Guest Artist

Jon Faddis is a complete and consummate musician, conductor, composer, and educator. As a trumpeter, he possesses a virtually unparalleled range and full command of his instrument, making the near impossible seem effortless. Born in 1953, Faddis began playing at age seven, inspired by an appearance by Louis Armstrong on television. Meeting jazz great Dizzy Gillespie at 15 proved to be the beginning of a unique mentorship and close personal friendship that spanned almost three decades. Shortly before his 18th birthday, Jon joined Lionel Hampton’s band and moved from Oakland, CA, to New York City. 

He quickly became a busy studio musician while working as lead trumpet for the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra at the Village Vanguard (and on tour all around the world). Faddis subsequently formed his own quartet and soon began directing orchestras, including the Grammy-winning United Nations Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, the Carnegie Hall Centennial Big Band, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York. Faddis has also served as guest conductor and featured guest with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. 

Faddis’ distinctive trumpet can be heard on hundreds of records and numerous soundtracks for film and television, including “Lady Sings the Blues,” “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Lil’ Bill,” “The Wiz,” “Bird,” and “The Gauntlet.” His original compositions include the jazz opera Lulu Noire (1997); other Faddis compositions may be heard on his Grammy-nominated Remembrances [Chesky, 1998], Hornucopia [Epic, 1991], Into the Faddisphere [Epic, 1989], and Teranga [Koch, 2006]. Jon Faddis has an enduring commitment to the education of young musicians and frequently conducts clinics and masterclasses, devoting personalized attention to teaching the next generation of jazz musicians. The Jon Faddis Award for Musical Excellence is presented each year to the most promising jazz trumpet player in the New York area.

In Chicago, Faddis served as the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s first mentor for the Jazz Links program and also created the Louis Armstrong Legacy Program. Faddis is a full-time faculty member and Director of Jazz Performance at the Conservatory of Music, Purchase College-SUNY,  Faddis holds the first-ever honorary doctorate in Jazz from Manhattan School of Music, as well as numerous other accolades and awards. Whatever the context – classroom or concert hall – and whatever the style, Jon Faddis epitomizes the best in Jazz.