John McNeil

John McNeil is regarded as one of the most original and creative jazz artists in the worldtoday. For nearly three decades John has toured with his own groups and has receivedwidespread acclaim as both a player and composer. His highly personal trumpet stylecommunicates across the full range of contemporary jazz, and his compositions combineharmonic freedom with melodic accessibility. John's restless experimentation has kept himon the cutting edge of new music. 

His background includes the Horace Silver Quintet, Gerry Mulligan, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. John is equally at home in free and structured settings, and thisversatility has put him on stage with artists from Slide Hampton to John Abercrombie.

John McNeil was born in 1948 in northern California. Due to a lack of available musicalinstruction in his home town of Yreka, John largely taught himself to play trumpet andread music. By the time he graduated from high school in 1966, John had already begunplaying professionally in the northern California region.

John moved to New York in the mid-1970's and began a freelance career. His reputationas an innovative trumpet voice began to grow as he played with the Thad Jones/Mel LewisOrchestra, and led his own groups at clubs such as Boomer's, the legendary Village jazzroom.

In the late 70's, John joined the Horace Silver Quintet. Around the same time, he beganrecording for the SteepleChase label under his own name and toured internationally.

Although he has worked as a sideman with such luminaries as Gerry Mulligan, John hasconsistently led his own groups from about 1980 to the present. He has recordednumerous albums that have met with excellent reviews, and continues to record withsimilar acclaim.

In the 1990's, John became increasingly in demand as a writer, arranger, and recordproducer. He continues these activities in addition to his usual schedule of liveperformance.

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