Wayne Bergeron (born January 16, 1958) is an American jazz trumpeter. Bergeron rose to prominence as a member of Maynard Ferguson's band in the 1980s. Since then, he has worked on over 400 TV and motion picture soundtracks. As a lead and studio player, he is notable for his ability in the upper register of the instrument, as in his screaming trumpet work in the soundtrack for the 2004 Disney/Pixar animated movie The Incredibles. Bergeron is on faculty at the Los Angeles College of Music and is principal trumpet for the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

Life and career

Bergeron was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Los Angeles. His first instrument was the French horn but he switched to the trumpet in his early teens. In 1986, he won the spot of lead trumpeter for Maynard Ferguson's band. He has recorded as a sideman for David Benoit, Rosemary Clooney, Neil Diamond, Julio Iglesias, and Jack Sheldon; he contributed to the movies Despicable Me, Dreamgirls, Frozen, Rounders, Superman Returns, The Incredibles, and Toy Story 3. Bergeron has held the role of lead trumpet in Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band since the band was founded and has had two solo charts written for him: "Horn of Puente" from XXL and "Years of Therapy" from Life in the Bubble. His debut album as a solo musician was You Call This a Living? (2002), featuring the "Friend Like Me" arranged by Bill Liston. The album also features fellow Maynard Ferguson alumnus Peter Erskine on drums and Big Phat Band alumnus Eric Marienthal on saxophone. His next album, Plays Well with Others (2007) received critical acclaim and was nominated for a Grammy Award. The album features Maynard Ferguson in one of his last performances on the track "Maynard & Waynard". In 2013, Bergeron designed his own range of trumpet mouthpieces. He was initiated as National Honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity and a Signature Sinfonian at the National Convention in New Orleans in 2015.

Discography

As leader

As sideman or guest

With Bill Elliott With Michael Feinstein With Maynard Ferguson With Bob Florence With Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band With Tom Kubis With John LaBarbera With Frank Macchia With Barry Manilow With John Powell With Chris Walden With Bill Watrous With Robbie Williams With Ralph Carmichael With others