In Memoriam: John McNeil
Trumpeter/composer John McNeil
March 23, 1948 – September 27, 2024
ITG mourns the loss of trumpeter John McNeil in New York City on September 27, 2024, due to Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease.
Born on March 23, 1948, in Yreka, California, John McNeil hit the New York jazz scene in the mid-70s at the behest of Jazz great, Clark Terry. "Clark was the first guy to encourage me. He told me to plan on moving to New York. Basically, he got me in a headlock and dragged me there”, John said. "The last [phone call from Clark] was at 3:00 a.m.... It was Clark calling from France. His first question was why I didn't have a 212 area code yet. Somehow, he got me to commit to a definite date when I would be there" Clark's mentoring spirit found a way into John's life and career as well.
John's career took a major upturn when he beat out 10 of New York City’s finest jazz musicians to win the trumpet chair in Horace Silver’s quintet. At the time, he also performed with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. He often recounted a pivotal conversation with Thad, who was apparently a man of few words. He once pulled John aside and said, "You have so many ideas, but you keep throwing them all away" The critique found a home in John, who devoted himself to the art of developing motifs and themes for which he is so well known as a player. After touring Europe and the US with Silver, McNeil began to record his own music and had led or co-led his own bands ever since. He toured for many years with his groups, recording critically acclaimed albums for both U.S. and European jazz labels. His working bands included Insomnia, Urban Legend. Hip Deep, Hush Point (a cooperative quartet), and The John McNeil New Quintet.
In 2006, McNeil discovered a treasure trove of neglected jazz compositions by a handful of bebop players from the 1950s, including pianist Russ Freeman, drummer Denzil Best and trumpeter Wilbur Harden. He fell in love with this music and re-arranged it for a contemporary quartet featuring Bill McHenry on tenor sax and himself on trumpet. The group performed regularly in Brooklyn, NY for years culminating in a week-long engagement at NYC’s Village Vanguard, and also recorded two CDs of this material for the Sunnyside label. When other musicians became aware of these tunes, a number of them began re-emerging as part of the standard jazz repertoire.
The name John McNeil was also well-known in academia. He wrote several popular method books, most notably Flexus: Trumpet Calisthenics for the Modern Improvisor, co-written with Laurie Frink and The Classroom Guide to Jazz Improvisation, published by Oxford University Press in 2024.
In 2016, the annual Festival of New Trumpet Music (FONT) culminated in a performance of McNeil’s music, during which he received the prestigious FONT Award of Recognition. From 2010 to 2018, McNeil also led a regular jam session in Brooklyn, NY, with jazz trombonist Mike Fahie that attracted musicians from all over the world, both established pros and aspiring newcomers. These sessions were a great benefit to players trying to hone their craft and connect with others on the New York jazz scene.
His accomplishments are all the more extraordinary in light of his chronic struggles with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a debilitating neuromuscular illness with which McNeil was diagnosed early in life. At several points during his career, the muscle weakness and atrophy caused by this hereditary condition required him to virtually relearn how to play the trumpet. When he eventually lost use of his dominant right hand, he taught himself to play with his left, and even recorded an album while playing left-handed, 2001’s Fortuity.
As a creative jazz artist, he wrote an abundance of music, and recorded 20 albums as a leader or co-leader. He also served as a producer, composer and arranger for numerous albums. Many of his compositions and arrangements have also been recorded by other jazz artists. He was a phenomenal and sought-out jazz coach beloved by his many students. (Source: Ryan Nielson)