JEFF BUNNELL

Trumpeter Jeff Bunnell has enjoyed a successful career in many musically diverse settings. He is an active member of the Los Angeles freelance performing and recording community, and has been for over four decades.

The many artists Jeff has worked and recorded with include Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Natalie Cole, Michel Legrand, Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, Robbie Williams, Paul McCartney, Seth MacFarlane, Rosemary Clooney, Paul Anka, Lou Rawls, Barry Manilow, Dianna Krall, Frank Sinatra Jr., David Sanborn, Diane Schuur, Brian Wilson, Tom Harrell, Steve Lawrence, Maroon 5, Michael Feinstein, Debby Boone, Andy Williams, Patti Austin, Brian Setzer, Jack Sheldon, Steve Allen, Johnny Mandel, Marilyn McCoo, Engelbert Humperdink and Shirley Bassey.

Jeff has toured with Ray Charles, Horace Silver and Poncho Sanchez. He has performed with many of the top big bands in Los Angeles including Tom Kubis, Bill Watrous, Alf Clausen, Johnny Mandel, Bill Holman, Arturo Sandoval, Gordon Goodwin’s Phat Band, Les Hooper, Pete Christlieb, Pat Williams, Wayne Bergeron, Steve Spiegl, Carl Saunders and Bernie Dresel. He has recorded with many of these big bands including Ray Charles, Tom Kubis, Bill Watrous, Les Hooper, Pete Christlieb, Jack Sheldon, Brian Setzer, Wayne Bergeron, Steve Spiegl and Bernie Dresel. Jeff played the lead trumpet chair with the Carl Saunders Big Band, the Pete Christlieb Tall and Smail Band, and the Steve Spiegl Big Band. Currently Jeff plays one of the solo chairs with both The Tom Kubis Big Band and Bernie Dresel’s BBB.

Jeff has worked with many of the orchestras in Southern California including The Hollywood Symphony Orchestra, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The Long Beach Symphony, The New West Symphony, The Pacific Symphony and The Pasadena Pops Orchestra.

As a session player Jeff has played on hundreds of feature film and television soundtracks. His film credits of note include “Star Trek Beyond”, “Jurassic World”, “The Incredibles”, UP (Oscar winner for Best Soundtrack), and “O.J. Simpson: Made in America” – where Jeff is a featured soloist throughout the film (Oscar winner for Best Documentary Feature). His television credits include “Pennyworth”, “The Simpsons”, “Family Guy”, “Why Women Kill”, “American Dad”, “Ted”, “Alias”, “Parks and Recreation”, and “The Clone Wars” animated series. He has also played on hundreds of television and radio commercials, as well as the Academy Awards and the SAG Awards.

As a musical theater pit musician, Jeff has played on more than 60 Broadway shows including “West Side Story”, “Phantom Of The Opera”, “Dream Girls”, “Into the Woods”, “Sophisticated Ladies”, “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Titanic”.

He has studied trumpet privately with Joe Alessi Sr., Boyde Hood, Bobby Shew, Claude Gordon and Uan Rasey. Jeff is currently a faculty trumpet instructor at The Master’s University.

Jeff is also a Bach Artist & Clinician.

In addition to playing the trumpet, Jeff also works as an arranger, orchestrator, and conductor. He has orchestrated for film and television, as well as other areas of music such as Broadway Shows, cruise ship music and theme park music.

His original big band charts can be found in the books of Arturo Sandoval, Bill Watrous, Jack Sheldon, Ron Jones, Emil Richards, Steve Spiegl and Bernie Dresel. He has published three transcribed jazz trumpet solo books through Aebersold Jazz.