Stafford Hunter
May 2008
Jazz trombonist Stafford Hunter has performed, recorded and toured all over the world with the likes of Illinois Jacquet, McCoy Tyner, Lester Bowie & Brass Fantasy, Abdullah Ibrahim, Charli Persip, Charles Tolliver, Tony Bennett, Roy Hargrove, Cab Calloway Orchestra, Joss Stone, the Mingus Big Band, Lauryn Hill, Frank Foster, Clark Terry, Reggie Workman, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Dionne Warwick, Muhal Richard Abrams, Amy Winehouse, and Steve Turre & Sanctified Shells. He is a present member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and has been a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the direction of Paul Mercer Ellington since 1996, among other groups.
Stafford uses HERCULES trombone stand DS520B and TravLite trombone stand DS420B. He says, “Naming an instrument stand Hercules means that it is simply the strongest there is. My DS420B trombone stand REALLY is! It has a slick look, is strong, durable and moderately priced. There is nothing on the market that compares to it. This will be the last stand that you will ever buy.”
This Philadelphia native became a professional musician by the age of 16. He attended Penn State University for 2 years before moving to New York and graduating from the New School Jazz & Contemporary Music Program in 1994. Of which, he was the first trombonist actually to graduate from the New School.
In 1992, Stafford appeared as a model in the December issue of L'Uomo Vogue (the Italian Vogue magazine for men). This issue also featured jazz greats like Milt Hinton, Clark Terry, Louie Bellson, etc... Also, he appeared in a documentary film on the late-great pianist; Dorothy Donegan. He was the 1993 award winner of the "Al Grey Award for Musical Excellence." It acknowledged Stafford as "the Most Promising Jazz Trombone Talent of 1993." Also in 1993, he performed at former-US President Bill Clinton's inaugural.
Also of note, Stafford appeared in a movie entitled "The Day the Ponies Come Back" which was released March of 2001 in France. And he is heard as a soloist on the Blue Note Records Grammy nominated CD "With Love"-Charles Tolliver Big band.
Visit staffordhunter.moonfruit.com and myspace.com/staffordhunter3 to find out more. |
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