John McNeil

John McNeil was raised in Yreka, CA. The tiny town from I-5 wasn’t specifically filled with musical understanding, however the tenacious McNeil still trained himself trumpet and discovered to learn music by himself. By his past due teens the youthful trumpeter was playing in combos throughout North California; with the mid-’70s he was freelancing in NEW YORK and attaining a popularity as a forward thinking, lyrical participant. He performed using the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra on the Community Vanguard, and led his very own groups at several area clubs. With the latter area of the 10 years, McNeil had joined up with the Horace Sterling silver Quartet and guaranteed a solo agreement with SteepleChase. The label released a flurry of McNeil produces, including 1978’s Embarkation as well as the Glass Area, Faun, and (with Tom Harrell) Turn to the Sky in 1979. Within the 1980s, the trumpeter continuing to are both a sideman and head. He appeared being a soloist with Gerry Mulligan’s music group, and produced the John McNeil Trio/Quartet for 1983’s I’ve Got the planet on the String. He toured internationally, and was acknowledged by the modern jazz community being a go-to article writer, arranger, and manufacturer. McNeil continued to issue some critically acclaimed albums, like the Kenny Burger collaborations Hip Deep (1996, Brownstone) and Brooklyn Ritual (1998, Synergy). Released in 2001, Fortuity highlighted several pop-inspired numbers, such as a Latin-flavored interpretation from the Beatles’ “I’LL.” The Latin impact continuing with 2003’s IN THIS MANNER Out (Omnitone), which McNeil documented in Barcelona with tenor saxophonist Gorka Benitez and bassist Giulia Valle. The record was breezy, vivid, and wondering, and demonstrated that McNeil’s craving for food for music hadn’t reduced an iota from days past learning trumpet within the areas of Yreka. Since that time, McNeil has held busy releasing Rest Won’t Can be found in 2004, East Coastline Great in 2006, and Rediscovery in 2008.