| Triple-threat trumpet Auburn's Bill Fanning brings home his national debut By Chet Williamson - Three times in his life, Bill Fanning has had what he calls little epiphanies, moments when he thought, "I had no idea a trumpet could sound like that."
- "The very first one was Maynard Ferguson," he says. "I couldn't believe that was a trumpet playing that high. The second one was Clifford Brown. I couldn't believe he was improvising like that on the spot. The third was Emil Haddad; it was just so beautiful the way he played."
- Fanning's style shows traces of all three. When called upon to wail, he'll peel the paint off the ceiling. He is also an intelligent improviser with the narrative style of a gifted storyteller. Third, he is a lyrical player who delivers the right note at the right time.
- Yet as evidenced on his outstanding new release, Parakletos, this is an emerging player rapidly developing his own sound, much of which can be attributed to composing. The disc features 10 originals showcasing his range as both a writer and arranger. "The record came about because I always got positive feedback playing the originals," Fanning says. "The more feedback I got, the more I kept writing."
- After hearing Parakletos, the best thing that can be said about it is, it sounds like a jazz record. This is not meant as a flip
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