Carl Saunders Death: Obituary, Cause Of Death, Funeral

According to an online obituary, Carl Saunders, a jazz trumpeter, and composer, recently died after a protracted illness; he passed away on February 25, 2023, at 80.

No information was given about the funeral services. Everyone is paying tribute to, remembering, and mourning him on social media.

“R.I.P., CARL SAUNDERS. One of the best lead and solo trumpet players I’ve ever heard, a musical titan. After Charlie O’s closed, Carl and I would hang out in his car, and he would play me incredible jazz songs on CD or cassette. This was back in the late 1990s when I was a new resident of L.A. and frequented Charlie O’s. He always sought out inspiration and was interested in new music.”

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Carl Saunders spent most of his first five years playing on the road. When Saunders was five years old, his mother and aunt Caroline, who plays the saxophone, moved them to Los Angeles. Saunders was influenced by trumpeter Don Fagerquist’s technique and phrasing after hearing records by the Dave Pell Octet.
When Saunders started playing the trumpet in the seventh grade, he realised he had a natural talent and quickly picked up the instrument without ever taking lessons. Following his audition for Kenton’s band, he was allowed to join the group the following week as a member of the mellophone section or wait for the first opening in the trumpet section.

He collaborated with Si Zentner, Harry James, Maynard Ferguson, Benny Goodman, and Charlie Barnet while touring as a principal musician with Paul Anka and Robert Goulet.

Saunders relocated to Los Angeles in 1984 and joined Bill Holman’s Orchestra, where he played lead trumpet. Moreover, he has collaborated with Supersax, Bob Florence, Gerald Wilson, and the Phil Norman Tentet big bands. He joined the Dave Pell Octet in 1994, taking Don Fagerquist’s place. He is also frequently heard speaking as the leader of his groups.