EP 5: Jazz Legend Bobby Shew on The Importance of Internalisation, Rhythm & Playing with Emotion

Trumpet legend Bobby Shew joins me for one of the most honest, eye-opening conversations I’ve ever had. From his early days sneaking into jazz clubs, to bleeding on stage with Buddy Rich, to walking away from the L.A. studio scene—Bobby shares it all.

 

We talk about:

• Finding your voice as a musician
• The myth of perfection Why most players overblow
• The importance of internal rhythm and relative pitch
• How emotion—not just mechanics—shapes your playing
• His views on education, mouthpieces, and mentorship
• This isn’t just for trumpet players. It’s for anyone trying to make music with honesty.

Highlights:

00:03 — “I didn’t grow up in a musical family. But there was a trumpet in a closet—and that changed my life.”

09:12 — “Most musicians don’t realise: music came before language. It’s about vibration, not perfection.”

21:05 — “A good relative pitch ear and internal rhythm—that’s what you want. Not perfect pitch.”

26:42 — “It’s not the drummer. It’s the bass player who makes it groove.”

36:09 — “Practicing without emotion teaches you to play without emotion.”

43:57 — “If a teacher can’t explain why you’re doing something—don’t do it.”

48:30 — “Play free. No bar lines. No rules. Just play what you feel.”

55:22 — “The biggest mistake in education? Teaching from the page instead of from the soul.”

01:01:18 — “Every dollar I made after 1982 came from doing what I loved: teaching and jazz.”

01:09:45 — “You can impress people or you can touch people. Choose.”

01:18:52 — “The mouthpiece is a mirror. If you can’t play it, you can’t play the horn.”

01:26:14 — “Overblowing and playing too tight—that’s what kills most chops.”

01:36:22 — “Start beginners on smaller mouthpieces. It’s not about tradition—it’s about physiology.”

01:45:10 — “Play with feel. Not just volume. Especially if you’re second trumpet.”

01:52:05 — “You don’t need perfect teeth to sound great. Just listen to Al Porcino.”