Biography
A trombonist whose personal voice stood apart from J.J. Johnson’s pervasive style, Jimmy Knepper delivered improvisations marked by understated twists. He first took up the instrument at nine, turned professional at fifteen, and passed through the orchestras of Freddie Slack in 1947, Roy Porter from 1948 to 1949, Charlie Spivak during 1950–1951, Charlie Barnet in 1951, as well as those led by Woody Herman and Claude Thornhill. His inventive, adaptable approach brought him wide recognition in the various ensembles Charles Mingus assembled between 1957 and 1962. Additional associations included Stan Kenton in 1959, a 1960 African tour with Herbie Mann, Gil Evans, a 1962 Soviet Union journey alongside Benny Goodman, and membership in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra from 1968 to 1974; during the 1970s he also appeared with the Lee Konitz Nonet and Mingus Dynasty. Although respected throughout the jazz community, Knepper led only sparingly, issuing dates on Debut and Bethlehem in 1957, SteepleChase in 1976, and later on Inner City, Blackhawk, Hep, Soul Note, and Criss Cross. Through the 1980s and 1990s he stayed busiest on the European circuit, working steadily and recording only now and then as a dependable freelance soloist. He continued to anchor the trombone section of Mingus Dynasty, supplying the same singular tone and phrasing that had distinguished his earlier stints with Mingus in the early 1960s and again in the mid-1970s. After receiving a Parkinson’s diagnosis in the 2000s, his activities diminished sharply, and he died from complications of the illness on June 14, 2003.
Albums
