Terell Stafford - Trumpet

Born in Miami to musically inclined parents, Terell Stafford picked up his first trumpet at the age of thirteen. Growing up in Chicago and later in Silver Spring, Maryland, Terell studied classical music, but was always drawn to jazz. While he pursued a degree in Music Education at the University of Maryland, Stafford played with the school's jazz band. He began to immerse himself in jazz, listening to everything he could get his hands on. "One of my first and most profound musical influences was and is Clifford Brown," notes Terell. "When I first heard him play 'Cherokee' I was in total awe of his playing."
In 1988, Terell had the good fortune to meet and talk with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, who suggested that Stafford study with Dr. William Fielder at Rutgers University. Soon after, Terell entered the Masters Program at Rutgers, where he received his Graduate Degree in Music Performance in 1993. During his time at Rutgers Terell met saxophonist Bobby Watson, who invited him to join his group, Horizon. Over the next 5 years, the knowledge and experience he gained on the bandstand performing with such stellar players as Watson, co-leader Victor Lewis and Shirley Scott, balanced Stafford's education off the bandstand. "These guys passed along the lessons they learned from the 'Blakey' school of music," offers Stafford, referring to the late jazz drummer/bandleader, art Blakey, and his ever evolving ensemble, the Jazz Messengers. "I learned how to be effective as an arranger, as a composer, and how to lead a band, just as Bobby Watson learned from Blakey." Terell's time with Horizon led to his joining McCoy Tyner's Latin All-Star Band, which featured some of the best Latin jazz players of our time, including trombonist Steve Turre, flutist Dave Valentin and percussionist Jerry Gonzalez.
Since the mid-1990's Terell has been performing as an integral part of various jazz groups led by such stellar performers as Cedar Walton, Sadao Watanabe, the Clayton Brothers, Herbie Mann, Kenny Barron, Matt Wilson and many New York based big bands including Jon Faddis' Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Wynton Marsalis' Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band and the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Stafford has appeared on television (Tonight Show w/Jay Leno, You Bet Your Life w/Bill Cosby); the soundtrack for the feature film, "A Bronx Tale," and on NPR's Billy Taylor's Jazz at the Kennedy Center, where he performed as featured guest artist with the Billy Taylor Trio.
Stafford's recording debut as a leader came in 1995 with "Time to Let Go" (Candid) followed in 1997 with the critically acclaimed, "Centripedal Force" (Candid). He followed that up with the popular "Fields of Gold," (Nagel-Heyer) featuring Bill Cunliffe/piano, Kiyoshi Kitagawa/bass, Antonio Hart/saxophone and Rodney Green/drums. His newest CD for the MaxJazz label, will be released June, 2003. It features Mulgrew Miller, Derrick Hodge, Dana Hall, Steve Wilson, Dick Oatts, Harry Allen & Jesse Davis.
In addition to his work as a performer, Terell maintains a high profile in jazz education. He is currently full-time Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at Temple University in Philadelphia, the prestigious Vail Foundation in Colorado and Jazz at Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington Program. He also served as a member of the faculty for the Juillliard Institute for Jazz Studies in New York,
This most gifted and versatile player combines lyricism and his deep love of melody with a spirited, adventurous edge. The end result is a uniquely expressive, well-defined musical talent who stands read to carry on the rich trumpet tradition established by his predecessors.
http://www.wbgo.org/ontheair/artists/terellstafford.php