New York NY, 10001
Instruments:Other, Trumpet
Styles:Jazz, Blues
Levels:Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Experience:5 years
Rate:$75 / hr
Personal Statement
I use the Ballingeristic method in playing a brass instrument.
Education / Training
Malcolm Ballinger was born into a family of musicians and educators. He started his musical training early. Most of the conversations around the dinner table with his parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and godparents were about music. He started studying the trumpet in Jr. High School. He was sent to the Manhattan School of Music at age thirteen, as were his brothers before him. Attending the Manhattan School was a family tradition. While living in New York City he took full advantage of the opportunities that the times and area had to offer. After playing in school and performing during summers at various performing art schools, he started working professionally at the age of 15 in the many clubs in and outside the city. He also attended many musical artist clinics during these years, expanding his musical horizons.
When he was 17 he was the bandleader for the legendary instrumental group Umoja, which eventually landed on Atlantic Records backing the vocal sensation Clyde McPhatter just before he died. Tired of the New York scene, Malcolm went to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music. Shortly afterwards he ended up in the U.S. Army. While in the service he remained active as a performer. He headed up a small quartet with some very credible musicians on the jazz scene, James Williams on piano, Jeff Anderson on bass, and Don Sweat on Drums. He would occasionally go back to New York to work as a sideman with various groups, including Oral Cores, a well-known group in New York City (recipients of the National Endowment of the Arts award). While in Boston he was also a sideman for Margo Thunder for several years on Capital Records.
Malcolm is currently back in New York, where he is active as performer and clinician on trumpet and working on music educational material in keeping with the family tradition.
Malcolm has studied with Kenny Dorham, John Coffey and Raymond Kotwica just to name a few.