Jon Faddis

Jon Faddis, born in 1953 in Oakland, California, is an acclaimed jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator. He began playing the trumpet at age eight, inspired by Louis Armstrong, and later studied under Bill Catalano, who introduced him to the music of Dizzy Gillespie. Faddis joined Lionel Hampton's big band just before his 18th birthday and quickly became the lead trumpeter for the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. He has performed and recorded with numerous jazz legends, including Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, and Oscar Peterson, and has directed several prestigious ensembles, such as the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York. His compositions include the jazz opera 'Lulu Noire' and the Grammy-nominated album 'Remembrances'.