“It has been an incredible experience; the Greek musicians welcomed us warmly, and in the audience, there were almost a thousand people who connected with our music. Because of the music, it was an overwhelming night, along with the atmosphere of the place,” Pastor explained, reflecting on the concert he had the night before with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Thessaloniki, conducted by the great Miguel Ángel Navarro.
Thousands of miles from home, Pastor connects with memories of a child who began to grow up with music, someone fortunate to meet great teachers such as Manuel López and Francisco Blanco “Latino.” This child transformed into a young trumpeter who knew how to choose the path he wanted—one through effort. “Music has always been a challenge for me, a way of finding personal improvement. Since I was a child, I felt great with the instrument in my hand and found my place with other classmates and teachers. I have always had good mentors who helped me develop my talent, encouraging me to move forward and providing the opportunities I needed to begin my professional career and have it take off.”
This is a story of perseverance and confidence in the work ethic, a result of the sum of each step—a story of a human being full of patience who knows that everything arrives in due time. “I have always enjoyed music and the continuous learning process. I have never counted the hours I have dedicated to it because, for me, it’s an identity, my way of understanding life and moving forward. My only goal is to be better every day. That’s why I like to interact with my colleagues and students; they help me to continue learning and evolving,” says Pastor.
Sharing his trumpet for forty years, thirty as a professional, he still considers each morning an opportunity to advance. Those who know him well are aware that the true greatness of Pastor transcends the musical concept because what truly makes him special is his ability to fill any musical performance with energy. For David Pastor, every stage is important, from a large theater to a jazz club, or arriving at a cultural center in a town square or village where there is never a lack of musicians to share great repertoire: “I love to play; it’s my passion. At this point in my life, it’s almost my natural state of being. Some years ago, I realized that teaching also gives me a lot of life. Teaching has become a fundamental activity in my profession; it gives me very good memories. I love sharing time with people who want to learn, who are curious about what I can give them. Normally, these courses and master classes always culminate with a concert, and it is very gratifying to see how, in just a few days or hours, a student can improve musically when working as a team with good methodology.”
David Pastor, besides being the Trumpet professor at the Taller de Músics of Barcelona and the Jazz Training Workshop and Director of the Big Band of the UJI (Jaume I University in Castellón, Spain), regularly teaches courses and seminars at music schools, music associations, conservatories, and universities in Spain, as well as in other countries as a guest lecturer. “I have been a professor at the First Ibero-American Trumpet Congress (Cancun, Mexico), and I was also teaching at the CAM in Florence, Italy. Soon, I will visit the University of Florida (USA), the University of Macedonia (Greece), and the University of Georgia (USA),” explains the trumpeter.
In 2015, David Pastor’s international projection increased as he joined the squad of the Austrian instrument brand, Schagerl, a family that unites great figures such as Thomas Gansch or James Morrison, among others. It is usual to see David Pastor in Schagerl workshops, where he speaks as a brand ambassador but, above all, as a trumpeter who spends hours with the instrument: “They are great instruments; the mechanics are impressive, the response of the valves is optimal, and, aesthetically, I very much identify with both the design and the finishing touches. I have played on many trumpet brands, but with Schagerl, I have reached a point of personalization and identification like never before.”
The US brand, Warburton, also noticed David Pastor and asked him to design a line of mouthpieces that respond to musical work in different genres: “Warburton gave me the opportunity to help them to create my own line of mouthpieces. The mouthpiece is fundamental for trumpet players because we fight with them every day, and I tried to share everything I know about my work on the stage and the physiognomy (the study of a person’s facial features) of trumpeters to design some mouthpieces to perform demanding jobs with different musical styles and contexts, in a comfortable way.”
In this international progression, the US label Dot Time Records, which opted for him as one of the best trumpet players in Europe, is also an important asset. David Pastor published his first album, Motion (Dot Time Records, 2016), a live presentation at the Jazzahead Night Festival (Bremen, Germany, 2017). Now, David Pastor has just released his second album with this label, Film Sessions, which is available on both vinyl and CD. This project offers a tour of soundtracks that are part of the collective memory, with reharmonizations and a jazz language that brings tradition and current sound to a meeting point: “I wanted to record with a more organic character for a long time and recover themes from movies and musicals that were important to me in my training and development as a musician. In this adventure, I am accompanied by the pianist and arranger Francesc Capella, bassist Tom Warburton, and drummer Anton Jarl. We are amazed by the great reception on the part of the public and the producers; we have many concerts ahead of us, in Spain and in other countries that we will soon announce.” With a personal link to some title tracks on Film Sessions, it is important to remark on his experience with recordings on film soundtracks such as The Bookshop (Isabel Coixet, 2017), where David was invited by the great Alfonso Vilallonga.
