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Suresh Singaratnam
Suresh Singaratnam is a trumpeter of uncommon breadth - unique not only for the small crowd he inhabits as a virtuoso of both classical and jazz styles but also for the continuity and clarity of his voice across both idioms. When he began to study the trumpet at age nine, it never occurred to him that he might have to choose between the two.

Torontonian by way of Zambia (where he was born) and the U.K., Singaratnam boasts a background that defies classification as nimbly as his artistic taste. In eighth grade he asked a music teacher if she knew of anyone who played both jazz and classical trumpet at a high level and she steered him to Wynton Marsalis, two of whose records he promptly went out and bought. Suresh studied with Canadian trumpet virtuoso Norman Engel throughout high school, and even then exhibited an uncommon aptitude for the technicalities of the trumpet, besting pianists and string players alike to win the Scarborough Philharmonic Youth Concerto Competition at the age of 17. In his last year of high school he studied with Toronto Symphony trumpeter Barton Woomert, then spent a year at the University of Toronto studying with Chase Sanborn.

After one year at the University of Toronto Singaratnam transferred to Manhattan School of Music in New York City, a move whose tremendous impact on his life and psyche he chronicles in his recent album Lost in New York. Even though Singaratnam focused on the classical style in his early lessons (probably because the technique came most naturally) it was jazz trumpet he went on to study as an undergraduate. Suresh studied with jazz great Lew Soloff but continued his classical trumpet studies with the New York Philharmonic's Vincent Penzarella.

Applying for Manhattan School of Music's Master's program, Singaratnam switched hats again and was accepted with scholarship for classical trumpet. Orchestration studies with Paul Allan Levi and composition classes with Ludmilla Ulehla proved a powerful influence, and continue to inform his approach to composition. During these years, Singaratnam also received lessons from Canadian Brass veteran Jens Lindeman and the trumpeter whose recordings had fed his budding interest, Wynton Marsalis.

Singaratnam's dual album release in 2009 was the product of several years of germination. "Two Hundred Sixty-One, Vol. 1" is not an opening statement but rather an adult work, born of years refining technique and taste. Even the selection of repertoire bespeaks maturity, encompassing trumpet "standards" like Arban's The Carnival of Venice and Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of The Bumblebee, Paul Hindemith's vast and varied Sonata for Trumpet and Piano and transcriptions from the violin and opera canons.

Similarly,"Lost in New York", Singaratnam's all-original jazz album, was years in the making and literally narrates several years of the artist's life during his time in New York. The program is eclectic, ranging from intervalic and twelve-tonal to singable originals evocative of Strayhorn and Johnny Mercer. Listen to both records back-to-back and you'll be startled by their artistic coherence. Jazz and classical trumpet are idioms with different techniques, assumptions, and histories, and unlike some other dual-idiomist trumpeters before him (admittedly a small group) Singaratnam approaches each on its own terms. Still, an aesthetic thread conjoins them: more a matter of taste than of technique or sound.

- Nathaniel Smith

Classical Trumpet

Bach: Three Part Sinfonias & Two Part InventionsSuresh Singaratnam2024bandcampiTunesamazonTidalMORE INFO...
A Brass Quintet ChristmasSuresh Singaratnam2022bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicTidalMORE INFO...
Mozart - Five Divertimenti for Wind Trio (K. 439b)Suresh Singaratnam2022bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicTidalMORE INFO...
The Flight of Bumble Bee - from the Tale of Tsar Saltan - Act ISuresh Singaratnam2021bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicTidalMORE INFO...
Theme and Variations on Stan Rogers' Northwest PassageSuresh Singaratnam & Stu Harrison2021bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicMORE INFO...
The Classical EPSuresh Singaratnam2017bandcampiTunesspotifyTidalMORE INFO...
O CanadaSuresh Singaratnam2017bandcampiTunesspotifyMORE INFO...

