Bob Brookmeyer
b. 19 December 1929, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Although he began his career as a pianist, it was when he took up the valve trombone in the early '50s that Brookmeyer began attracting serious attention. In 1953 he joined Gerry Mulligan making numerous concert appearances and recordings, all of which demonstrated his considerable technical ability. His precise playing fitted well into Mulligan's rather thoughtful approach. He worked with Clark Terry in the early '60s and also played in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis big band. A gifted arranger for both small and big bands, Brookmeyer also composes but it is as a player that he has made his chief contribution.