Biography of Steve Wright

Steve Wright

Trumpeter, Composer and Educator

Dr. Steve Wright is a nationally recognized trumpet and flugelhorn soloist, as well as a composer-arranger of hundreds of works. After graduating from the University of Iowa, his professional career began in 1968 as a jazz/lead trumpet player with the U.S. Air Force Jazz Ensemble, the Airmen of Note. After leaving the Air Force in 1972, he moved to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, St. Paul) and resides in Minnetonka. He holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Iowa and Masters and DMA degrees from the University of Minnesota.

As a trumpeter, Steve Wright has played in everything from the Minnesota Orchestra to recording tracks for Motown Records (including a track on the Janet Jackson CD, “Janet”) and has played lead trumpet for such stars as Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Mathis, Joe Williams, the 1991 Special Olympics (ABC TV “Special”--August 15, 1991) and many others. In January of 1997, he was part of a featured solo group with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on a pops concert series conducted by Doc Severinsen. He was heard as the solo trumpet on the award winning EDS.com commercial (the “Cat Herders”) for the 2000 Super Bowl.

The Steve Wright Big Band was formed in 1974 and frequently plays for concerts, conventions and private parties. A month long six-state Midwest tour in 1981 featured the music of the great jazz and dance bands. They performed at the 1982 Kool Jazz Festival in Minneapolis, fronting for Red Rodney/Ira Sullivan and Dexter Gordon. Their album, Take Two, was recorded in 1981 and the compositions are published by Wright’s firm, Music Endeavors. The album has been re-released on CD. Members of the band have played with such varied bands and artists as Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Prince, Luther Allison, the Artie Shaw Orchestra, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson and many others. These musicians are first-call players for recording, shows and jazz concerts.

Wright has also composed and arranged dozens of jazz ensemble arrangements and compositions for Hal Leonard and Jenson Publications, as well as music for numerous shows, industrial shows and recording projects. Original jazz ensemble and brass publications are available at: SteveWrightMusic.com.

Wright’s recent activities have included performances with his own groups, clinic appearances, the Gustavus Band, Ellington Echos and the TC7. Recent compositions include "Three Impressions for Trumpet Choir" (premiered at the 2004 ITG Conference in Denver) and jazz compositions "Thad", "Einstein by the Numbers" and "Slip 'n' Slide".

He is an Associate Professor of Jazz Ensembles, Trumpet and Arranging at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota and is in his 18th year of teaching at the school. " Jazz at Gustavus" is an integral part of the music curriculum and the Gustavus Jazz Lab Band tours annually.

Wright is a member of the International Trumpet Guild, Twin Cities Jazz Society, American Composers Forum, IAJE, MENC, Phi Mu Alpha and has been an American Federation of Musicians union member for over 40 years. He now plays the Accent Artist Series line of brass instruments, performing as a soloist and clinician nationwide.

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