Composer

Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra No. 1Calm Position Cattle Hog2021iTunesspotifyGoogle MusicTidal
To Brighter DaysSuresh Singaratnam2024bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicTidal
Seasonal Songs for Southern OntarioSuresh Singaratnam & Daisy Press2022bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicMORE INFO...
Lighthouse, Father Point - 1930 - Lawren HarrisCalm Position Cattle Hog2020spotifyamazonGoogle Music
Tracks and Traffic - 1912 - J.E.H. MacDonaldCalm Position Cattle Hog2020spotifyGoogle Music
Singaratnam - Quintet No. 1 for WindsCalm Position Cattle Hog2020iTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicTidal
Duet No. 1 for Clarinet & BassoonCalm Position Cattle Hog2017iTunesspotifyTidal
A Canadian ChristmasSuresh Singaratnam, Joanna Majoko, Stu Harrison2017iTunesspotifyamazonMORE INFO...

Jazz Trumpet

Casually BlueLuis Bonilla & Suresh Singaratnam2011bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonGoogle MusicTidalMORE INFO...
Someone to Watch Over MeSuresh Singaratnam & Fabian Almazan2007bandcampiTunesspotifyTidalMORE INFO...
That is YouGretchen Parlato, Suresh Singaratnam, Jamie Reynolds2009bandcampiTunesspotifyTidalMORE INFO...
Lost in New YorkSuresh Singaratnam2009bandcampiTunesspotifyamazonTidalMORE INFO...

reviews

...a set of variations of Stan Rogers’ classic “Northwest Passage,” featuring some of the most breathtaking trumpet technique you’ve ever heard in your whole life.Mark LaverAssociate Professor, Grinnell College
The art of the ballad seems almost forgotten in today's environment of programmed beats, Auto-Tune and sampled music. But in the hands of three gifted young artists—trumpeter Suresh Singaratnam, singer Gretchen Parlato, and pianist Jamie Reynolds—the magic of intimate songwriting and beautiful music can still capture the heart as heard in the lovely "That Is You." Mark F. Turner allaboutjazz.com
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To be transported from stress and worry—if only for a brief moment—this song can surely do the trick. To paraphrase the great Billy Strayhorn, "That Is You" is a lovesome thing.Mark F. Turner allaboutjazz.com
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features

...The trumpeter whose Christmas tune comforted an anxious nation. Suresh Singaratnam saw a nation of people desperate for a bit of spiritual uplift, and brought his musical vision to life...Shannon ProudfootMaclean's Magazine
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Suresh Singaratnam, a composer, wanted to write a new Christmas song that celebrates Canada, the land, and of course the people. This year a hundred and seventy musicians and singers came together and helped it come alive. A Canadian Christmas is our moment.David CommonCBC's The National
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“… truly beautiful song about the joy of Canada during Christmastime”The Hamilton Spectator
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Lost in New York

Lost In New York is an outstanding album of intricate jazz played by some of the best musicians the jazz scene currently has to offer. Singaratnam has produced a mature and first class effort making this album hard to ignore. This is an essential purchase for all jazz fans and one which I highly recommend.Jon Neudorfseaoftranquility.org
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Meet Suresh Singaratnam . Like Wynton Marsalis, to whom he will often very likely be compared, Singaratnam is trained in both the classical and jazz traditions. His first two records offered classical music — 2009’s Two Hundred Sixty-One, Volume 1 — and jazz — 2010’s Lost in New York, the subject of this review. To have a career begin in impressive musical presence of Marsalis is a bit much, so let us give Singaratnam enough space to let him be his own man. He’s not lost at all. He finds his way pretty well, no matter what music he’s playing...From the writing and arranging, to the personnel in the band and the flat out monster playing on this release, I was thoroughly impressed.Mark E. HayeseJazzNews
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Suresh Singaratnam is a major talent with interesting ideas and good taste in bandmates, and this album is recommended to any fan of genuinely modern jazz.Phil Freemanallmusic.com
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Great songwriting and great playing from a well-chosen group of musicians - Lost in New York is a superb debut that deserves your attention. jazzchicago.net
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An impressive work, Lost In New York gives the strong impression of a confident and talented composer and musician, part of the city rather than lost within it.Bruce Lindsayallaboutjazz.com
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This trumpeter is probably most likely to follow in Marsalis' footsteps. Still the young lion with something to prove, Singaratnam can play in jazz and classical modes with ease, but this set is all about putting the chops first, front and center. A solid set for fans of sitting down jazz, this is the kind of set that spreads the word well. midwestrecord.com
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Within a few notes, you’ll hear the gifted Singaratnam’s voice ascend without boundaries in this inimitable compilation of unexpected textural shapes, colors and nuances implanted throughout the balance of this adventurous gem of a masterpiece...

