.

Tracks used in this episode: (from Watershed by Satoko Fujii’s Min-Yoh Ensemble) The Thaw; Whitewater; Soranbushi; (From Rafale by the band Kaze with Fujii and Tamura) Noise Chopin; (from ETO by Satoko Fujii’s Orchestra New York) Eto Suite: Rat; Eto Suite: Tiger; (From Rafale by the band Kaze with Fujii and Tamura) Marie-T; (from Watershed by Satoko Fujii’s Min-Yoh Ensemble) Estuary.

Trumpeter Taylor Haskins’ most recent CD is Recombination (Nineteen-Eight Records, 2011), a companion piece to American Dream (Sunnyside, 2010). In this interview, Haskins talks about the complex vision of American that led to both records; why his website features a quote from Krishnamurti on the homepage; and how his work in the world of commercial music influences his approach to song form and his sonic palette. Learn more at www.taylorhaskins.com.

Tracks used in this episode: (from Recombination) Morning Chorale; Here Is The Big Sky; Upward Mobility; (from American Dream) Theme From Dead Man; Black Boxes; Pyramids; (from Recombination) Forgotten Memory of Something True.

Trumpeter David Weiss is responsible for the formation of The Cookers, whose latest album is Cast The First Stone (Plus Loin, 2010). In this interview, Weiss talks about the tribute show that led to the creation of the band; why it’s important for him to create working bands rather than one-off shows; and his views on the current jazz scene and why the music’s past was an untouchable zenith. Learn more at www.davidweissmusic.com.

Tracks used in this episode: Cast The First Stone; Peacemaker; Looking For The Light; The Seventh Day; The Chief.

Trumpeter Eddie Henderson is a member of The Cookers and appears on their latest CD, Cast The First Stone (Plus Loin, 2010). In this interview, Henderson talks about his childhood encounters with Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis; the discipline that allowed him to become both a medical doctor and a professional musician; and the lessons learned in a career that spans from bebop to the present day. Learn more at www.myspace.com/eddiehendersonjazz.

Tracks used in this episode: Cast The First Stone; Peacemaker; Looking For The Light; The Seventh Day; The Chief.

Dave Douglas United Front: Brass Ecstasy At Newport (Greenleaf Music, 2011) is Douglas’s new CD with his brass quintet. In this interview, Douglas talks about the musical world he’s worked hard to create; his various ensembles and the compositional and performance outlets they provide; and his work scoring music for a film. Learn more at www.davedouglas.com.

Tracks used in this episode: (from United Front: Live At Newport) Spirit Moves; Rava; Fats; (from Spark Of Being: Expand) Spark of Being; Creature; (from United Front: Live At Newport) Bowie.

Brian Lynch celebrates some of his fellow trumpeters whom he feels deserve more notice on Unsung Heroes (Hollistic MusicWorks, 2010). In this interview, Lynch talks about his very real connection to the generations before him; why he feels a grounding in the tradition of jazz is important; and the idea that “bebop is the music of the future.” Learn more at brianlynchjazz.com.

Tracks used in this episode: Terra Firma Irma; I Could Never Forget You; Further Arrivals; Saturday Afternoon At Four; Wetu.

NOTE: In addition to the CD, there are two extra volumes of Unsung Heroes available for download. Visit Brian’s web site for more information.

Trumpeter Stephen Haynes is joined by Warren Smith and Joe Morris on his new trio CD Parrhesia (Engine, 2010). In this interview, Haynes talks about “relational” arranging; how the album captured a special day in the recording studio; and why he tries to focus on making music in his local area. Learn more at stephenhaynes.blogspot.com.

For more than a decade, Kneebody has been making music that’s hard to classify and harder to resist. Their new album is You Can Have Your Moment (Winter & Winter, 2010). In this interview, trumpeter Shane Endsley talks about the band’s different approach to recording the new album; the complex series of musical cues the band uses to arrange music live onstage; and how the combination of Theo Bleckmann and Charles Ives led to a recording relationship with the Winter & Winter label. Learn more at kneebody.com.

