JON FADDIS

Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known for his ability to closely mirror the sound of trumpet icon Dizzy Gillespie, who was his mentor along with Stan Kenton trumpeter Bill Catalano. He is the uncle of Madlib and Oh No, acclaimed hip hop producers. Jon Faddis was born in Oakland, California in 1953. At 18, he joined Lionel Hampton's big band before joining the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra as lead trumpet. After playing with Charles Mingus in his early 20s, Faddis became a noted studio musician in New York, appearing on many pop recordings in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In the mid-eighties, he left the studios to continue to pursue his solo career, which resulted read more...