Paul Seaforth - Biography
When Paul decided that it was time to learn to play an instrument – in seventh grade – his mother (a violinist and pianist) suggested that he try the clarinet.  She told him that learning the fingering patterns would make it easy for him to add other woodwind instruments, like the flute and saxophones, later on.  Paul realized that the clarinet might not be for him when he discovered two weeks into the school year that he had yet to make a sound on the instrument while others around him were playing scales and making all kinds of noise.  When he finally got over his shyness to ask the other beginners what their secret was, they noticed that Paul didn’t have a reed on his clarinet!  He soon went to the beginning band teacher, asked for a trumpet, and switched to beginning brass class. 
His family moved south where Paul attended Dana Hills High School and was inspired by legendary band director Leon Badham, formerly a trombonist with the Tonight Show Orchestra, who offered Paul free trumpet lessons at a local music store on Saturdays.  Throughout high school, Paul absorbed many styles of music but fell in love with jazz.  He got a job at a local record store, and found an elderly couple in San Clemente, Al and Mary Pucillo, whose hobby it was to buy records at garage sales and sell them to eager kids like Paul for $1.50 each.  That was the beginning of over twenty years of record collecting for Paul who had amassed over 3000 LPs by the time he’d hit college – most of them featuring a trumpeter.  To that kind of education he eventually added a bit more formal study with Bobby Shew, Larry Duke, George Graham, Buddy Lang, and Joe Marcinkiewicz.
After high school, he wanted to play in bands but noticed that if there was one horn player needed, the call always went to a saxophonist.  So Paul hit the practice rooms at Saddleback College and in six months played enough sax to get into some bands and start gigging.  He often gives himself a choice of up to seven horns on stage, playing the one that’s right for the song.  He’s been recorded on several albums including two with guitarist partner Rob Jenkins and is well-featured on Brad Powell’s "First Step in a Long Journey" as a vocalist and flugel horn soloist.  Paul also served as co-producer for Jamie Findlay’s "Wings of Light" CD.
Paul has performed in many countries Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and in Central America, as well as all around the United States.  Paul has had the honor of performing in Carnegie Hall in New York City, America’s premier concert hall, and in Tchaikovsky Hall, Russia’s famed venue.  Over the years, in varied musical situations, He’s performed with many great musicians including Dizzy Gillespie, Eric Marienthal, Brandon Fields, Russell Garcia, George Graham, Dash Crofts, Vic Damone, Louie Shelton, Lincoln Mayorga, Pat Boone, Dan Seals, Chad Wackerman, Tierney Sutton, Buddy Childers, Bill Watrous, and Wayne Bergeron among many others.  Currently featured on the CD release, "When Did You Leave Heaven?", are Bob Magnusson, Peter Sprague, Kevin Axt, Joe Cataldo, Jim Plank, and Duncan Moore.
Though jazz is his primary musical passion, Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from California State University at Long Beach and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Classical Trumpet Performance from the University of California, Irvine.  Paul has also taught music at Grossmont College in El Cajon, California, since 1994 where he leads the Big Band and specializes in Jazz History and Music Theory as well.  He now lives in Escondido, California with his wife, Linda and their children.