...The conduit of music encompass here is a fortress of ambitious compositions that materializes from a collage of immeasurable tenor which accurately externalizes Suresh Singaratnam’s artistic vision as he eloquently developed a repertoire of music that is complex, compelling, exciting and very interesting. Highly recommended!Rob YoungThe Urban Flux
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Indeed, I was knocked out of my chair this weekend by trumpeter Suresh Singaratnam‘s new CD, Lost in New York. It’s a mindblower of mood-swings from mellow to scorching. Zoom Street
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Lost in New York is a 68-minute, nine-chapter novel of a boy and his trumpet, making his way to the city and experiencing many life lessons. The CD, with a lengthy booklet filled with beautiful graphic illustrations, is a finely composed suite, merging jazz and the classical in contemporary fashion. Colors are rich, instruments are warm unless intentionally cold, and the storyline is continuous. It doesn’t seem appropriate to name individual tracks, since there is a solid sense of unity from “Temporal Incursions” to “Peripheral Fission”. An absolute must.Layla Macoranexaminer.com
A jazz-rock album that makes refreshing sense is Suresh Singaratnam's Lost in New York. Everything about this new CD from trumpeter Singaratnam is exciting, from the tight jazz lines to the restless fusion arrangements. None of the songs overstay their welcome and all delight with energy and innovation. What's notable about this album is what happens when you start to play any of the tracks. You find you want the track to remain on. Sample Temporal Incursions and Chrysanthemum to see what I mean. What's more, all compositions and arrangements are by Singaratnam. This is hot stuff.JazzWax
While packaged in an edgy graphic comic context, the music here presented by trumpeter Suresh Singaratham is impressive hard bop in the Jazz Messenger vein. The core team of Jake Saslow/ts, Jesse Lewis/g, Fabian Almazan/p, Fraser Hollins/b and Lee Pearson/dr give a youthful and Gen Y vigor to stretched out tunes like “Temporal Incursions” and “Remnants Of Eternity” while bridging the generation gap between Young Lions and Baby Boomers.

Singaratnam’s trumpet is dynamic and searching, with a hint of Hubbard to keep it spiced up. Except for the pensive vocal “Spring for All But Me” with Charenee Wade, the music keeps you driving forward and on your toes, with Saslow’s tenor filled with grit, and Almazan’s piano keeping the Tyner torch burning. They’ve got a nice ability to keep one foot in the tradition and another on the escalator going up. Nice work here.George W. HarrisJazzWeekly.com

social media

Verdi Hoodie from J'Nai Bridges' Instagram PostGiuseppe Verdi - Premium US College Style Hoodieclick here for more info
YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/sureshsingaratnam
Facebookhttps://facebook.com/sureshsingaratnam/
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/sureshtrumpet/
TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@sureshtrumpet
Backup Instagram & ThreadsMy main account ( @sureshtrumpet ) was temporarily suspended on Monday October 7, 2024 when Meta's broken automated moderation did its thing, so I created a new account (@trumpetsuresh). Here’s a post from my verified Facebook page confirming the authenticity of that new account.click here for more info
Blueskyhttps://bsky.app/profile/suresh.social

