About Kal

Kal Ferretti is a 22 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, Helen Sung Big Band, and JALC’s Future of Jazz Orchestra. In addition, she has played in small groups led by Matt Wilson, Jon Faddis, Donny McCaslin, 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. 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 at Lincoln Center’s Summer Jazz Academy and Jazz House Kids Summer Jazz Academy. 

 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. 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 is a current master student at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with trumpet player Ingrid Jensen. 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 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.