Barbara Donald
b. 9 February 1942, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Donald began to learn trumpet at school, but when her family moved to California in 1955, a sexist teacher refused to let her join her new high school band. She formed her own group, and before long she had more gigs than the school band. After playing R&B in New York and touring the south in a big band, Donald came to notice in Los Angeles bebop sessions with Dexter Gordon and Stanley Cowell. From 1962-73 she played and recorded free jazz with Sonny Simmons, whom she married in 1964, supplying excellent trumpet on a series of albums, notably BURNING SPIRITS. In the mid-60s she also worked with John Coltrane, Richard Davis, Prince Lasha and Roland Kirk. After a four-year break (which also saw her separate from Simmons), she returned to music in 1978, since when she has been leading her own groups, which have included Gary Peacock and Carter Jefferson in the line-up.