Jack Naus

Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Vocals


 Sound Clip 1

Bands with a horn section need “sizzle”. Most often, this comes from a player with all the capability to lead the band and dictate the emotion of the music. Jack does this with his outta sight trumpet playing. Jack is the one who sets Fat Brass apart from other bands and we couldn’t be happier he is aboard for the ride!

Jack Naus, Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Vocals, grew up in North-eastern Pennsylvania. Directly after high school he joined the army music program where he attended the world famous US Military School of Music, and ended up performing with The New York City Army band. While with the band, he played lead trumpet, flugelhorn, and sang back-up vocals in a Tower of Power style band started by The New York City Army music program, touring extensively in New York and most of the eastern seaboard states. While with the Army Band, he has performed for many formal functions in the city for dignitaries ranging from the President of the United States to the Queen of England. Add to that performing for Wall Street ticker tape parades, and special events like several season openers at Yankee Stadium... sorry Mets fans.

A musician for over 45 years, he has performed in dance bands and big bands in many different styles from Latin salsa (like the one he played in that fronted for Tito Puente), to a funk/show band even a Polka band. He has performed in the more popular clubs in Manhattan and spent a fair amount of time on Long Island with the Polka band. Jack has honed his chops doing session work with all of the bands he has performed with as well as studio work in the city. “New York was a gas, I’d do it again in a heart beat” he says.

After the NYC/Military experience he found himself playing in The Rhythm Kings, an R & B band, in the Ohio, Indiana and Western Pennsylvania area. This is where he auditioned for and landed lead trumpet with the popular 60’s era band, The Drifters. Jack toured in the U.S. and Canada while with The Drifters.

When Jack is not playing with Fat Brass, you can periodically see him playing with bands like The University of Wisconsin Big Band, The Groove Hogs, Hot Sauce from Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Lakeshore Wind Ensemble, numerous local musicals and plays and he also has served as the Music Director for the Lakeshore Rising Stars competition. Jack, along with his daughter who is attending college, currently lives in the Manitowoc area and serves as a Manager of Quality Systems at a local manufacturing plant.