Don Sleet

Although little known, Don Sleet was a gifted hard bop/post-bop trumpeter who had an attractive, smooth tone along the lines of Kenny Dorham and Art Farmer. Dorham was a strong influence on Sleet's playing, and certain aspects of Miles Davis' lyricism had a major impact on him as well. But Sleet had a bigger tone than Davis; he favored a medium tone that was bigger than Davis and Chet Baker but not as big as the Fats Navarro/Clifford Brown school of trumpeting.

Donald Clayborn Sleet was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on November 27, 1938 but moved to San Diego when he was 10, where he grew up and studied both jazz and classical. His father headed a school system music department, and Don started studying with him, took piano lessons for four years, continued on trumpet. Sleet played classical for three years with San Diego Symphony, although jazz was his main focus. At 16, in Hollywood,...

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Vinyl featuring Don Sleet

3 records