Ian et al.,

        As a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, Jerry Callet practiced hours every day, and learned to tongue and transpose and play many orchestral excerpts well...

        When he was in his late teens he realized that he was not able to access his upper register(high C's were beyond a wall) and he consulted many trumpet teachers in an attempt to discover the reasons for this impediment....

        Jerry auditioned for Vacchiano and was rejected because he could not slur from low c to high C...This was a tremendous set-back for a determined young man who vowed to gain that upper register, regardless of the time, expense or effort required....

        Eventually, through the examination of live trumpeters and photographs of great trumpeters actually playing, Jerry developed his *Superchops* concept and began to teach it and to develop mouthpieces(and eventually horns) that would make it easier to play....
 
        Throughout the entire process, Jerry has remained humble and self-effacing in person...his only *offensive* mannerism is his habit of playing FFFFFFF double and triple high notes at conferences and exhibits(which has caused him to be evicted more than once ;^)...)

        Jerry is sincerely interested in furthering knowledge about the trumpet and trumpet playing and in helping trumpeters overcome challenges facing them....be they the adjustment to false teeth(which has brought him several name symphonic players who've sought help discretely)...or the recuperation from serious lung injury(which was how I personally became acquainted with Jerry's unique kindness and attentiveness...)

        In short, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more sincerely enthusiastic trumpet player and student of the science of trumpet playing than Jerome Callet...and anyone who'd like to dispute this needs to spend a few hours talking and playing with the gentleman, who is also a very gentle man, though the power in his trumpet playing is capable of tearing down more than just the walls of Jericho!

        Don't allow rumors or reputation to dissaude you from getting to know an exceptional human being who's *been there* for people who were searching for more decades than many of you have been alive....

        Ian McKechnie wrote:
>
> David J. Apple wrote :
>
> > I've known Mr. Callet informally for 15 years.  Let's leave the man alone.
> > You can agree or disagree with his playing, and /or trumpet products, but
> > I've had friends and students take lessons with him and come away better
> > players.
> >
> > I think it is time to end this thread.  Enough is enough.
>
> Before we leave him alone, could you please spend a few moments
> saying something about his background.  All I know about him is that
> he makes trumpets : I would like to know a little more.  Please.
>
> Ian McKechnie