About Kal

Kal Ferretti is a 23 year old jazz trumpet player, composer, and educator. She is currently making herself known as a serious young musician on the New York City jazz scene. Kal grew up in New York City and started playing classical trumpet before switching to jazz while studying at the prestigious LaGuardia High School. 

Kal has performed with large ensembles such as the Christian McBride Big Band, Ted Nash Big Band, The Mingus Big Band/Dynasty, Michael Leonhart Orchestra, Helen Sung Big Band, JALC’s Future of Jazz Orchestra, and Yoko Kanno and Seatbelts. In addition, she has played in small groups led by Matt Wilson, Donny McCaslin, Jon Faddis, Bruce Harris, Ben Allison, and David Glasser. Kal also leads her own quartet and most recently, debuted the Kal Ferretti Big Band at Dizzy’s Club. Other recent performance highlights include being a part of the JALC curated Kenny Dorham Centennial Celebration trumpet summit at Dizzy’s Club, a 4 night run at Birdland with bassist Ben Allison’s new project “Unit 5”, Ellington’s “Night Creature” with Alvin Ailey at NY City Center, and the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters Award Ceremony. Kal has also performed as a special guest with the Eastern Wind Symphony at Princeton University and the Laguardia High School Alumni Brass Quintet. She is also passionate about teaching and has served as a teaching assistant for JALC Summer Jazz Academy and Jazz House Kids, and performs as an accompanist for JALC Webop Classes. 

Kal is the 2026 1st place winner of the ITG Ryan Anthony Memorial Jazz Improvisation Trumpet Competition. She has also been part of various honor bands/programs including the Ravinia Steans Institute, JAS Academy Big Band, JEN Sisters In Jazz, Festival of New Trumpet Music, Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra, New York Youth Symphony, Hudson Jazz Workshop, WIJO Mentors, and All City High School Ensembles. With these bands she has attended the Essentially Ellington regional competitions, was a finalist for the Charles Mingus High School Competition, and played for the Jazz at Lincoln Center (Jazz for Young People) “Who is Mary Lou Williams” concert. In recent months, she has performed at venues such as Birdland, the Kennedy Center, Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, Rose Theater, David Geffen Hall, Ornithology Jazz Club, and the Bimhuis. 

 Kal is a recent MM graduate of Manhattan School of Music, where she studied under Ingrid Jensen, Jon Faddis, and Nicole Glover. Kal received her BFA from The New School for Jazz on a full scholarship, studying under Reggie Workman, Bruce Harris, David Glasser, and many more. She represented The New School at the Keep an Eye Jazz Award in Amsterdam, leading her band at Bern Jazz Festival, and was one of three students that participated in the 32nd annual International Association of Schools of Jazz Conference. 

 Kal’s main goal in her music is to bring people together and tell her story through her compositions and her playing. Her original compositions have been played at the JEN Conference, Blue Note Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, and Festival of New Trumpet Music. Her writing is influenced by her musical heroes, such as Kenny Dorham, Charlie Parker, Joe Henderson, and Freddie Hubbard.