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When Dallas Symphony Principal Trumpet Ryan Anthony was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in the fall of 2012, it was a shock. “Nothing can prepare you for receiving the diagnosis of incurable cancer,” Ryan said. “I assumed the news of life being taken away would bring fear and anger but, to my surprise, I received something completely different. I was given the gift of life. I now appreciate time, have courage to dream, emotions to love and ability to trust in my future.” One of his dreams was to use music to help those afflicted with multiple myeloma. Ryan and his wife, Niki, started The Ryan Anthony Foundation to raise awareness of the disease and to help fund a cure. A week before Ryan’s stem cell transplant in 2013, Doc Severinsen called him to ask how he could help. “When I’m healthy again,” Ryan replied, “I’d like to share the stage with you one more time.” Then, during his long recuperation from the transplant, Ryan received calls from trumpet players all over the country offering best wishes and asking what they could do

Remembering what he told Doc Severinsen, Ryan asked them in return if they would be willing to come to Dallas for a benefit concert to raise money for multiple myeloma research. They all said they would. “It turns out they were all serious about it.” Ryan said. “The original idea was just to make a CD and get whoever possible whenever they could come and slowly make a recording. I knew there would be no way to get everyone together at once.”

Then, the more Ryan and Niki talked about it, the more they wondered if all of his trumpet friends could come on the same day for a concert. Niki couldn’t resist suggesting calling it “Cancer Blows!” “We found a date, and to my surprise, just about everyone was able to make it – the date and the name stuck!” How did he choose the artists? “Basically, they all chose me,” Ryan said. “Mostly, these artists are people who have played a role in my life and career and wanted to stand next to me and make a statement. Every artist gave of their own time, and many had to get out of work to attend.”

The concerts captured on these discs are a direct result of Ryan’s dreams and his friends’ commitment. The concert he envisioned became two concerts (on March 2 and 4), with master classes and social events in between. Between ticket sales and donations, the “Cancer Blows” events raised $700,000, with an additional $400,000 worth of in-kind services. The proceeds were split between two designated charities: the Baylor Health Care System Foundation’s oncology research program, and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

The performances captured here come from the Monday and Wednesday evening concerts and from a Monday afternoon rehearsal. Not everything on the concerts could be included, but all the artists are represented. Monday’s concert featured the principal trumpet players (current or retired) of several major American orchestras: the Chicago Symphony’s Chris Martin, the Cleveland Orchestra’s Michael Sachs, the New York Philharmonic’s Philip Smith, the Philadelphia Orchestra’s David Bilger, the Atlanta Symphony’s James Thompson, the Cincinnati Symphony’s Matthew Ernst, the Houston Symphony’s Mark Hughes, the St. Louis Symphony’s Michael Walk, the Phoenix Symphony’s Charles Berginc, and, of course, the Dallas Symphony’s Ryan Anthony. Most of them had to play with their own orchestras later in the week, so their Dallas concert was scheduled on Monday, their usual day off. Joining them Monday at the Dallas City Performance Hall were members of the Dallas Symphony’s brass and percussion sections as well as other guest trumpeters.

More trumpet players were on Wednesday’s program: former Tonight Show band leader and trumpet legend, Doc Severinsen; three former members of the Canadian Brass (Joe Burgstaller, Jens Lindemann and Ronald Romm); former Metropolitan Opera Principal Trumpet Mark Gould; founding member of the rock group Chicago, Lee Loughnane; jazz legend Arturo Sandoval; lead trumpet for the Boston Brass, Jose Sibaja; and five trumpeters who have enjoyed acclaim for varied careers encompassing teaching, composing, recording, Broadway, film, and touring: Anthony DiLorenzo, Vince DiMartino, Chris Jaudes, Marvin Stamm and Allen Vizzutti. Ryan even welcomed a trombone player to the group: jazz artist Wycliffe Gordon, who brought his trumpet-sized soprano trombone. Rounding out the cast were two conductors: Dallas Symphony Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik (who is also a trumpet player), and Robert Moody, Music Director of the Portland and Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestras. Assisting artists at Wednesday’s concert were Ryan’s fellow musicians in the Dallas Symphony, and the University of North Texas’s famous One O’Clock Lab Band.

Mother Nature threw Cancer Blows a curve when bad weather in New York prevented another trumpeter from getting to Dallas. Then, on Wednesday, a massive ice storm blew in to North Texas and made the trips to and from the Meyerson Symphony Center treacherous. But the performers and technical and production crews all made it to the Meyerson, and most of the sold-out audience got there as well.

The three days thrilled the adoring audiences, but the participants found the time together even more memorable. “I don’t think you’ll find another event as exciting as this – ever,” said trumpeter and Emmy-award winning composer/arranger Tony DiLorenzo. “This many trumpet players, this kind of talent, caring people with such big hearts – I don’t think anyone wants this to end!” Phil Smith said “What’s amazing is that we have all these trumpet players here, and we’re all getting along. There’s no fighting! You’d think it would all be ‘me first,’ but it’s not! I’m having a great time!” Arturo Sandoval said Ryan “put together a bunch of people who never thought they would be at the same place at the same time – what an event!”

