Don Jacoby

Who was Don Jacoby?

Don "Jake" Jacoby was a noted trumpeter, teacher, band leader and author who died December 25, 1992 at age 72. He played with Benny Goodman, Les Brown, did session work for CBS, NBC and soloed at Carnegie Hall.In addition, he did much recording session work in Dallas, TX, where he also performed with his own groups and served for a while as president of A.F. of M. Local 147.

Jacoby was born in York, Pennsylvania and learned to play trumpet from an uncle at six years old. He was one of the youngest players ever accepted to the famous E. S. Williams school. While still in his teens he often played the Herbert L. Clarke parts in the John Philip Sousa band in concerts in Central Park.

Jacoby spent much of his life teaching and doing clinics for Conn. During this time he recorded several albums such as "Have Conns Will Travel", "Don Jacoby & College All-Stars Swinging Big Sound LP" and "Jacoby Brings The House Down".

He spent the last years of his life teaching private students and writing a trumpet book, "Jake's Method". Don taught in Denton, Texas, and tutored many very successful brass players including Bobby Shew, Marvin Stamm, Craig Johnson and Dan Miller.

He was listed as one of the top players of the 20th century in Dr. Nobel's book, “The Psychology of Cornet & Trumpet Playing," and he is mentioned in "The Secret of Technique Preservation" written by his teacher E. S. Williams.