It’s been 14 years since trumpeter Pharez Whitted last released an album, a drought he’s now ended with Transient Journey (Owl Studios, 2010). In this interview, Whitted talks about the changes in his life that led to the new recording; what it meant to grow up in a family where everyone played an instrument or sang; and why he decided early on to teach as well as play. Learn more at www.pharezwhitted.com.

Trumpeter David Weiss and his band Point Of Departure explore music from the late 1960s on their new record, Snuck In (Sunnyside, 2010), recorded live at Jazz Standard in New York. In this interview, Weiss talks about the little-known Detroit composers who wrote some of the songs on the new record; why he chose to cover other people’s music on this recording; and how he found the impressive roster of talent in Point Of Departure. Learn more at www.davidweissmusic.com.

One of the things that makes Matt Lavelle uncommon is that he doubles on trumpet and bass clarinet, as you’ll hear on his album The Manifestation Drama (KMB, 2009). In this interview, Lavelle talks about his own growth as a musician; why he started playing bass clarinet; and his fascinating friendships with swing-era veteran Hildred Humphries, jazz icon Ornette Coleman, and long-lost jazzman Giuseppi Logan. Learn more at www.myspace.com/mattlavelle.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Trumpeter Erik Telford finds a balance between the electric and the acoustic on his new CD, Kinetic (EJT Music, 2009) and on his 2-CD/DVD set Live At The Hideout Theatre. In this interview, Telford talks about making music in Austin, TX; the evolution of his musical concept over time; and his band’s success in appealing to a younger audience. Learn more at www.ejtmusic.com.

[Full disclosure: I wrote the liner notes for Kinetic.]

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Seattle-based trumpeter Jason Parker has figured out how to make a living — and a life — with his instrument. Parker’s quartet has been together for a several years, a fact clearly in evidence on their most recent recording, No More, No Less (Jason Parker Music, 2009). In this interview, Parker talks about the band and what makes it work; his early adoption of social media and how it’s helped his career; and why he decided to give away his music for free. Learn more at oneworkingmusician.com. Follow Jason Parker on Twitter at twitter.com/1workinmusician.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter Terence Blanchard. A standard-bearer for his home city of New Orleans, Blanchard turns his musical spotlight on the positive changes that have occurred since Katrina with his new CD, Choices (Concord Records, 2009). In this wide-ranging interview, Blanchard talks about the cultural rebuilding of New Orleans, the ability of music to stand up in the face of tragedy, and his dedication to the growth and maturation of the musicians he employs. Find out more at TerenceBlanchard.com.

Help support The Jazz Session by buying this album via the link below:

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter Hugh Masekela about his 2009 album Phola (Times Square Records). The album finds Masekela in a quieter, more reflective mood — a decision he credits to producer Erik Paliani. Despite the more reserved surroundings, Masekela’s flugelhorn playing is as intense as ever. In the interview, Masekela discusses Miriam Makeba, music as a political force, and why he doesn’t play for fun.

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter and composer Avishai Cohen. (Not to be confused with bassist and composer Avishai Cohen.) Cohen is at the center of a vibrant musical scene in New York City — full of experimentation, melding musical styles, and an appetite for adventure. More than that, Cohen is a philosopher-musician, using his compositions to explore larger societal questions. His 2007 album After The Big Rain (Anzic Records, 2007) looks at the planet after a worldwide flood. The album is the final part of a trilogy (although Part 3 was recorded first) that explores the steps leading up to the flood, the flood itself, and its aftermath.

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter and vocalist Matt Shulman about his new album, So It Goes (Jaggo Records, 2007). Shulman sings and plays trumpet, but that’s where the Chet Baker comparison ends, although like Baker, Shulman incorporates the hip music of the day into his own work. Skilled at multiphonics — playing one note while simultaneously singing another — Shulman is able to expand the range of the trumpet beyond its normal capacity. On So It Goes, Shulman tackles everything from Led Zeppelin to “My Funny Valentine” with impressive results.

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer Brian Groder. Groder’s new album, Torque (Latham Records, 2006), features jazz master Sam Rivers on saxophone and flute, along with bassist Doug Mathews and drummer Anthony Cole. Groder has played with everyone from Cecil Taylor and Joanne Brackeen to Joe Cocker, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. In addition to his various projects with other musicians, Groder also writes music for multimedia pieces and dance ensembles.