Ernie Hammes studied classical music in Luxembourg as well as in France before he joined the Luxembourg Army Concert Band in 1987 to become their principal trumpet.
In 1991 he started his jazz studies with Ack Van Rooyen at the Conservatory of The Hague (NL). In 1997, he went to New York City to study at the Manhattan School of Music with Lew Soloff.
Ernie recorded 7 CD under his own name including his last release Evolution which features his own 5-tet with guests Philip Catherine on guitar and Wayne Escoffery on tenor-sax. Also for this CD, he wrote arrangments for a 10-piece string section.
Blue Note, Birdland, Dizzy’s, The Jazz Standard’s, Newport Jazzfestival, Chicago Jazzfestival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Jazz Fest, Portland Jazzfestival (US), Ronnie Scott’s, Royal Albert Hall (UK), The Basement (AU), Montreux Jazz festival (CH), North Sea Jazz, Concertgebouw (NL), Pori Jazzfestival (FI), Umbria Jazz (IT), Vancouver Jazz festival, Edmonton Jazz festival, Calgary Jazz festival, Toronto Jazz festival (CA), Philharmonie de Paris (FR), ...
: PRESS QUOTES
"Ernie is an amazing lead trumpet player and jazz soloist. His musical knowledge expands beyond the norm. It was great to meet him and work together, as we performed my Big Band repertoire with the Luxembourg Jazz Orchestra. It was a wonderful concert and I look forward to many more!" - Michel Camilo
"…Ernie Hammes is a very creative jazz musician and a superb classical soloist…" - Lew Soloff
"…Ernie is a first rate trumpet player who covers an awful lot of ground with his playing and writing. Working with him was always a rewarding and highly musical experience. Keep your eyes on this musician…" - Bob Mintzer
: BIOGRAPHY
Ernie Hammes studied classical music in Luxembourg as well as in France before he joined the Luxembourg Army Concert Band in 1987 to become their principal trumpet.
?In 1991 he started his jazz studies with Ack Van Rooyen at the Conservatory of The Hague (NL). In 1997, he went to New York City to study at the Manhattant School Of Music with Lew Soloff.
?Ernie recorded 7 cd’s under his own name and he can be heard as a sideman on over 40 recordings in various music genres. His first cd, Festival, recorded in 1997, features classical trumpet works with organ and chamber orchestra.
Stepwise, released three years later, shows Ernies’ jazz skills together with his own group and guest musicians Lew Soloff and Bob Mintzer. Lew is also the producer of this album.
?The third cd, Night Lights, recorded live and also featuring his band, is released in February 2005.
In December 2005, Trumpet Classics, a recording with trumpet, organ and brass quintet is released.
?You can also hear Ernie on the new Maynard Ferguson album, MF6, live at Ronnie’s, released early 2006. He is also featured on the tribute to Maynard Ferguson dvd together with trumpeters Eric Myashiro, Andrea Tofanelli, Wayne Bergeron, Carl Fischer and Roger Ingram.
?Retour A Goree, a documentary/musical dvd about jazz and slavery, released in june 2007, features Ernie amongst African singer Youssou N’Dour.
?In 2007, Ernie released the cd Freed & Feier which includes a musical suite commissioned by the city of Luxembourg for the fireworks for the Luxembourg National day 2007.
?Sanfrancha is released in march 2011 and features his band “Cubop” & many international guest artists. The original compositions are strongly latin-influenced.
?In the fall of 2017 Ernie releases Evolution which features his own 5-tet with guests Philip Catherine on guitar and Wayne Escoffery on tenor-sax. Also for this cd, he wrote arrangments for a 10-piece string section.
