Salute to Al Hirt


	"JumboFest"' A Musical Salute to Al Hirt featuring Roul Pate Jimmy Maxwell, Musical Director

			One of the world's greatest trumpet virtuosos, Al Hirt played the trumpet at age six. At age thirteen, he was called a "child prodigy." His first gig in his home town of New Orleans was at age fifteen when he lied about his age to get into the musician's union. He began his professional career as a member of the Benny Goodman Orchestra, and he worked with Horace Heidt, Ina Rey Hutton, Elliot Lawrence, and Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey. Al Hirt was a living legend, and rightfully so. Known as a Dixieland artist, his expertise followed much more than the yellow brick road of New Orleans jazz. Hirt's most profound medium of communication with his audience was his trumpet--it crowed and bellowed, sobed and crooned, laughed, moaned, shrieked, and even cried a little. It explained what jazz is all about--a medium bridging speech and song. For fifteen consecutive years he was named the world's top trumpeter by Playboy Magazine's music poll, and won a coveted Grammy for his recording of Java. He received citations from Billboard Magazine, Cashbox's Disc Jockey Award, and was named artist of the year by the Music Operators of America. Hirt left a plethora of LP recordings, hit singles, and compact discs. Of these there are four gold albums and one platinum. Now shortly after his death, his second cousin Jimmy Maxwell works with Roul Pate to create a musical tribute to the Man and His Horn. The music and the man are saluted in this carefully crafted show.
	Roul Pate
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