Kye Palmer (born November 10, 1962) is an American trumpet player who is a Los Angeles studio musician, most notable as a former member of The Tonight Show Band from 2006 to 2009.[1] On April 10, 2006, Palmer replaced Lee Thornburg in The Tonight Show Band and was there for the last part of Kevin Eubanks's tenure with The Tonight Show.[1] He has recorded on several Grammy Award nominated or winning projects over the past 20 years.

Kye Palmer
Kye Palmer, trumpet
Kye Palmer, trumpet
Background information
Born (1962-11-10) November 10, 1962 (age 62)
OriginRedlands, California, United States
GenresJazz, Latin, rockabilly
Occupation(s)Instrumental studio musician, educator
Instrument(s)Trumpet, flugelhorn
Years active1981–present

Early years and education

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Palmer, a native Californian originally from Redlands, started being interested in music at the age of 7.[2] An early source of inspiration for him was being a part of the well known Stan Kenton Band Clinics at the University of Redlands.[2] After high school he first attended California State University, Long Beach for a year to study music. He transferred to Fullerton College and played trumpet on the Down Beat award-winning LP Time Tripping while playing in the college jazz groups for a year. After two years attending Fullerton College he transferred and earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Cal Poly Pomona.[2][3] During that time that he was working professionally as a trumpet player he was also employed at Honeywell Corporation[4] cross-checking wire schematics for U.S. Department of Defense products the company manufactured. He studied privately with such artists as trumpeter Bobby Shew and jazz vibraphonist Charlie Shoemake.[5] "Of the 1,500 or so people that studied with me, Kye was one of those 20 or 25 players that was really important, who understood the music", Charlie Shoemake says.[2] Palmer names Clifford Brown and Freddie Hubbard as his principal influences.[2]

Professional career

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Trumpeter Bobby Shew first got Palmer his start on the Woody Herman Orchestra; Palmer toured 1988 through 1990 with the group.[2][6] Palmer performs and records with the Chris Walden Big Band, and Bill Cunliffe's "Imaginacion" and other groups in the Los Angeles area.[7][8] He has also performed and recorded with LeAnn Rimes, Hawk-Richard Jazz Orchestra, Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, and Diane Schuur, as well as touring Japan with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and Poncho Sanchez Latin jazz band.[9][10] Television appearances and soundtracks include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,[1] Late Night with David Letterman, Good Morning America, the Today Show, Family Guy and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.[1]

He has recorded for numerous major motion picture soundtracks, including Seven Pounds, Man of the Year (2006 film), Three to Tango, Stuart Little, The Secret Life of Pets, Crazy Rich Asians, Selma, Jersey Boys, Skating to New York, Gangster Squad, Seven Pounds, Three to Tango and Me, Myself & Irene. He also appears in the movie and plays on the soundtrack for the 2011 film J. Edgar.[1] Palmer appeared on the Brian Setzer Orchestra's Grammy Award-winning recording of "Caravan", as well as Vavoom![11] and Boogie Woogie Christmas which were nominated for Grammys, and the certified gold Setzer CD Best of The Big Band. He recorded on the 2005 Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum award-winning CD It's Time (Michael Bublé album). He also recorded with trumpeters Ron King, Marc Lewis, and Ron Stout on the CD The Clifford Brown Project in 2003 on the Capri Record label.[12]

Palmer continues to teach trumpet and is serving as an adjunct professor at California State University, Fullerton.[13]

Discography (partial)

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Kye Palmer". IMDb.com. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Zan Stewart (May 20, 1994). "A Career and a Passion: Kye Palmer was on his way to becoming an engineer. Today, he makes his living playing jazz tunes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  3. ^ "Melissa Halse marries Kye Palmer". RedlandsDailyFacts.com. September 4, 2006. Retrieved April 13, 2017. The groom is employed as the trumpeter in the "Tonight Show" Band. A native of Redlands and a graduate of Redlands High School, Palmer earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Cal Poly Pomona, but is a professional freelance musician and educator.
  4. ^ this location for the company from the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles is now gone and consolidated into the Torrance facility
  5. ^ Designs, Darcy Ryan, owner of AT|CREATiVE and powered by Darcy. "Talsan Music - Charlie Shoemake's Biography". TalsanMusic.com. Retrieved April 13, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Tony Geiske, review in The Hollywood Reporter. Performance of Woody Herman Orchestra at Vine Street Bar And Grill in Hollywood. Monday August 3rd. Wilkerson Daily Corp., 1990. p. 67. (Palmer in trumpet section and on solo work)
  7. ^ Harvey Siders, review of Chris Walden CD Home of My Heart. JazzTimes. 2005. vol. 37, 6, p. 107 (Palmer in trumpet section and on solo work)
  8. ^ "The Los Angeles Times 24 Apr 2004". Newspapers.com. p. 60. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  9. ^ "The Official Poncho Sanchez Website: Macromedia Flash Detection". PonchoSanchez.com. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  10. ^ Review in Jazz Journal International, Hawk's Out. Billboard Pub. 1999. vol. 52, p. 34. (Palmer in trumpet section and on solo work)
  11. ^ Sean Daly, review of Vavoom. JazzTimes. May 2001. p. 166 (Palmer in trumpet section)
  12. ^ Review. Coda Magazine, Issues 313-318. J. Norris, 2004. p. 28
  13. ^ "Kye Palmer: Trumpet/Jazz Trumpet". Bob Cole Conservatory of Music / California State University. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
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