“Sleep is definitely not a
priority in New York,” concluded trumpeter Josh Deutsch after his wild summer on-tour in the jazz mecca. “New Orleans, Berlin and Montreal all have vibrant scenes, but the Big Apple dwarfs everything else.”
With 16 years of trumpet playing under his belt, this jazz alley-cat from Seattle is honing his professional beginnings with Four Across, a band that was formed during his six years of undergraduate studies at Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music. After releasing its debut self-titled album last year, the band launched East and West Coast tours, including acts in Washington, DC, Eugene and San Francisco.

Now a senior pursuing a master’s degree in jazz performance and composition, Deutsch says the band’s long-distance relationship can be tough. But this summer, Four Across reunited and ventured off again for an exclusive New York tour.
“Jazz is so inherent to the culture; musicians and fans just flock to the city,” Deutsch said. But heavy competition and critique can make it a stressful and intimidating experience for bands on the rise.
“We didn’t realize Halloween in New York is insane,” Deutsch said, laughing. “We played our worst show at a great club. It was the only date we were able to get, but we didn’t know there would be hundreds of thousands of people wandering the streets in outrageous costumes.” Only two people sat in the audience of the basement show to see Four Across – and they were friends of the band.
Aside from that gloomy night, Deutsch said experiences have been positive, with the band sometimes drawing crowds of 80 people to clubs.
Back in the Northwest, Deutsch performs with University graduates the Poisonous Birds. Deutsch listed Panamanian pianist Danilo Perez and trumpeter Ron Miles as some of his favorite musicians, but he feels his music also has strong influences from classical, rock and reggae.
In addition, he juggles teaching, composing and directing ensembles. “It’s a total balancing act (and) it keeps me on my toes,” Deutsch said. “I keep trying to push myself and find exciting people to play with, but somehow you got to pay the bills too.”
Deutsch plans to rejoin Four Across and live in New York next year, and he hopes to tour Montreal and Europe.
“We’re really lucky; it’s tough to have a democratic group,” Deutsch said. “Jazz music becomes less about you and more about whether the music is working.”
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