Anthony Hervey Performs Live (Get Lit) - All Of It with Alison Stewart

Summary4 min read

All Of It: Anthony Hervey Performs Live (Get Lit) Hosted by Alison Stewart | Release Date: January 31, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, listeners are treated to an intimate conversation with Anthony Hervey, an acclaimed jazz trumpeter and composer renowned for his regular performances at Lincoln Center. Alison Stewart sets the stage by highlighting Hervey's exceptional talent, noting that Wynton Marsalis has praised him as "a beautiful trumpet player of the first magnitude" (00:34). The episode culminates with a live performance by Hervey, offering a blend of insightful dialogue and captivating music.

Journey to Harlem and Musical Roots

Anthony Hervey shares his personal journey from Florida to New York City, driven by his aspirations in music. Relocating for his education at Juilliard, Hervey explains, "I moved up to New York City for school... and a lot of musicians actually live uptown, so it was kind of a place that I naturally gravitated towards" (10:01). Growing up in a musical family, Hervey was the only sibling to play the trumpet, while his brothers and sisters favored the saxophone. He recounts how his mother's memory of her grandfather, a trumpet player, influenced his initial reluctant choice of the instrument: "My mom... made me play trumpet and I reluctantly agreed to do so. But I didn't know it was going to be something that I fell in love with" (10:27).

Inspiration and Realization

Hervey reflects on the pivotal moment that solidified his decision to pursue music professionally. In sixth grade, he watched a documentary on Blue Note Records featuring a clip of Freddie Hubbard, which left a lasting impression: "That 20 seconds of him playing is literally why I'm in New York City" (11:05). This encounter with Hubbard's mastery of the trumpet ignited Hervey's passion and commitment to his craft.

Educational Growth at Juilliard

During his time at Juilliard, Hervey emphasizes the significant personal and professional growth he experienced. He describes the environment as nurturing, surrounded by incredible musicians: "I was really fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of incredible musicians at the school. And so I feel like we all kind of collectively grew together" (11:39). The rigorous schedule of classes and late-night sessions fostered a strong work ethic and camaraderie among his peers, many of whom are now making notable strides in the music industry.

Integration of Poetry and Music

Hervey delves into his unique approach of intertwining poetry with his musical compositions. Although he modestly assesses his own poetry skills, he acknowledges the profound influence of poets on his work: "I take a lot of inspiration from, like, poets" (12:20). An example of this synergy is his song "Crystal Stair," inspired by Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son": "Sometimes I'll take little things like that and put it in my music" (12:20). This blend of literary and musical artistry enriches his compositions, adding depth and narrative to his performances.

Debut Album and Future Projects

Hervey celebrates the release of his debut album in 2023 and shares his excitement for upcoming projects. Currently, he is "in the process of working on my second album" and plans to begin recording by summer (12:57). Hervey is committed to maintaining a thoughtful and unrushed creative process, focusing on crafting new music that continues to build on his established foundation.

Live Performance Preview

Anticipating Valentine's Day, Hervey introduces a special performance of "The Nearness of You" by Hoagy Carmichael, one of his favorite composers. He expresses his admiration for the song, describing it as "a beautiful song" (13:16). This performance not only showcases Hervey's technical prowess but also his ability to convey deep emotion through his trumpet.

Live Performance: "The Nearness of You"

The episode features a live rendition of "The Nearness of You," performed by Anthony Hervey accompanied by pianist Will Hill (09:44). Hervey's interpretation of this classic piece highlights his exceptional skill and expressive style, providing listeners with a memorable musical experience that encapsulates the essence of his artistry.

Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by commending Anthony Hervey's live performance and expressing gratitude for his participation in the January Get Lit Book Club event. She invites listeners to engage with the All Of It community, anticipating future episodes that continue to explore the rich tapestry of New York City's cultural landscape.

Notable Quotes

"Wynton Marsalis has said of him that he's a beautiful trumpet player of the first magnitude." — Alison Stewart (00:34)
"That 20 seconds of him playing is literally why I'm in New York City." — Anthony Hervey (11:05)
"Sometimes I'll take little things like that and put it in my music." — Anthony Hervey (12:20)

Timestamps

00:34 – Introduction of Anthony Hervey
10:01 – Hervey discusses moving to Harlem and Juilliard
10:27 – Hervey explains his choice of the trumpet
11:05 – Inspiration from Freddie Hubbard
11:39 – Growth at Juilliard
12:20 – Integration of poetry into music
12:57 – Debut album and second album plans
13:16 – Introduction to "The Nearness of You" performance
09:44 – Live performance begins

About Anthony Hervey

Anthony Hervey is a distinguished jazz trumpeter and composer based in New York City. A Juilliard alumnus, Hervey has garnered acclaim for his performances at prestigious venues like Lincoln Center. His work seamlessly blends musical virtuosity with poetic inspiration, creating a unique and compelling sound that resonates with diverse audiences.

Connect with All Of It

Join Alison Stewart and the All Of It community for more engaging conversations and performances that delve into the heart of New York City's vibrant cultural scene. Tune in weekdays from 12:00 - 2:00 PM on WNYC.

