Trumpeter John Marshall 1952-2025

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Trumpeter John Marshall has died. He was a prolific player and even though he only had a few releases under his own name, he's on a lot of recordings out there, having played with Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, Lionel Hampton, Gerry Mulligan, Ornette Coleman, George Coleman, Buck Clayton, Mario Bauza, Dizzy Gillespie & many others. From 1992 to 2017, he was based in Cologne Germany, where he was the lead trumpet player for the WDR Big Band, recording & touring with the band.

I have heard Marshall's playing on several records over the years, notably with the WDR Big Band but especially the recordings he did as a member of the Metropolitian Bopera House band, as I was turned onto them by drummer Danny D'Imperio many years ago. I really should pick up his CD with Grant Stewart, "Frisky". Looks like a good one.

[Peter Friedman]

Very sorry to hear this sad news. John Marshall was one of my favorite living jazz trumpet players.

Contrary to what Kevin said, Marshall recorded quite a few times under his own name. I just checked and found I have 9 CDs with John Marshall as  leader or co-leader.

Six of them are on the Origin label. One on the Mons label, one on the Blue Jack label, and one on the VSOP label.

There are also a number of small group recordings with Marshall as a sideman.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

48 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said:

Very sorry to hear this sad news. John Marshall was one of my favorite living jazz trumpet players.

Contrary to what Kevin said, Marshall recorded quite a few times under his own name. I just checked and found I have 9 CDs with John Marshall as  leader or co-leader.

Six of them are on the Origin label. One on the Mons label, one on the Blue Jack label, and one on the VSOP label.

There are also a number of small group recordings with Marshall as a sideman.

I almost said "only 12" but changed it to "a few" in case I missed some.

http://www.marshallbop.com/

[Niko]

RIP, saw and heard him frequently in the 90s when we overlapped in Cologne, especially in the weekly Friday evening radio show on WDR 5 which featured mostly concerts/projects by the WDR big band...

[John Tapscott]

Yes, sad new. R.I.P. I have several examples of John's playing in my collection, CD's under his own name and as a sideman with Danny D'Imperio and others. A real bopper.  There are several examples on YouTube of John soloing with the Buddy Rich Killer Force Band in '77-'78. He shared solo duties in the Rich Band with another excellent trumpet player named Mike McGovern.   

 

Edited May 26 by John Tapscott

[sgcim]

I missed this announcement, but I found out about it from a trumpet player I played with last night. Sad news, but at least he got to play great jazz with the WDR Band, and enjoyed a nice retirement. I played a bunch of gigs with him back in the late 80s. RIP.

[Ken Dryden]

On 5/26/2025 at 12:06 PM, Kevin Bresnahan said:

I almost said "only 12" but changed it to "a few" in case I missed some.

http://www.marshallbop.com/

 

R.I.P.

I have three CDs on Blue Jack Jazz, one of which he is a part of the American-Dutch All Stars, but he is listed at the top.

The CDs you referred to being on Origin are on Organic Music.

I never got to see him perform, but he was a delightful interview for Hot House a few years back prior to coming back to the U.S. for a visit and brief tour.

Edited July 9 by Ken Dryden