Dave Hoffman was raised in Illinois and studied trumpet with his father Eurel Hoffman Jr. . His early exposure to jazz came from his high school band director Richard Garretson as well as numerous summer Jazz camps.

Dave is a freelance musician in Illinois and California, and was the trumpet and Flugelhorn soloist with Ray Charles from 1991 until his death. He has also contributed several compositions and arrangements to the band library. During his stint with Ray, Dave has played extensively in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Rays first ever trip to Russia in July of 1994 ( At night, ex - KGB agents stood guard over the instruments so they wouldn’t be stolen. )

Dave has appeared on television in France, Italy, Japan, Germany, and Russia. In the United States, he has appeared on The Tonight Show, Live At Newport on PBS, Merv Griffin’s New Years Eve Celebration, and the Fox Television special titled, "Ray Charles, 50 Years of Music," where he backed up Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Michael McDonald, Randy Travis, Michael Bolten, Willie Nelson, and Celean Dion. He has appeared at many Jazz festivals including Newport, JVC, Playboy, Nice, Boston Globe, London, and Montreaux.

Dave hasn’t shaved since 1972, but washes and flosses regurlarly.

His big band and combo arrangements have been played by many high school and college jazz bands, and he has served as guest soloist with The University of Kentucky Jazz Band, Millikin University Jazz Band, Lincoln Land College Jazz Band and others. Daves television show "Jazzfield Illinois", was honored as the best performing arts series by the National Association of Local Cable Operators in 1991. He recieved a nifty trophy with some kind of little statue do-hickey on it.

His CD, From Energy To Stillness combines Jazz and World Beat influences and has been played throughout America and many foreign countries. The Napra Trade Review said, " Hoffman has escaped the smoke filled, hard edge jazz world with its best goodies and melded them with pure soul! The music is free and sophisticated, yet mouth watering in its trancendencies."

Dave's album GROOVIN' is amore straight ahead jazz album w/ Bop and Latin Music leanings. Great musicians and some of Sergio Mendez's rhythm section grace this great album. Next came a lovely Holiday album called CHRISTMAS IN YOUR HEART. It's an interesting mix of Traditional and Exotic Brass with a jazz to ethereal backdrop. Beautiful ambience, Streight ahead Bop, and a tug on the heart. His most recent solo effort is PRAIRIE SKYS. This is a beautiful rendetion of Jazz and etherial ambience with a nod to his previous CD From Energy To Stillness.

Having recently taken over the Jazz Studies program at Knox College, he now spends his time composing, performing, and lecturing. He spends his living moments in a little converted church amongst a thousand acres of corn and soy beans in Illinois. He also likes the sound of train whistles.

Dave has his personal web/jazz site where you can read road stories, photos from far away places, music and sillyness. Please click here.