Trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator Jon Faddis was born on July 24, 1953 in Oakland, California. At only 18, Faddis joined the big band of vibraphone legend Lionel Hampton. He later transitioned into studio work, where he played on a variety of pop recordings. Faddis returned to jazz as a leader in the late […]

Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia On My Mind” receives a vibrant treatment with an arrangement that bears some resemblance to the J.J. Johnson-Kai Winding two-trombone quintet of the 1950s. Pianist-arranger David Matthews leads a septet comprised of members from the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra, including Conrad Herwig (a guest on this occasion), Jim Pugh, and Larry Farrel on […]

Drummer Ben Riley was born on July 17, 1933, in Savannah, Georgia. Riley played drums while in the army before beginning his professional career in 1956. Returning to civilian life he moved to New York in 1954 and would begin playing jazz professionally within a couple of years. There he performed with such prominent artists […]

Drummer Joe Morello was born July 17, 1928 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Morello first started playing music on the violin when he was six and twice performed Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the ages of nine and 12. When he was 15, Morello switched to the drums and jazz. His earliest recording […]

Vince Guaraldi, who only lived to be 47, certainly made his mark several times during his short life. As a pianist, Guaraldi was a member of Cal Tjader’s first trio (1951) and recorded with the Bill Harris/Chubby Jackson bebop band (1953), Georgie Auld (1953), Sonny Criss (1955), Richie Kamuca, Conte Candoli, Frank Rosolino and Jimmy […]

Bassist Christian McBride, who first gained recognition as a 17-year-old when he worked with altoist Bobby Watson, has been a major musical force ever since. After playing with the who’s who of jazz as a sideman, he has led a series of stimulating groups ranging from bebop to funk. In addition, he became the artistic […]

Pianist Peter Nero passed away on July 6, 2023 at the age of 89. He was born as Bernard Nierow on May 22, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York. Nero took up the piano when he was seven and became a brilliant virtuoso who could play anything on the piano and make it look easy. Nero […]

Double bassist Reginald “Reggie” Workman was born on June 26, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Workman has been a member of jazz groups led by luminaries that include Red Garland, Wayne Shorter and Gigi Gryce. He joined the John Coltrane Quartet in 1961 and appeared on the seminal albums Olé Cotrane and Live at the Village […]

Bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Marcus Miller was born on June 14, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a church organist and choir director, and the family is related to piano great Wynton Kelly. By the age of 15, Miller was already gigging professionally in New York City. A significant breakthrough in his career […]