Post by Laurence Aikens

John “Johnny” Coles (July 3, 1926 – December 21, 1997) was a jazz trumpeter. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey. He grew up in Philadelphia and was self-taught on trumpet. He spent his early career playing with R&B groups, including those of Eddie Vinson (1948–51), Bull Moose Jackson (1952), and Earl Bostic (1955–1956). He was with James Moody (1956-58) and played with Gil Evans’s orchestra (1958- 64), including on the album Out of the Cool. He spent time with Charles Mingus in his sextet, which included Eric Dolphy, Clifford Jordan, Jaki Byard, and Dannie Richmond. He played with Herbie Hancock (1968-69), Ray Charles (1969–71), Duke Ellington (1971–74), Art Blakey (1976), Dameronia, Mingus Dynasty, and the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Thad Jones (1985–86). In 1985, he settled in the San Francisco Bay Area; the following year, he recorded with Frank Morgan and Chico Freeman. He returned to Philadelphia in 1989, where he worked with Morgan and was part of Gene Harris’s Philip Morris Superband. In 1990, he recorded with Charles Earland and Buck Hill. He was recorded as a leader several times throughout his career. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence