Dave Hoffman

Dave Hoffman was raised in Illinois and studied trumpet with his father Eurel Hoffman Jr. . His early exposure to jazz came from his high school band director Richard Garretson as well as numerous summer Jazz camp ( and as it turned out, Dave met my cousin Mike Wallace, the trombonist with The Stan Kenton Orchestra, while attending one of the Kenton camps ).

Dave is a freelance musician in Illinois and since 1991 has been the trumpet and Flugelhorn soloist with The Ray Charles Orchestra. He has also contributed several compositions and arrangements to the band library. During his stint with Ray, Dave has played extensively in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Rays first ever trip to Russia in July of 1994 ( At night, ex - KGB agents stood guard over the instruments so they wouldn’t be stolen. Strange to wake up to the sound of someone cleaning a Kalishnikof machine gun!! )

Dave has appeared on television in France, Italy, Japan, Germany, and Russia. In the United States, he has appeared on The Tonight Show, Live At Newport on PBS, Merv Griffin’s New Years Eve Celebration, and the Fox Television special titled, "Ray Charles, 50 Years of Music," where he backed up Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Michael McDonald, Randy Travis, Michael Bolten and Willie Nelson. He has appeared at many Jazz festivals including Newport, JVC, Playboy, Nice, Boston Globe, London, and Montreaux.

Dave hasn’t shaved since 1972, but washes and flosses regurlarly.

His big band and combo arrangements have been played by many high school and college jazz bands, and he has served as guest soloist with The University of Kentucky Jazz Band, Millikin University Jazz Band, Lincoln Land College Jazz Band and others. Daves local television show "Jazzfield Illinois", was honored as the best performing arts series by the National Association of Local Cable Operators in 1991. He recieved a nifty trophy with some kind of little statue do-hickey on it.

His recent CD, From Energy To Stillness combines Jazz and World Beat influences and has been played throughout America and many foreign countries. The Napra Trade Review said, " Hoffman has escaped the smoke filled, hard edge jazz world with its best goodies and melded them with pure soul! The music is free and sophisticated, yet mouth watering in its trancendencies."

Dave's album GROOVIN' is amore streight ahead jazz album w/ Bop and Latin Music leanings. Great musicians and some of Sergio Mendez's rhythm section grace this great album.

Dave has just come out with a new Christmas album called CHRISTMAS IN YOUR HEART. It is an interesting mix of Traditional and Exotic Bass with a jazz to ethereal backdrop. Beautiful ambience, Streight ahead Bop, and a tug on the heart.

He now spends his time composing, performing, and lecturing. He spends his living moments in a little converted church amongst a thousand acres of corn and soy beans in Illinois. He also likes the sound of train whistles.

Dave has his personal web/jazz site where you can read road stories, photos from far away places, music and sillyness. Please click here.