The musical riches captured on these discs are worth savoring: from Janacek’s rousing Sokol Fanfare, to the bandshell bombast of A New Carnival of Venice, to the hot jazz of Swing That Music to the touching sentiment of What a Wonderful World, there is something to appeal to every listener. “I wanted to involve as many musical styles as possible,” Ryan said, “Cancer attacks fans of every type of music.” Not to be overlooked is Ryan’s solo playing of anarrangement of Gabriel’s Oboe from Ennio Morricone’s score for the film The Mission, aperformance Sandoval called “beautiful – my favorite of the evening.”

Wherever Ryan’s journey with multiple myeloma takes him, the Cancer Blows concerts will be remembered as a major milestone, and this recording will live on as a dream realized, continuing to raise money in the fight against cancer through the power of music.

For more information about multiple myeloma and contributing to the cure, contact The Ryan Anthony Foundation at CancerBlows.com.

– Mark Melson, VP of Artistic Operations, retired, Dallas Symphony Orchestra

 

VIEW TRACK LIST ON CD

1. SOKOL FANFARE [2:23]
Leos Janacek
The Principals Brass Ensemble
(Universal Edition AG, Vienna)

2. SWING THAT MUSIC+ [5:20]
Horace Gerlack & Louis Armstrong; arr. Wycliffe Gordon
Wycliffe Gordon: Trombone
(APRS/Peermusic/Music Sales Corporation)

3. A NIGHT IN TUNISIA+ [6:26]
Dizzy Gillespie & Frank Paparelli; arr. Tommy Newsome
Doc Severinsen: Trumpet
(Universal-MCA Music Publishing)

4. THINGS TO COME+ [5:04]
Dizzy Gillespie, arr. Gordon Goodwin
Arturo Sandoval: Trumpet
(Consolidated Music Publishers Music Sales Corporation)

5. COMPADRES# [5:47]
AllEn Vizzutti
Allen Vizzutti & Jose Sibaja: Trumpets
(Music and License Generously Donated; Village Place Music - ASCAP)

6. A NEW CARNIVAL OF VENICE# [6:36]
Thomas Stevens
Ronald Romm, Jens Lindemann,
Ryan Anthony & Joe Burgstaller: Trumpets
(Music Generously Donated; Editions BIM & The Brass Press - www.editions-bin.com)

7. TRUMPETS ON PARADE# [3:17]
Anthony DiLorenzo
Ronald Romm, Philip Smith & Anthony DiLorenzo: Trumpets
(Music and License Generously Donated; Published by Art of Sound Music, LLC)

8. HIGH CLASS BRASS# [4:06]
Allen Vizzutti
Allen Vizzutti & Vince DiMartino: Trumpets
(Music and License Generously Donated; Village Place Music - ASCAP)

9. FANFARE FOR AN ANGEL [2:23]
James Stephenson
Chris Martin, Michael Sachs, David Bilger, Ryan Anthony: Trumpets
(Music and License Generously Donated; Stephenson Music)

10. GABRIEL’S OBOE FROM ‘THE MISSION’* [3:24]
Ennio Morricone, arr. Robert Longfield & Ben Lewis
Ryan Anthony: Piccolo Trumpet
(EMI Virgin Music, Inc.)

11. WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD# [4:40]
Bob Thiele & George Weiss, arr. Manny Album & Jeff Tyzik
Lee Loughnane: Trumpet and Vocals
(Abilene Music LLC/Range Road Music Inc.Quartet Music Inc)

12. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS+ [7:31]
Gene DePaul, Don Raye, arr. Jerry Ascione
Marvin Stamm: trumpet
(Universal Music Corporation)

13. DEO GLORIA for PHILIP SMITH [3:54]
Bramwell Tovey
Trumpet Ensemble
(Music and License Generously Donated; Bramwell Tovey)

14. SONG FOR HOPE [5:16]
Peter Meechan
Ryan Anthony, Michael Sachs, David Bilger: Solo Trumpets
Brass Ensemble
(Music and License Generously Donated; Peter Meechan Music)

* Members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Moody
# Members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jeff Tyzik
+ University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band; Jay Saunders, director

 

 

VIEW DIGITAL BONUS TRACKS

15. SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME [4:05]
George Gershwin, arr. Joseph Turrin
Ryan Anthony: trumpet & Gary Beard: piano
(WB Music Corp.)

16. FUNKY CHA-CHA+ [7:29]
Arturo Sandoval, arr. Richard Eddy
Arturo Sandoval: Trumpet
(Sandoval Enterprises of America, Inc./Jelly’s Jams LLC)

17. WELL GIT IT+ [3:25]
Sy Oliver
Doc Severinsen: Trumpet & Trumpet Legends
(Embassy Music Corp.)

* Members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Moody
# Members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jeff Tyzik
+ University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band; Jay Saunders,

 

 

VIEW TRACK LIST ON dvd

PINES OF ROME*
HIGH CLASS BRASS#
TRUMPETS ON PARADE#
GABRIEL’S OBOE FROM ‘THE MISSION’*
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD#
A NEW CARNIVAL OF VENICE#
SWING THAT MUSIC+
FUNKY CHA-CHA+
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS+
A NIGHT IN TUNISIA+
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
WELL GIT IT+

Special Features, including selections from Meet The Principals Concert

* Members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Moody
# Members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jeff Tyzik
+ University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band; Jay Saunders, director

www.cancerblows.com