Johnny Cowell and conductor Stephen Chenette

Recently, the Northdale Concert Band of Toronto paid tribute to Canada’s eighty-five-year-old trumpeter Johnny Cowell.  Musical director, Stephen Chenette, formerly principal trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Denver Symphony and past-president of ITG referred to Cowell as having been a world class trumpeter, as well as one of the most brilliant trumpet soloists that Canada has ever had. Cowell was featured as soloist with the band in two of his compositions.  Also on the tribute concert was another trumpet soloist, John Liddle, who performed trumpet solos originally composed or arranged and recorded by Cowell with members of the Toronto Symphony.

Cowell was principal trumpet of the Toronto Symphony Pops for a number of years, appearing as soloist with Erich Kunzel, Richard Hayman, Newton Wayland and Percy Faith.  The late Erich Kunzel referred to Cowell as a combination of Wynton Marsalis, Maurice André, and Gerrard Schwartz, with a good amount of Harry James thrown in for good measure. Cowell was the cornet soloist of the Toronto Symphony Band at age fifteen and first performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra when he was sixteen.  During World War II, he was the soloist of the Royal Canadian Navy Band and principal trumpet of the Victoria Symphony.  He appeared as trumpet soloist with many of Canada’s Symphony Orchestras and concert bands. He led a double life as a trumpeter and a professional songwriter. He had over one hundred of his songs recorded by international artists. Walk Hand in Hand (1956) and Our Winter Love (1963) became international best sellers.  Cowell performed his first solo at the age of six and his latest solo at the age of eighty four.

Source: Marwood Music, Inc.