Carmell Jones facts for kids

Carmell Jones (born July 19, 1936 – died November 7, 1996) was a talented American jazz trumpet player. He was known for his cool and smooth trumpet sound. Carmell played with many famous musicians and recorded several albums during his career.

About Carmell Jones

Carmell Jones was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He started learning music at a very young age. He began piano lessons when he was five years old. Then, at age seven, he started playing the trumpet.

His first professional music jobs were in Kansas City. He played with other local musicians like Nathan Davis and Cleanhead Vinson.

Moving to California

In 1961, Carmell moved to California. There, he worked as a studio musician. This means he played his trumpet for recordings in movies and TV shows. He played in the orchestras for two movie soundtracks. These movies were Seven Days In May and The Manchurian Candidate. The second movie even starred the famous singer Frank Sinatra.

During this time, Carmell also released two of his own albums. These were on the Pacific Jazz label. He also played as a sideman for other artists. A sideman is a musician who plays with a band but is not the main leader. He played with musicians like Bud Shank and Gerald Wilson.

Touring and Living Abroad

From 1964 to 1965, Carmell Jones toured with Horace Silver. Horace Silver was a very famous jazz pianist. Carmell also played on Silver's important 1965 album, Song for My Father. This album was released by Blue Note.

In 1965, Carmell made a big move. He moved to Germany and lived there for 15 years. While in Germany, he worked with Paul Kuhn. He also played with the SFB Big Band. This was a large jazz orchestra. He played with many European musicians during this time.

Returning Home

Carmell Jones came back to the United States in 1980. He settled back in Kansas City. He started working as a teacher. He also played at local music clubs. In 1982, he released another album as a leader. It was called Carmell Jones Returns.

Carmell Jones passed away on November 7, 1996. He was 60 years old. In 2003, a company called Mosaic Records released a special three-CD set of his music. This helped more people discover his amazing talent.

Carmell Jones's Music

Carmell Jones recorded several albums where he was the main artist. These albums show off his trumpet playing skills.

Albums as a Leader

• Carmell Jones Quartet: Previously unreleased Los Angeles Session (2015)
• The Remarkable Carmell Jones (1961)
• Brass Bag (1962) – with Tricky Lofton
• Business Meetin' (1962)
• Jay Hawk Talk (1965)
• Returns (1983)

Albums as a Sideman

Carmell Jones also played on many albums with other famous jazz musicians. Here are a few examples:

• With Gerald Wilson on albums like You Better Believe It! (1961)
• With Horace Silver on Song for My Father (1965)
• With Bud Shank on Barefoot Adventure (1961)
• With Nancy Wilson on Yesterday's Love Songs/Today's Blues (1963)
• With Sarah Vaughan on Sarah Sings Soulfully (1992)