About Kal
Kal Ferretti is a 21 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 recently graduated from The New School for Jazz on a full scholarship and was mentored under esteemed faculty such as Reggie Workman, Buster Williams, David Glasser, and studied trumpet with Bruce Harris, Tatum Greenblatt, Jimmy Owens, and Alex Norris. She has represented The New School at the Keep an Eye Jazz Award in Amsterdam and was one of three students that participated in the 32nd annual International Association of Schools of Jazz Conference. She will be starting her master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music studying with Ingrid Jensen.
Kal has worked with artists/bands such as the Christian McBride Big Band, Matt Wilson and “Permission Slip”, the Mingus Dynasty, Dave Glasser, Bruce Harris, JALC’s Future of Jazz Orchestra, and the Jazz House Collective. Recent performance highlights include being a part of the Kenny Dorham Centennial Celebration trumpet summit performance at Dizzy’s Club,, performing Ellington’s “Night Creature” with Alvin Ailey at NY City Center, performing at the NEA Jazz Masters Award Ceremony, NY bandleading debut at Dizzy’s Club, performing with her Quartet at Bern Jazz Festival, performing as a guest with the Eastern Wind Symphony at Princeton University, and a special guest with the Laguardia High School Alumni Brass Quintet. Kal is also passionate about education and along with having her own private studio of trumpet students, she has served as a teaching assistant for Jazz House Kids Summer Jazz Academy. She also appears on the Grace Fox Big Band debut record “Eleven O’ Seven.”
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 has also performed at this year’s Montclair Jazz Festival and Charlie Parker Jazz Festival. She has been part of various honor bands/programs including the JAS Academy Big Band directed by Christian McBride, 2023 JEN Sisters In Jazz Combo, 2023 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 Jazz band. 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.
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.