After starting trumpet in fifth grade in Hopkins, John moved on to playing in school jazz ensembles in early junior high. In addition to his high school bands at Hopkins High School, John participated in the All-State Jazz Band Camp in Duluth, where he met University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire jazz instructor Robert Baca. At UW-EC, John played in the top band and top jazz ensemble from his first semester and toured China in late 2006; he also had the opportunity to perform with Jeremy Walker’s Jazz Is Now! Orchestra in Minneapolis while just a college freshman, and with Maria Schneider at the 2005 UW-EC Jazz Festival. He also studied with the great Terell Stafford.

 

While balancing classes and college bands, John also found time to start his first band with cohorts from Eau Claire, The John Raymond Project, releasing a self-titled recording in spring 2006 and appearing at the Bryant Lake Bowl and Dakota Jazz Club. He also played in the Twin Cities with the Yohannes Tona Band, toured with Darnell Davis and the Minneapolis-based gospel group, Remnant, and founded the Twin Cities Horns, an ensemble that frequently joined Cuban piano dynamo Nachito Herrera and recorded on three Grammy-nominated songs for R&B singers Ann Nesby and Calvin Richardson (arranged by John). He also served as horn arranger for Herrera and appeared with Herrera’s band at the Austin City Limits Festival and Toast of the Nation (2008). In 2008 and 2009, John was a finalist in the jazz category of the National Trumpet Competition.

 

After college graduation in 2009, John made the move to New York, enrolling in graduate studies at the State University of New York at Purchase, just outside the city. John’s experience at Purchase was quite fruitful. In addition to playing lead trumpet for the university big band, he studied with acclaimed trumpeter Jon Faddis, who arranged time for John to record a demo at the famed Bennett Studios in New Jersey—with fellow Twin Citian Javier Santiago on piano. Bennett Studios would serve as the setting for the new full-length recording. “Definitely the highlight of being at Purchase has been the opportunity to be in New York City, above all else,” said John. “I knew coming in that this was one of my primary objectives for going to grad school, and being immersed the city’s incredibly creative music environment has been so influential on my playing and mostly on how I think about music as a whole. I’ve been forced to raise my bar more times than I can count. …It has been great to be taught by people like Jon Faddis, Todd Coolman, John Abercrombie, Scott Wendholt, John Riley etc. Just to be around these musicians that are all working on the highest level has taught me so much, again mainly regarding the conceptual part of music -- concentration, deeper aspects of interplay…getting more and more to the essence of the music.”

Just being in the vicinity of the Big Apple has brought many gigging opportunities for the John Raymond Project, including a late set at the famed Iridium Jazz Club in February and a recent performance at Small’s. He’s also had a number of opportunities to test his wings as a jazz educator, including teaching two summers at the SUNY Purchase Jazz Workshop and now as part of the United Nations International School.

New CD: “Strength and Song”

In summer 2011 John reached his goal through Kickstarter to support the new recording project. “Although I did a self-produced album in 2005 (early in my UW-Eau Claire program), this will be my first full-length record, explained John. “The most notable thing about the CD is that it was produced by Jon Faddis…I was and still am humbled by his generosity and willingness to mentor and help me in all the ways he has thus far, but specifically this one…This means a lot to me and I'm very thankful.” The personnel of the John Raymond Project has changed since the first incarnation back in Eau Claire. For this recording, John called upon another Twin Cities’ native son and frequent collaborator, keyboardist Javier Santiago, a recent graduate of the New School. Other New York-based cohorts--guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Raviv Markovitz and drummer Cory Cox -- round out the core quintet, with rising star, Grammy nominee Gerald Clayton sitting in on piano on two tracks, and alto sensation Tim Green contributing his horn to two more. Adding to the quality of the project is the recording at the famed, now defunct Bennett Studios in New Jersey.

 

An audacious debut, Strength and Song includes 9 original compositions from Raymond, one from Santiago, and a cover of Joe Henderson’s “Isotope.” And John feels lucky to have recorded at the famed Bennett Studios in New Jersey, shortly before it closed its doors. “I feel very fortunate to have gotten in there while we could. It was a beautiful studio with top-of-the-line equipment. Our house engineer was one of the best around and I had a great time there.”

 

At the AQ and Beyond

This weekend, John notes that “we'll do mostly tunes from the new record as well as a few other newer ones that I've written in the past few months.” And after his Twin Cities gig? “I'm making strides in booking shows with the band in New York at lots of the major clubs here...the Blue Note, Jazz Gallery, Smalls, 55 Bar, Cornelia Street, etc. The goal is to play as much here in NYC as I possibly can, and then work outward from there. I'm also still pondering the next record and what that will be like.”

 

Whatever comes next, the opening track of Strength and Song (“Already and Not Yet”) provides the best summation of the current status of John Raymond – already accomplished, and not yet at the end of his precocious development.

 

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St Peter Street in the lower level of the Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul. Cover Friday and Saturday nights, $10; sets begin at 9 pm. Keep up with John Raymond at www.johnraymondmusic.com