Blowin' His Own Trumpet

Trumpeter and DJ Tim Smith (aka Timmy Trumpet) has managed to go from 'Little Timmy Trumpet Player' at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music to wowing international audiences with his unique combination of house with a trumpet out front. Smith says his original musical pathway hasn't really changed. “It started with jazz and I hope it ends with jazz,” says the ITM 2011 number seven DJ. He says that jazz improvisation was what got him jamming over everything and anything. “It was mainly stuff on the radio,” he recalls. “It wasn't long until I discovered house music, met a DJ, and then played my first gig. I drove home that night knowing this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Those who caught his festival shows over summer last year may recall his memorable performance alongside fellow singlet wearers and good friends the Stafford Bros. Trumpet has become an unofficial third member to the duo of late; even doing guest spots on their LA TV show The Staffords on FOX8. With his now iconic oversized singlet, he managed to energise the relatively sombre crowd to a near frenzy with his quirky trumpet antics on stage. “I just spoke to the Stafford's five minutes ago,” Smith informs. “They're currently in Seoul en route to LA. I guess you could say they are killing it… I'm only in the Stafford TV Show for a few seconds each episode and that's enough.”

From life at the Conservatorium to blowin' a trumpet alongside house beats late into the night is a big change. You get the feeling that life in that Conservatorium scene may have been a bit stiff for someone like Mr Trumpet and an exit strategy may have been on the cards, even if he won't directly admit it. “It was a Tuesday morning during half-year exams when a friend came up with the idea, “says Smith, talking about the time he caused an evacuation of the academy after setting off the fire alarm. “I won't go into detail but it took the fire brigade less than half an hour to get to the scene. When they started running in with axes we realised the joke had gone too far.”

Trumpet has shown that he is a real renaissance man. From his controversially named range of oversized singlets called Wifebeaterz to his hit iPhone app that allows you to play trumpet, this entrepreneur of innovation seems to be up for anything and keen to grow his brand in new and interesting ways. “The app has been quite a hit,” says Smith confidently. “I wanted to do something different to listing upcoming shows, so we designed something more interactive, allowing users to literally blow their own horn with a digital trumpet at their fingertips. The app works by blowing into the iPhone mic and using the touch screen to depress the valves and tilt the phone up or down for octaves. The best part [is] it's free!”

Ministry Of Sound have just released the next instalment of their ultra-popular series Sessions 9, featuring two of his own tracks and with one of the CDs mixed by Trumpet. The release will be supported by a national tour, which will take in the Villa Nightclub at the end of August. “As soon as the Ministry tour is done then back to Oz for some of summer lovin', then, according to my calendar, I'm heading back to the US… for a few months it looks like.” With a schedule like this, it is no wonder Trumpet is getting to be known as one of the most in-demand EDM act of the moment. Watching him perform it is hard to imagine him as a stiff-collared student of the arts. “Yes, I did go to band camp,” he confides.