Charlie Best

Charlie is an experienced professional trumpeter, musical director and private tutor from Cornwall, in the South West of the UK. Currently active as a musician for Princess Cruises as well as filling in for various shows and ensembles across the UK. Charlie has studied jazz technique and improvisation under Andrew Fisher, Dan Mar-Molinero and Trevor Walker at the University of Southampton. He was also classically trained by David Frost at Truro College and Julian Poore at the University of Southampton, so finds himself equally at home in orchestral settings as he does in big bands, funk bands, and musical theatre. As a successful conducting student under the tutelage of Robin Browning while at university, he also gained a wealth of experience as Musical Director of the Southampton University Jazz Orchestra from May 2014 – July 2015. As a jazz/funk/fusion trumpeter he has supported artists such as Gary Crosby, Denys Baptiste, The Peter Edwards Trio, WorldService Project and Schnellertollermeier. As a cabaret band trumpeter, he has played alongside West End and Broadway stars Kerry Ellis, Ian Stroughair, Paul Baker and Nik Page and also backed Peter Howarth (lead singer of The Hollies) and Mark Preston (former singer with The Lettermen). He has also made television appearances on Doc Martin and BBC Songs of Praise. Charlie is fortunate enough to have performed in some of Europe’s most magnificent venues including the RAH, RNCM, Birmingham Symphony Hall, The Sage Gateshead, Colston Hall, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Jazz á Vienne, Turner Sims Concert Hall, The Concorde Club, The Talking Heads, The Eden Project, The Stage Door (Southampton), Brussels Cathedral, Romsey Abbey, Truro Cathedral, Exeter Phoenix, The Minack Theatre and Hall for Cornwall.