Updated: December 21, 2023
Born: January 7, 1971
David bought his first trumpet on layaway at Ben's Loan, a local pawn shop in his hometown of Renton, Washington over the span of a year and a half of weekly payments.
– the price, $65 was a sum “hard to raise in a hurry when you’re ten and poor,” he says. Amazingly, he still plays the same gold plated trumpet to this day. The two have been on an amazing journey, starting every Sunday at church and including practicing every day of his childhood in his front yard. He still apologizes to his childhood neighbors.
Growing up in a family rich in love, yet financially challenged meant that David couldn't afford private lessons to learn the trumpet. The local Renton Salvation Army offered free music classes where David was taught how to read music and the fingerings for the trumpet. "I appreciate so much the loving mentorship of the officers there, Brigadeers Charles and Edith Bennett who gave freely of their time and teachings to lift me up and help me to learn music", David says, adding "to this day I still try to continue that spirit of giving, sharing with others by teaching young people to play and cherish music." David discovered he could earn money playing on a street corner in Seattle on weekends, which helped him learn to improvise and play hundreds of requested songs on the spot.
The horn led him to a multi-faceted career that found him playing for legendary pop and rock artists, including Foreigner, James Brown and Marvin Gaye. Making his solo recording debut at 17 with his Montage album, he was indie before it was cool, selling several thousand copies across the U.S. and Canada before moving to Los Angeles to continue his career.
Starting with regular performances at Magic Mountain with his own Dixieland style jazz group called the Walt Dixie World Quartet, he took inspiration from the recordings of Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt and others. David’s ease switching between musical styles led to a busy career working in music for TV, film and commercials. While laying the groundwork on his current solo career, he performed with many of today’s top artists and performed everything from jazz, pop and dance music throughout the U.S. and Europe. The success of “Deeper Love,” his single with CeCe Peniston inspired him to return to the studio to record Baila! as a full length tribute to the many genres of music he loves, centered on the Latin music of his heritage.
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David Longoria: Embracing Innovation
![Read "David Longoria: Embracing Innovation" reviewed by Kathy Sanborn](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/davidl200_2016.jpg)
by Kathy Sanborn
Popular trumpeter, songwriter, and producer David Longoria has achieved success in music by refusing to follow the musical crowd. Growing up in relatively poor circumstances, Longoria learned to trust his instincts and to embrace innovation as he set his sights on becoming the internationally respected musician that he is today. At the age of ten, Longoria chose the trumpet as his primary instrument. It took the youth over a year to raise sixty-five dollars, the amount required ...
read moreJazz Musician of the Day: David Longoria
![Jazz Musician of the Day: David Longoria](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/davidl200_2016.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating David Longoria's birthday today!
DAVID LONGORIA sings and plays the trumpet. He grew up listening to trumpeters Al Hirt, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Herb Alpert, Raphael Mendez and other musicians like Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Pete Fountain, Jaco Pastorius and many others. He credits each of them with adding a little something" to his sound. He glides effortlessly through jazz and pop alike. David\'s new album BAILA!"will be released this summer... Read more.
Place our ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: David Longoria
![Jazz Musician of the Day: David Longoria](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/davidl200_2016.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating David Longoria's birthday today!
DAVID LONGORIA sings and plays the trumpet. He grew up listening to trumpeters Al Hirt, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Herb Alpert, Raphael Mendez and other musicians like Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Pete Fountain, Jaco Pastorius and many others. He credits each of them with adding a little something" to his sound. He glides effortlessly through jazz and pop alike. David\'s new album BAILA!"will be released at the end of 2012... Read ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: David Longoria
![Jazz Musician of the Day: David Longoria](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/davidl200_2016.jpg)
Source:
All About Jazz is celebrating David Longoria's birthday today!
DAVID LONGORIA sings and plays the trumpet. He grew up listening to trumpeters Al Hirt, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Herb Alpert, Raphael Mendez and other musicians like Oscar Peterson, Buddy Rich, Pete Fountain, Jaco Pastorius and many others. He credits each of them with adding a little something" to his sound. He glides effortlessly through jazz and pop alike. David\'s new album BAILA!"will be released at the end of 2011...DAVID LONGORIA ...
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David Longoria To Perform At Temecula Balloon And Wine Festival
![David Longoria To Perform At Temecula Balloon And Wine Festival](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/davidl200_2016.jpg)
Source:
Universal Music Group
Hollywood, CA International recording artist David Longoria will bring his Latin infused jazz and pop music to the stage at the 2011 Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival Saturday June 4th at 4pm at Lake Skinner. The singer and trumpet player is known by jazz and pop audiences from both his releases, and his work performing and producing with top artists' music including Sting, General Public, Boys II Men and many others. Longoria's single Deeper Love," featuring Cece Peniston, reached ...
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Hollywood Brazilian Carnaval Week To Launch With Longoria Performance
![Hollywood Brazilian Carnaval Week To Launch With Longoria Performance](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/davidl200_2016.jpg)
Source:
Universal Music Group
International Latin Trumpeter and recording artist David Longoria will appear and perform at Level 3 Nightclub at Hollywood Highlands as guest star to launch Hollywood's Brazil Carnaval week on Monday, March 7th, 8pm. Hollywood, CADavid Longoria will debut his Latin infused Dance single Zoon Baloomba live on Monday, March 7th to launch Hollywood's celebration of the traditional Brazilian Festival Carnaval at 8pm at Level 3 Nightclub, Hollywood Highlands. Accompanied by the Brazilian show band Brasil Brazil, Longoria is scheduled to ...
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"The tone of his trumpet is reminiscent of that of both Herb Alpert and Arturo Sandoval. He is an exceptional trumpet player and he demonstrates his expertise continually with each song that he performs. He is also a very skilled vocalist who communicates wonderfully with an audience. " --Katrina-Casey Wheeler, Jazzreview.com (Jun 05, 2008)
"Rarely does an instrumentalist make his way through the endless loops and samples of modern dance music. David Longoria is a clear exception. His astounding prowess on the trumpet is enough to marvel at. " --Skratchr Aurillio, American Club DJ (Aug 07, 2009)
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