Carl Saunders

In 1984, Saunders moved to Los Angeles where he was soon playing lead trumpet with Bill Holman's Orchestra. He has also worked with Supersax, the big bands of Bob Florence and Gerald Wilson, and the Phil Norman Tentet. In 1994, he became a member of the Dave Pell Octet (in Don Fagerquist's old chair). In addition, he is often heard at the head of his own groups.

After spending part of 1962 and 1963 traveling and playing drums with Bobby Sherwood's group, Saunders settled in Las Vegas where, over the next twenty years, he played lead trumpet while performing with Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Frank Sinatra. He traveled as a lead player with Paul Anka and Robert Goulet and worked with Si Zentner, Harry James, Maynard Ferguson, Benny Goodman, and Charlie Barnet.

Saunders began playing trumpet in the seventh grade and discovered that he had a natural ability, learning to play by ear without ever having lessons. He played in school bands, and after graduating from high school got a job with Stan Kenton's Orchestra. He auditioned for Kenton's band and was given a choice: wait for the first opening in the trumpet section or join the band the following week as a member of the mellophonium section. He chose the latter and spent much of 1961–62 on the road with Kenton. Saunders has said about the experience with the mellophonium band, "I was developing perfect pitch from playing the trumpet. However, once I joined Kenton to play the mellophone, my whole system got mixed up because the trumpet is in Bb and the mellophonium is in F, so needless to say my confidence in perfect pitch was shaken and I ended up with relative pitch."

Carl Saunders (born August 2, 1942) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and educator who has performed with such luminaries as Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Bill Holman, Clare Fischer, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, and Paul Anka.