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Transcript34 lines

[00:00]
Progressive Insurance
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[00:24]
WNYC Studios
Listener supported WNYC studios.
[00:34]
Alison Stewart
You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Let's end this hour how we end all of our get lit events with music. Anthony Hervey is an acclaimed jazz trumpeter and composer who plays regularly at Lincoln Center. Wynton Marsalis has said of him that he's a beautiful trumpet player of the first magnitude. We were grateful that Anthony was able to join us for our January get lit Book Club event. In just a minute, you'll hear my conversation with Anthony. But first, here he is with a live performance of words from my horn and centerpiece.
[02:52]
WNYC Studios
It's.
[07:53]
Alison Stewart
Sa.
[09:15]
WNYC Studios
Sam.
[09:44]
Anthony Hervey
That's Will Hill on the piano.
[09:46]
Interviewee
Yes, Will Hill.
[09:52]
Anthony Hervey
Hello.
[09:53]
Interviewee
Hello. So this month's book takes place in Harlem.
[09:57]
Anthony Hervey
Yes.
[09:57]
Interviewee
You live in Harlem by way of Florida. How'd you arrive at Harlem?
[10:02]
Anthony Hervey
Well, I moved up to New York City for school, so I was at Juilliard. And a lot of musicians actually live uptown, so it was kind of a place that I naturally gravitated towards.
[10:12]
Interviewee
You grew up in Florida?
[10:14]
Anthony Hervey
Yes.
[10:14]
Interviewee
Did you come from musical family?
[10:17]
Anthony Hervey
In a way, yeah. All my siblings played saxophone, so I'm the only one who played trumpet. There's four of us.
[10:24]
Interviewee
You're the only. How did you come on the trumpet if everybody else is playing saxophone?
[10:28]
Anthony Hervey
That's a good question. Well, my mom, her grandfather played trumpet. He passed before I was born, so I never met him. But I guess the memory of him playing was like something that she always had in the back of her mind. So I had to pick an elective for middle school and I wanted to play basketball. And my mom was like, okay, you need an elective, though you're short. I don't know if you're going to be Kobe or LeBron James. So, yeah, she made me play trumpet and I reluctantly agreed to do so. But I didn't know it was going to be something that I fell in love with. And, hey, we're here now.
[11:00]
Interviewee
Yeah. So when did you realize, wow, this is something I could do? This is something I could do professionally?
[11:05]
Anthony Hervey
I remember I was watching tv. I was in sixth grade and I was watching this documentary on Blue Note Records. And as soon as I clicked on the channel, this Clip of Freddie Hubbard came on tv, and Freddie is one of the most incredible trumpet players to ever live. And I had never heard somebody play trumpet like that. It's like watching Kobe Bryant play basketball or something. And I only heard him play for, like, 20 seconds. And that 20 seconds of him playing is literally why I'm in New York City.
[11:34]
Interviewee
Wow. Wow. During your time at Juilliard, what did it teach you about music?
[11:40]
Anthony Hervey
My time at Juilliard, what did it teach me about music? Well, I feel like I grew in a lot of ways being at Juilliard, just being in New York City by myself. You know, as a young person, I feel like that's kind of where I grew into an adult. And I was really fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of incredible musicians at the school. And so I feel like we all kind of collectively grew together. You know, just being in school and then hitting sessions late at night and then getting, like, three hours of sleep before 9:00am classes, and then to see what everybody's doing now, you know, we all have been working hard.
[12:13]
Interviewee
I read about you that you write poetry, and then you take the rhythm of your poems and you turn them into songs. How does that work?
[12:21]
Anthony Hervey
Well, my poetry skills are not that good, but I do write sometimes. But I feel like I'm very inspired by words. Like, even the first song that we played was called Words From My Horn, which is the title of my debut record. And so I take a lot of inspiration from, like, poets. So I actually have a song, crystal Stair, that I've written, which is inspired by the words of Langston Hughes, his poem Mother to Son. You know, life ain't been no crystal stare, so sometimes I'll take little things like that and put it in my music.
[12:53]
Interviewee
As you said, you released your debut album in 2023. What's next?
[12:57]
Anthony Hervey
Well, I'm actually in the process of working on my second album, so I'm really excited for that. It's still in the development phase, so I don't like to rush my process. So I've been writing a lot of new music, so definitely by the summer, I'm planning on recording, so I'm pretty excited.
[13:15]
Interviewee
What are we going to hear next?
[13:16]
Anthony Hervey
Well, we're going to do a song by Hoagie Carmichael. This is. He's one of my favorite composers, and this is a beautiful song. We got Valentine's Day around the corner, too, but this is the Nearness of youf.
[13:27]
Interviewee
All right, let's go.
[17:04]
WNYC Studios
Sa Sa.
[18:51]
Alison Stewart
That was Anthony Hervey with a live performance of the classic the nearness of you from our January get lit with all of it book Club event. I'm Alison Stewart. Have a great weekend and I'll meet you back here next time.
[19:07]
WNYC Studios
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[19:37]
Progressive Insurance
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