Trumpeter Part of All-American Student Band

His older sister played clarinet while Danny Pass played the jealous sibling.

“She got all this attention,” recalled Danny, who lives in North Hills. “I wanted attention, too.”

So, at the age of 8, he picked up the trumpet for the first time, and this week as one of 43 students in the Grammy All-American High School Jazz Band & Choir, Danny is getting plenty of attention.

“It’s amazing,” said Danny, 17, a senior at the Hamilton Academy of Music. “I didn’t believe it at first.”

He believes it now.

The band, which features musicians and singers from across the country, will perform in a live concert of jazz, blues and pops from noon to 2 p.m. Monday on KUSC-FM (91.5) and its affiliates.

The concert is produced by a foundation in partnership with the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

The trumpet didn’t become a passion for Danny until about three years ago. He purchased a Wynton Marsalis record, and he was hooked.

“It became more and more important in my life,” he said, “and now it is the most important thing. I’ve fallen in love with it, and I want to get that feeling across to the audience.”

He hopes to accomplish that by becoming a jazz trumpet player for a major record label, “selling millions of albums.” That’s the dream.

Yet, if that doesn’t happen, “I’d be happy just being a musician.”

These days, he’s happy just to be practicing, which he does for about four hours every evening. His neighbors, however, haven’t always been too thrilled about the idea.

“They go to sleep at 10, so I have to stop,” he said.

This week, he hasn’t had to worry about neighbors. He’s been housed with other band members at USC.

“We stayed up till about 1 a.m. last night playing music,” Danny said. “I don’t get to play with musicians of that caliber every day.”

The group will also attend the Grammy Awards on Wednesday night at the Shrine Auditorium. Danny is looking forward to the ceremony, but hopes it’s not his last time at the Grammys. He’d like to return someday as a nominee.

First things first. Danny hasn’t decided where he is going to take his trumpet after graduation. He’s been offered a music scholarship at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and is waiting to hear from Cal State Northridge and USC.

Wherever he goes, one thing’s for sure.

He’ll get plenty of attention.