Gabriel Angelo plays the trumpet and tap dances simultaneously on “Ellen”
This 12-year-old boy is one cool cat with loads of moxie!
Last week, Gabriel Angelo, also known as "The Trumpet Kid," appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to show off his trumpet playing and tap dancing skills while wearing a Brooks Brothers suit and proved that you don't have to be an adult to have style.
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During the broadcast, Angelo told DeGeneres that he's been playing the trumpet for six years, makes approximately $30 for a few hours of performing on the street corners of San Francisco and is raising money for his musical education. He started out with just a trumpet and a tune, but later added tap dancing to his repertoire and was inspired by the legendary entertainer, Fred Astaire.
However, Astaire is not the only one to have had an impact on this youngster's musical career. Last year, he also performed live on stage with Grammy Award, Billboard Award and Emmy Award-winning trumpet player, Arturo Sandoval and documented the experience on his blog.
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While playing "Moon River" and dancing near San Francisco's Union Square, Angelo was approached by a man who would give him the opportunity of a lifetime. That man was Grammy Award winner and Frank Sinatra's former drummer, Gregg Field.
Field is the son-in-law of Henry Mancini, who composed the music for the 1961 award-winning track and upon hearing it, invited Angelo and his mother to see Sandoval perform during the San Francisco Jazz Festival at the Herbst Theatre.
"I was really digging Arturo's style, his musical flexibility and his sense of humour, when before I knew it, intermission was happening," Angelo wrote on his blog. "Gregg, the guy with the really big heart and the really big smile, took me back to meet Arturo [and] Arturo asked me, 'Are you going to play 'Moon River' tonight?' At first I thought he was joking, but the thrill of the opportunity made me say, 'Yes.' And it turned out that he wasn't joking."
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While on stage, Sandoval noticed that Angelo was holding his instrument in a peculiar way and inquired about his interesting finger positions. Angelo explained that he was playing "a 1956 Conn cornet in need of some repair" and upon hearing this, Sandoval said, "When I get home, I'm going to send you a brand new cornet!"
The experience was very special to Angelo, who commented, "It was an awesome privilege to meet both of these gentleman, so accomplished in music and in heart!"
Check out more of Angelo's story featured below.
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