Remembering some of these soundtracks that marked the beginning of his career and his learning of the musical language, David Pastor explains that undoubtedly, the greatest jazz radio conductor in Spain, Juan Claudio Cifuentes “Cifu,” played a great role: “I remember, as a teenager, staying up late to watch Cifu on TV. I always admired him immensely. I will never forget the day I met him; I was about twenty-three years old, and he was in Nido del Arte (Albacete, Spain), where I was playing with the Fabio Miano quintet. I remember he was with Javier de Cambra… Later, I met him again while on the tour for my first album, Introducing David Pastor (Omix Records, 2002), and from then on, whenever we met, we shared some very good time. He is undoubtedly one of my great mentors because he is also a musician.”
In addition to leading his projects, David Pastor is one of the most demanded trumpeters in the jazz scene and bands of many genres. Throughout all these years, Pastor has shared the stage with trumpeters such as Mike Mossman, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Luis Aquino, Claudio Roditi, Gustavo Bergalli, and Charles Tolliver, as well as with other jazzmen like Donald Harrison, Steve Marcus, Dick Oatts, Richie Cole, Paquito D’Rivera, Maceo Parker, Bob Mintzer, Sambeat Perico, Jorge Pardo, Guillermo Klein, Pat Metheny, and Slide Hampton. Pastor has also played with outstanding figures from Latin American music, such as Celia Cruz or Armando Manzanero, and in the Spanish music scene, he has collaborated with flamenco artists such as Estrella Morente and Miguel Poveda and artists such as Kiko Veneno, Martirio, Sole Giménez, Fundación Toni Manero, Seguridad Social, and Santiago Auserón, whom he usually accompanies for his concerts.
In a few days, David Pastor will add a new name to his list of professional experiences. He will be sharing the stage with one of the most famous trumpeters after the golden generation of jazz: Arturo Sandoval. The Cuban musician will offer a concert together with the Classijazz Swing & Funk Big Band, directed by Duccio Bertini, and David Pastor has also been invited to perform: “I am very happy that they have invited me to play in such a special concert. Sandoval is one of the fathers of the modern trumpet; he is a great international figure who has been an inspiration for people wanting to play in the upper register and a wide range of musical styles. It is always a pleasure to play with musicians whom I admire.”
The versatility and transversality of this trumpeter allow him to perfectly adapt himself to any style. The greatest musical virtue that Pastor has is that of being a great instrumentalist in numerous genres and the control of a variety of languages in multiple registers. Currently, he is working very closely with distinguished conductor Miguel Ángel Navarro, with whom he has created a repertoire that brings the world of jazz to the classical arena and what they call Symphonic Standards: “It is an honor to work with Miguel Ángel Navarro; he is a great professional. His conducting is very powerful, and he transmits a special force. It is very motivating to see how the world of classical music is opening up to new proposals to transcend music and, through new repertoire, bring it to new audiences.”
The “Hurricane of Levante,” that’s what the singer Santiago Auserón calls David. And he is not mistaken because David Pastor is an inexhaustible and overwhelming phenomenon in which his talent on the trumpet is projected, thanks to the overflowing energy he uses each time he’s involved in a project. His colleagues and the people who work with him every day know it well: the secret of his “always forward” philosophy comes from that child who found freedom on his instrument and who continues growing, laughing, and dreaming, with each moment.
Conclusion
David Pastor, a seasoned trumpeter, reflects on a recent concert in Thessaloniki, expressing gratitude for the warm reception and the powerful connection with the audience. His musical journey, guided by mentors since childhood, unfolds as a tale of perseverance and dedication. Beyond performance, Pastor values teaching, considering it a fundamental part of his identity.
Internationally recognized, Pastor is associated with prestigious brands like Schagerl and Warburton, contributing to the design of specialized mouthpieces. His albums with Dot Time Records showcase a blend of reharmonized soundtracks, marking his artistic evolution.
A versatile musician, Pastor has shared stages with legends like Arturo Sandoval and collaborated across diverse genres. The narrative echoes his boundless energy, passion for teaching, and an enduring commitment to musical excellence. In essence, David Pastor’s story is one of resilience, collaboration, and an unwavering dedication to the transformative power of music.