projects

Creed Bratton’s “All the Faces”Back in January, some fans of the Office Ladies podcast (featuring Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey) decided we wanted to do something special to commemorate The Ladies' completing their rewatch of the show. Here's what we came up with.https://itisyourpodcast.com
Seasonal Songs for Southern OntarioA four movement song cycle for the seasons, with original music and lyrics by Suresh Singaratnam. Featuring vocalist Daisy Press and the artwork of Alana McCarthyhttp://seasonalsongs.ca/
Bach: Three Part Sinfonias & Two Part Inventionsclick here for more info
A Canadian Christmas"Suresh Singaratnam saw a nation of people desperate for a bit of spiritual uplift, and brought his musical vision to life" - Maclean's Magazine https://www.acanadianchristmas.com/
Suresong Music Online StoreApparel, Mugs, Accessories, Home/Office/Classroom Decor. Official Suresh Singaratnam & Suresong Music Merchandise (along with some fun extras)https://shop.suresongmusic.com/collections
A Brass Quintet Christmashttps://abrassquintetchristmas.com/

music education

371 Vierstimmige Chorale371 Chorale Harmonizations by Johann Sebastian Bachhttps://371chorales.com/
Click-tracks for "A Canadian Christmas"These click-track videos are for choirs to learn, practice, and record their individual tracks for "A Canadian Christmas"https://acanadianchristmas.com/choirparts/

bandmates

Daisy Press - vocalistDaisy Press was raised on the buses, planes, hotels, and stages of a large-scale international rock ’n’ roll tour, on which both her parents performed for over 40 years. Since then, she has become a ferocious and ardent interpreter and creator of experimental classical (and non-classical) musi...https://www.daisyvoice.com/
Fabian AlmazanPianist|Composerhttps://fabianalmazan.com/
Lee PearsonDrumshttps://leepearsonmusic.com
Jesse LewisGuitaristhttps://jesselewismusic.com/
Stu HarrisonPianisthttp://stuharrison.com/
Jake SaslowSaxophonehttp://jakesaslow.com
Charenée WadeVocalisthttps://www.chareneewade.com
Fraser HollinsBasshttps://fraserhollins.ca

colleagues

Marc KoecherMarc Koecher is a music producer, writer/composer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist working out of Toronto. His approach to production and musical collaboration comes from a passion for finding unique sonic signatures and making music that is always deeply emotionally affective. https://marckoecher.com
Amy E. Gustafson | PianoPianist, Educator.https://amygustafson.com
Alana McCarthy Creative - Illustration + Lettering + DesignAlana McCarthy is a Toronto based, award winning illustrator, designer and lettering artist who's colourful work helps brands and businesses stand out. Mural, publishing, editorial, packaging illustration.https://www.alanamccarthy.com/
Tim Green | SaxophoneForging a deeply personal sound from a broad swath of the jazz landscape, saxophonist, composer and arranger TIM GREEN has emerged as a powerful new voice, melding deftly swinging hard bop, fluid modernity, and soulful gospel...https://www.timgreenmusic.com
Lauren Sevian | Baritone Saxophone Winner of the Jazz Journalists Awards Baritone Saxophonist of the Year 2020! Winner of the “Rising Star” Baritone Saxophonist in the 67th Downbeat Critics Poll! Winner of the Hothouse Jazz Awards...https://laurensevian.com
Gretchen Parlato | VocalistHome page of gretchen parlato, a jazz artist from Los Angeles. Gretchen Parlato - award-winning jazz & world music vocalist, Grammy Awards Nominee, winner of the 2004 thelonious monk jazz vocals competition, #1 Female Vocalist JazzTimes Critics Poll and Jhttps://gretchenparlato.com/
Joanna Majoko | VocalistFor many Canadian music fans, the name Joanna Majoko is a familiar one: the Toronto-based vocalist, composer, and bandleader has established a reputation as one of Canada’s most exciting young singers...https://joannamajoko.com/
For booking and all other inquires, contact Suresh Singaratnam at:
suresh@sureshsingaratnam.com






Publicity Photos


2017 McMichael Canadian Art Collection Concert


2008 Recording Session for Lost in New York


Suresh Singaratnam
Duet No. 1 for Clarinet & Bassoon
Calm Position Cattle Hog
from Duet No. 1 for Clarinet & Bassoon
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