Trumpet

Terell Stafford and his quintet bring a warm and hefty tone to a tribute album honoring the late Philadelphia horn player Lee Morgan. Kevin Whitehead says the new album is risky — but successful.

Jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player Eddie Henderson was in his 30s when he debuted on record with Herbie Hancock. Before that he'd become a medical doctor, who went on to specialize in psychiatry, because it left his nights free to play the horn. With Henderson's new album, Collective Portrait, Fresh Air jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead says that decision is still paying off for him.

With his wide leaps between long tones and a sometimes generous use of space, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith nods occasionally to 20th-century European concert music. But he's also one of the modern improvisers most grounded in African-American vernaculars; he's the stepson of Mississippi bluesman Alex Wallace, and he played for a spell in Little Milton's blues band. Smith's projects are all over the map, but often have this much in common with the blues: the byplay between a strong voice — his horn, in this case — and percussive strings.

Fresh Air's jazz critic reviews Mark Miller's High Hat, Trumpet, and Rhythm: The Life and Music of Valaida Snow. It's a biography of jazz singer and musician Valaida Snow, aka "Little Louis."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new collection Carmell Jones, featuring jazz trumpeter Carmell Jones. The album is currently available only through Mosaic Records.

We remember jazz musician Art Farmer. He died on Monday at the age of 71 from heart failure. Farmer was an important second-generation be-bop musician, and also known for his warm tone and lovely ballads on the trumpet and fluegelhorn. He worked with bands led by Wardell Gray, Horace Silver, and Gerry Mulligan. In the 1950s he formed the Jazztet, a sextet with saxophonist Benny Golson, and they wrote many compositions together. (REBROADCAST from 7/21/87)

Breedlove plays with the Jamaican group, The Skatalites. They're credited with creating the music known as ska, a precursor to reggae, which is often mistaken for reggae. The group got their start in the 1960s. Breedlove is an American musician who worked with Lionel Hampton, and began playing with The Skatalites about seven years ago. The Skatalites have a new album, "Greetings from Skamania."

An excerpt of a 9/12/1990 interview with trumpeter Don Cherry. He died recently. He played with Ornette Coleman's free jazz revolution which began in 1959.

The Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. He's been playing the trumpet since he was six, and won his first Grammy at 20. Marsalis is also the cofounder and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He recently announced that he is breaking up the Septet so he can spend more time with the Lincoln Center. "Sweet Swing Blues on the Road" is his new book, written in collaboration with photographer Frank Stewart.

Cherry played with Ornette Coleman's free jazz ensemble. After striking out on his own, he immersed himself in world music. Those influences have informed Cherry's new album, Multikulti.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says Mo' Better Blues, about a trumpet player's struggles balancing his career with his romantic relationships is at best agreeably messy and, at worst, repugnant, especially in its flagrant, anti-Semetic portrayals of Jewish businessmen.

Jazz critic has this profile of Roy Eldridge, an early pioneer of the jazz trumpet, whose style departed from greats like Louis Armstrong in several important ways.

Herb Alpert co-founded the label with Jerry Moss. In addition to his work as a record producer, he's an accomplished trumpet player, recording both with the Tijuana Brass Band and as a solo artist. Alpert's new album is called "Under a Spanish Moon."

Exiled South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. In the 60's, Masekela was probably best known for his instrumental hit, "Grazing In The Grass." More recently, Masekela performed with Paul Simon during his the Graceland tour.

While he was still a teenager the musician moved with his twin brother from Phoenix to Los Angeles to find work as a jazz musician. His career later took him to New York and, eventually, Vienna, where he has lived for several years. He has recently reunited his old group, the Jazztet, with tenor saxophonist Benny Golson.

While he was still a teenager the musician moved with his twin brother from Phoenix to Los Angeles to find work as a jazz musician. His career later took him to New York and, eventually, Vienna, where he has lived for several years. He has recently reunited his old group, the Jazztet, with tenor saxophonist Benny Golson.

Trumpeter Gregory Davis is a member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The band was founded to play at funerals and other events in New Orleans. The group mixes traditional New Orleans jazz with funk and bebop. (Interview By Danny Miller)

Fresh Air broadcasts a program produced by Newark, New Jersey based-station WBGO which features performances from the renown jazz festival, along with interviews with notable musicians.

Trumpeter and cornet player Nat Adderley is the son of a jazz musician and the brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. Adderley joins the show to discuss his musical journey, career, and the current state of jazz.

Red Rodney honed his skills as a trumpet player in Philadelphia. Later, he joined Charlie Parker's band. He tells Fresh Air host Terry Gross about kicking his heroin habit and the kinds of jobs he takes to make a career in music.