Bob Lanese is an American trumpet

Trumpet

The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...

 player who has spent most of his career as a professional musician in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

.

Life and career

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Lanese was one of a group of local trumpet players who would eventually play in the James Last Orchestra

James Last Orchestra

The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...

 in Germany, the others being Rick Kiefer

Rick Kiefer

Rick Kiefer is an American trumpet player who has spent most of his career as a professional musician in Germany. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he first attracted notice in the early 1960s as a member of the Maynard Ferguson big band...

, Bob Findley and Chuck Findley

Chuck Findley

Chuck Findley is an American session musician. Most widely-known as a trumpet player, he also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone...

. He earned a bachelor's degree in Science and Music Education at Ohio State University

Ohio State University

The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...

in 1962, and then became a member of the house band for the Alpine Village, a popular nightclub in Cleveland. During the Vietnam War, he played with the Norad Commanders, a renowned American air defense big band. After his discharge, he became a graduate assistant in jazz at North Texas State University. In 1971, he toured Europe with the Glenn Miller Orchestra

Glenn Miller Orchestra

The Glenn Miller Orchestra was originally formed in 1938 by Glenn Miller. It was arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, while three other saxophones played the harmony...

 under the direction of Buddy DeFranco

Buddy DeFranco

Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco is an American jazz clarinet player.-Biography:DeFranco began his professional career just as swing music and big bands — many of which were led by clarinetists like Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman — were fading in popularity...

 and became particularly enamored with the German port city of Hamburg

Hamburg

-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...

. Soon after, he landed a job with the NDR

NDR

NDR may refer to:* Numalian Democratic Republic a Micronation within the borders of Malaysia.* Nador International Airport — IATA code Morocan airport* National Derby Rallies...

 (Norddeutsche Rundfunk, or North German Radio) big band in Hamburg

Hamburg

-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...

. During his tenure at NDR

NDR

NDR may refer to:* Numalian Democratic Republic a Micronation within the borders of Malaysia.* Nador International Airport — IATA code Morocan airport* National Derby Rallies...

, he began to work occasional sessions for the James Last Orchestra

James Last Orchestra

The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...

 and eventually joined the band in 1972. For the next 30 years, he became primarily known as the lead trumpeter for the Last band, but also played many session for other German bandleaders like Kai Warner

Kai Warner

Kai Warner was the stage name of Werner Last , a German bandleader and musician. He is the brother of of James Last and Robert Last...

, Jo Ment

Jo Ment

Jo Ment was a German musician. Born Jochen Ment in 1923, he became a successful musician in Hamburg, Germany, showing proficiency on accordion and saxophone...

, Frank Valdor

Frank Valdor

Frank Valdor was one of the great German bandleaders having sold over 2.5 millions records during the 1960s and 1970s. In particular, Valdor was popular for his instrumental arrangements intended to be played non-stop at parties. He has been called "King of Dynamic Party Sound". His discography...

, Max Greger and Bert Kaempfert

Bert Kaempfert

Bert Kaempfert was a German orchestra leader and songwriter. He made easy listening and jazz-oriented records, and wrote the music for a number of well-known songs, such as "Strangers in the Night" and "Spanish Eyes".-Biography:He was born in Hamburg, Germany - where he received his lifelong...

. Lanese made solo recordings for the Europa record label and also directed his own group, the Downtown Big Band. In addition, he worked as a music educator and clinician throughout Germany. He retired from the James Last Orchestra

James Last Orchestra

The James Last Orchestra is a German big-band orchestra with strings. The orchestra was established in 1964 as a studio orchestra, led by jazz musician Hans Last...

in 2002, but continues to play and teach.