In 2012, I attended the International Trumpet Guild Conference at Columbus State University with my colleagues in The U.S. Army Field Band trumpet section. I was walking on campus between events–with a bunch of other trumpet players I didn’t know also milling around, which is how these conferences go—when I saw an older gentleman walking up some steps, carrying a heavy-looking instrument case on his back and dragging two more rolling cases behind him. It was hot out and the guy didn’t look like he was quite up to it, so I offered to help him with his gear. When he raised his head, I barely managed to hold back the words “Oh shit, you’re Claudio Roditi.”

I’d first heard Claudio Roditi on a VHS tape of Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nation Orchestra in 1996. He blew me away, and I sought out more of his recordings after that… he played a rotary trumpet and flugelhorn (which as a college trumpet nerd I thought was pretty cool), and he brought a fluid quality to his improvised melodies that I really admired.

So fast-forward to 2012, when I was fortunate enough to meet Claudio that day on the campus of Columbus State. He was walking to the bed and breakfast where the school had put him up, which was close-ish but still a pretty good hike in the heat with a load on your back, and as we walked there together I asked him a ton of questions about his time with Dizzy, and with Pacquito d’Rivera, and his career since then. He was extremely gracious, told me some cool stories, and when we got to his place he insisted we have a drink. I was in uniform and had a water while he cracked open a wine, which I think probably annoyed him a little, but once again he was cool about it, and we talked a good while longer… about the military bands, our musical influences, books.

The next day Claudio gave a jazz masterclass at the conference, which I attended. When he saw that I was in the audience, he invited me up on stage to play with him. I was NOT expecting to play and didn’t have my trumpets with me, but he insisted I come up, offering me his own instruments. And that was how I performed (extremely briefly) with Claudio Roditi, on the same rotary flugel I thought was so cool as a student.

After the masterclass, he told me he lived in New Jersey and invited me to come play with him again sometime. I’m ashamed to say I never took him up on it, afraid that he only offered out of politeness, but I did see him one other time after that in New York, which I’m glad for.

I just learned that the great Claudio Roditi passed away yesterday at the age of 73. Rest in Peace, sir. Hearing you play, and getting to know you even a little was a real privilege, and I’ll never forget it.