Alan Gaumer

Alan Gaumer (born 1951)[1] is a trumpeter and jazz history teacher.

Gaumer began playing the trumpet in 1958. He was a member of Kal's Kid's appearing on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour[2] and numerous other television shows. Participating in band, orchestra, and stage bands through elementary, junior, and high school he graduated from Freedom High School in 1969. He worked at Kempfer Music Company in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and, when that closed, was hired by Dave Phillips, owner of 2 music stores (Music and Sound) in Lehigh Valley.[1] He studied with John Nero and Willard Schissler and performed with the Allentown Band under the direction of Albertis L. Meyers. Alan then attended the U.S. Navy School of Music. Upon graduation he spent the next three years living in Gaeta, Italy touring Europe, Africa and Asia with the Navy Show Band.[1][3] Prior to his discharge in 1973 he was offered the jazz trumpet position at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. From 1973-75 he toured first as trumpeter and later as drummer with the well known group KATO. Settling back in the Lehigh Valley, Alan was an integral part of the popular group P.F. & the Flyers[2] and his own A.G.Q. After attending Rutgers University, Alan spent two years touring South America and West Africa with the U.S. Navy Show Band. After discharge in 1982, he worked for the next several years at well known hotels and resorts.

Alan has been the jazz trumpet Artist/Lecturer at Moravian College[4] since 1994 and is the director of the student Fusion ensemble. He has performed with a long list of well known jazz personalities including: Randy Brecker, Phil Woods, Al Cohn, George Young, Bob Dorough, Tom Harrell, Bill Watrous, Urbie Green, Kim Parker, Vic Jurris, Charles Fambrough, Bill Washer, John Swanna, David Leonhardt, Steve Gilmore, Bill Goodwin, Bobby Routch, Tom Schuman of Spyro Gyra, and others. In performance he and his wife (Robin Bryan) form the duo Body & Soul.[3] Additionally he together with: Nelson Hill, Tom Kozic, Craig Kastelnik, and Gary Rissmiller form the quintet CO-OP BOP.

In 1997, he is credited with lyricist, trumpet, and vocals on Rob Stoneback's Caught in the Web.[1][5]

He has been the recipient of several grants. He lists several recording credits including a collaboration with the Moravian Jazz Faculty[6] and a collection of original compositions by the Quintet CO-OP BOP.[7] One of the two most recent recordings being a guest appearance on a Christmas CD[8] with a long-time friend from Navy Band days in Italy, Diana Peterson. Finally, he and Nelson Hill are featured horn soloists on a CD of original compositions from Bernie Klemmer due for release in 2008 and produced by the multi grammy winner Phil Nicolo. Additionally, Alan & Co-op Bop are rostered artists with Young Audiences of Eastern Pennsylvania. The Quintet uses familiar cartoon themes such as The Flintstones and Pink Panther to teach young students about jazz.

In 2005, Gaumer independently released the album One to Go.[9]