- Derrick Gardner
-
Not to be confused with Earl Gardner (musician).
Derrick Earl Gardner Born June 3, 1965 Genres Jazz Occupations Musician, composer, arranger Instruments Trumpet Years active 1992–present Labels Owl Studios Associated acts Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets, Rob Dixon Website http://derrickgardnermusic.com Derrick Gardner (born June 3, 1965) is an American jazz trumpeter from Chicago, Illinois.[1]
Gardner began playing trumpet at age 9 in his hometown of Chicago, IL. Throughout high school and college, Derrick was recognized by instructors as having “strong improvisational skills and a marvelous imagination.” In 1991, he moved to New York City and quickly began to make his mark on the local jazz scene, playing ith groups such as the Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Foster's Loud Minority Band, Harry Connick, Jr.'s Big Band, Roman Schwaller's European Sextet, and The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.
Gardner has gone on to work with such jazz notables as the late Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Jon Faddis, Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Rufus Reid, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Stefon Harris and James Moody.
Critics have described him as "having a way of moving past the notes in a solo and getting into formal realms that make sense and heighten interest."[2] Another critic describes him as "Soulful and Intelligent, a tremendous talent with a vivid and unusual imagination."[3]
As a composer and arranger, Gardner's music has been featured with The Count Basie Orchestra.[4]
Since 1989, Derrick has written for and led his own sextet, Derrick Gardner & the Jazz Prophets.[5] In 2008, Gardner signed the group to Indianapolis jazz label Owl Studios and has since released two albums on the label, 2008's A Ride to the Other Side, and 2009's Echoes of Ethnicity, which was the winner of the Best Jazz Album award at the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards "Echoes of Ethnicity"[6]
As of July 2011, Gardner is associate professor of trumpet in the University of Manitoba's Jazz Studies program.[7]
Discography
Year Artist Title Label 1992 Count Basie Orchestra Live at El Morocco Telarc Jazz 2000 George Gee Swingin' Away Zort Music 2001 Craig Bailey Brooklyn Evidence Music 2003 Stefon Harris The Grand Unification Theory Blue Note Records 2003 Lizz Wright Salt Verve Music Group 2003 Derek Gardner & The Jazz Prophets Slim Goodie Impact Jazz 2003 Harry Connick, Jr. Harry For the Holidays Columbia Records 2003 Harry Connick, Jr. Only You Columbia Records 2006 Harry Connick, Jr. Chanson Du Vieux Carre Columbia Records 2007 Harry Connick, Jr. Oh, My Nola Columbia Records 2007 Brad Leali Jazz Orchestra Maria Juanez TCB Music 2007 Ron Di Salvio Essence Of Green: A Tribute To Kind Of Blue Origin Records 2008 Derek Gardner & The Jazz Prophets A Ride to the Other Side... Owl Studios 2009 Derek Gardner & The Jazz Prophets Echoes of Ethnicity Owl Studios References
- ^ Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz Oxford University Press US, 2007 ISBN 019532000X, 9780195320008 at Google Books
- ^ MySpace.com - Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets - East Lansing, Michigan - Jazz / Nu-Jazz / Soul - www.myspace.com/derrickgardner
- ^ Cd Baby: Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets: Slim Goodie
- ^ index
- ^ Owl Studios
- ^ http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=46582
- ^ http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/music/staff/462.html
External links
Categories:- Living people
- American jazz composers
- American jazz bandleaders
- American jazz trumpeters
- Bebop trumpeters
- African American musicians
- Count Basie Orchestra members
- Musicians from Chicago, Illinois
- 1965 births
- Independent Music Awards winners
- Owl Studios artists
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