Biography
Charles Sullivan ranks among the most overlooked trumpeters, displaying outstanding command of his instrument, a polished tonal quality, and a luminous, radiant timbre that suits him equally well in hard bop, free, big-band, or bebop environments. Recognition has largely eluded him, partly because his recorded output remains modest. During the 1960s he attended the Manhattan School of Music while also performing in off-Broadway shows. In the late 1960s he appeared with Lionel Hampton and Roy Haynes’ Hip Ensemble, then served briefly as Count Basie’s lead trumpeter in 1970 and joined Lonnie Liston Smith the following year. Additional associations in 1972 and 1973 included Sy Oliver and Norman Connors. That same year he traveled through Europe and recorded with Abdullah Ibrahim. Through the balance of the 1970s Sullivan performed and documented sessions alongside Sonny Fortune, Carlos Garnett, Bennie Maupin, Ricky Ford, Eddie Jefferson, and Woody Shaw while also releasing his own albums. Despite this steady activity, wider acclaim never materialized. In the late 1970s he assumed leadership of the ensemble Black Legacy, a role that extended into the 1980s. No Sullivan dates are currently in print on CD, although reissues featuring Shaw, Jefferson, Maupin, Fortune, and others still preserve his contributions.
Albums
