Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator, renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known for his ability to closely mirror the sound of trumpet icon Dizzy Gillespie, who was his mentor along with pianist Stan Kenton and trumpeter Bill Catalano.
Biography
Jon Faddis was born in Oakland, California, United States. At 18, he joined Lionel Hampton's big band before joining the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra as lead trumpet. In the mid-1980s, he left the studios to continue to pursue his solo career, which resulted in albums such as Legacy (1985), Into the Faddisphere (1989) and Hornucopia (1991). He became the director and main trumpet soloist of the Dizzy Gillespie 70th Birthday Big Band and Dizzy's United Nation Orchestra.
From 1992 to 2002, Faddis led the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band (CHJB) at Carnegie Hall, conducting more than 40 concerts in ten years, during which time the CHJB presented over 135 musicians, featured over 70 guest artists, and premiered works by over 35 composers and arrangers at Carnegie Hall.
In 1997, Faddis composed the jazz opera Lulu Noire, which was presented at USA in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as at the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia.
Faddis appeared in the 1998 movie Blues Brothers 2000, playing trumpet with the Louisiana Gator Boys.
In 1999, Faddis released the Grammy Award-nominated Remembrances (Chesky Records), which was composed almost entirely of ballads and featured work from Argentinian composer/arranger Carlos Franzetti.
Faddis also led the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars and the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars Big Band from their inception in 1998 through 2004, when he was appointed artistic director of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble (CJE), based at Columbia College Chicago in Illinois. Faddis led the CJE from autumn 2004 though spring 2010, premiering significant new works, pioneering educational initiatives in Chicago public schools focusing on Louis Armstrong's music, and bringing the CJE into new venues (including presenting the first of the "Made in Chicago" Jazz series at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park), while concurrently leading the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York (the successor to the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band).
In 2006, the Jon Faddis Quartet released the CD Teranga (Koch Records, now E1),
Faddis is a Schilke Performing Artist, performing on the Schilke "Faddis" model trumpet. He has played Schilke instruments since 1970, encompassing nearly his entire career and complete discography.
For 2026 Grammy Awards, he received a nomination for the album The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra in the Best Latin Jazz Album category.
Family and personal life
Faddis has been a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey.
Faddis is the uncle of Madlib and Oh No, acclaimed hip-hop producers.
Discography
As leader
- 1974: Jon & Billy (Trio)
- 1976: Youngblood (Pablo)
- 1978: Good and Plenty (Buddah)
- 1985: Legacy (Concord Jazz)
- 1989: Into the Faddisphere (Epic)
- 1991: Hornucopia (Epic)
- 1995: The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band (Blue Note)
- 1997: Swing Summit: Passing the Torch, Vol. 1 (Blue Chip)
- 1997: Eastwood After Hours: Live at Carnegie Hall (Malposo/Warner Bros.)
- 1998: Remembrances (Chesky)
- 2006: Teranga (Koch)