New Orleans jazz trumpeter Irvin Mayfield just added another credit to a résumé that bulges like the muscles beneath his natty suit. He is the first artistic director of jazz for the Minnesota Orchestra.
He fronts Los Hombres Calientes and leads the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Away from music, Mayfield spends more time on boards than an Olympic diver: the New Orleans Public Library (he's chairman), Police and Justice Foundation, Louisiana State University Health Science, First Responders Fund (vice chairman) and New Orleans Arts Council. He also is spokesman for an effort to fight homelessness in New Orleans, and, in 2003, Congress named him the city's cultural ambassador.
With his one-year appointment with the Minnesota Orchestra, he will program five jazz concerts (including a Sommerfest show with the orchestra) and participate in its education programs. A regular visitor to the Twin Cities since 2001 (yes, he's been here in the winter), he talked about his favorite haunts and new gig.
Q What kind of office hours will you keep in Minnesota?
A The kind I keep now: all day, all night, 365 days a year. I will be here a good bit. Obviously, I'll be here for all the concerts and education things. I'll be here parts of eight to 10 months.
Q Who is in your all-star dream band for this series?
A I don't really care who they are as much as I care why they are doing it. One of the things I learned from my last couple of performances here, when the purpose is right, everything comes. Just because they're the greatest guys doesn't mean they sound good together. We have to make sure "the why" is there; that's why you need an artistic director.
Q If you could pick any musicians -- living or dead -- to be in a group, who would you choose?