“Jim Stephenson’s trumpet music provides a rich variety of options for recital programming: his terrific Sonata for trumpet and piano (already recorded by more than one soloist!!!), his clever Vignettes for trumpet and percussion (hear Eric Berlin’s CD of these), his vibrant Glimmers of Hope for trumpet and organ (premiered and soon to be released on CD by Richard Watson), and several others should be part of every trumpeter’s library!”
"The music of Jim Stephenson is received as a breath of fresh air! His style is charmingly expressive, witty and exciting from the first note to the last. His music has a unique and eclectic flair that is trend setting, yet assessable to all listeners. Jim is a tour de force in the new composers of the 21st century."
"Jim Stephenson's music combines a unique musical voice and gift for orchestration with adventurous harmonic and rhythmic elements to produce a genuinely enjoyable experience for performer and audience alike."
"Jim Stephenson has the exceptionally rare ability of writing music that is at once challenging and intriguing to the performer and simultaneously appealing and captivating to the listener."
"Jim Stephenson has become 'all the rage' in the brass world, and for great reasons...he writes with great intelligence and a wonderful sense of balance; his eclectic language surprises without pretension, and challenges without a hint of intimidation. Furthermore, he's a fantastic collaborator: his abilities are matched only by his remarkable humility and his interest in elevating the performer - it's not about Jim's ego, it's about creating the perfect vehicle for the performers' voices. This is music that must be experienced by performer and listener alike!"
"Jim Stephenson's music has been a joy to discover for my students and myself. At this point I've performed his Sonata for Trumpet and Piano along with his Trio Sonata for Trumpet, Violin and Piano. I will soon have the opportunity to perform "Walk Slowly" which Jim originally composed for Voice and Piano but he has been very willing and helpful with adapting this beautiful work for Voice, Trumpet and Piano. In the fall I will be performing "Vignettes" for Trumpet and Percussion at the University of Michigan.
Jim's music is exciting and tuneful without being cliche. It is varied to the point that each piece that I have encountered has offered me new challenges and wonderful rewards without duplicating or adhering to one cookie-cutter approach."
"It has been a great pleasure to discover Jim´s music. It is not easy to find a contemporary composer whose music appeals equally strong among those who perform it and those who listen to it. Jim is that guy!"
"I have had the pleasure of performing some of Jim Stephenson's music since he first started composing...not only has it been musically a joy to play, but I have witnessed his growth and evolution as a composer,and I look forward to what he will come up with next!
"When Doug Major and I were planning the repertoire for our new album, I sent Jim a list of some other pieces we wanted to record and asked him to write us a five- or six-minute piece that would fit with the other repertoire we had selected. When Jim sent me the first draft of Glimmers of Hope, I found it quite different from the piece I had expected him to write. As it turns out, Jim understood what I wanted better than I did. In fact, we chose Jim’s piece to open the CD, as he created the perfect point of entry into the sound and concept of the album. As Jim and I worked through the revision process, he maintained an ideal balance of conviction and flexibility, honoring my requests while making sure I understood his initial decision before I asked him to make a change. Jim’s music is crafted and passionate, clever and sincere. Having the opportunity to play Jim’s music is one of the things I love about my life as a musician.