Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Trumpeter, Educator Jim Rotondi Dies at 61
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Wynton Marsalis has composed and recorded the original score for Ken Burns’ upcoming PBS documentary, Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson, a portrait of the first-ever African-American Heavyweight Champion of the World. Conjuring up the early 1900s jazz current to Johnson’s life (1878-1946), Marsalis’ score perfectly complements Burns’s film, capturing all the dramatic tension inherent in Johnson’s story, from the joy of ultimate triumph to the despair of inescapable oppression.
The soundtrack CD will be released by Blue Note on Nov. 30. PBS will air the two-part documentary on Jan. 17-18, 2005.
Jim Rotondi was acclaimed for his wide, round trumpet tone, remarkable virtuosity and assured swing.
Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Charles Lloyd, seen here at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, makes DownBeat Poll history!
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