Summer in the Fun!

I made this album in June of 2025 for the upcoming summer. I selected songs that were fun, happy and upbeat, signifying the spirit of summer. Of course I also had to select songs that had some good trumpet lines in them! And indeed, there are some real rip-roaring barn-burner trumpets in some of these songs.

Heat Wave was originally performed by Martha and the Vandellas and was covered by Linda Ronstadt, whose version I replicate here. Ronstadt made a career out of covering other peoples work, but making it much better. Soul Man was originally done by Sam & Dave and again, an improved cover of this song was done by The Blues Brothers, which I also cover here. Celebration is by Kool and the Gang and I replicate their version. Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves is a good song for the summer. Breakout by Swing Out Sister is a fun song to listen to, but was actually the most technically difficult song to perform on the trumpet. Listen to it closely. Besides the challenging licks, it was in a difficult key signature, having five sharps, meaning very tricky fingerings. And it changes keys five times. All Night Long is by Lionel Ritchie. Fantasy, a song I have always liked, by Earth Wind and Fire. As for the lyrics, I think each person will develop their own meaning and significance to the words. I find the lyrics very personally touching. I've Got the Music in Me is a rip-roaring barn-burner powerhouse of a song by Kiki Dee. I think this is one of those songs that especially touches the heart of musicians, similar to I Write the Songs. And the lead trumpet part is just ripping out all those double high A's. It's not that a double-high A is all that extremely high, but it is just one after the other after the other. And I believe this is the first, or at least one of the first, pop songs to have a false ending. By the end of this song if your spirit has not been moved to excitement, you must be dead inside!