Mark Ledford | |
---|---|
Born | March 1960 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
Died | November 1, 2004 Los Angeles, California | (aged 43–44)
Genres | Jazz, R&B, pop-rap, hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, record producer, audio engineer |
Instrument(s) | Trumpet, guitar |
Years active | 1982–1998 |
Mark Ledford (March 10, 1960 – November 1, 2004) was an American trumpeter, singer, and guitarist. He was known for his multi-instrumentalism and his membership in the Pat Metheny Group.[1]
Music career
[edit]Ledford grew up in Detroit and attended Berklee College of Music between 1978 and 1982.[2] After he graduated, he took a job in advertising while doing session work with Stephanie Mills, Jon Hendricks, Special EFX, Michael Brecker, Kevin Eubanks, Don Byron, Living Colour, Prince, and Bill Evans.[3][4] He would later contribute to the soundtracks for the Spike Lee films Mo' Better Blues and Do the Right Thing.[5]
In 1986, he began a working relationship with Pat Metheny, appearing live with the Pat Metheny Group and on numerous recordings, including the Grammy award winning albums Secret Story and Still Life (Talking).[6] He worked with Bobby McFerrin's a cappella group, Circle, and he played in Joe Locke's Storytelling Band.[7]
Between 1990 and 1992, Ledford taught master classes in trumpet at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada.[8] In 1998, he released a solo album, Miles 2 Go, a tribute to Miles Davis.[9]
On November 1, 2004, Ledford died of heart failure in Los Angeles.[1]
Discography
[edit]With Uri Caine
With Faith Evans
- Faith (Bad Boy, 1995)
With Joe Locke
- Longing (Timeless, 1990)
- Storytelling (Sirocco, 2001)
With Pat Metheny Group
- Still Life (Talking) (Geffen, 1987)
- We Live Here (Geffen, 1995)
- Imaginary Day (Warner Bros., 1997)
With Pat Metheny
- Secret Story (Geffen, 1992)
With The Rippingtons
- Black Diamond (Windham Hill, 1997)
With Special EFX
- "Global Village" (GRP,1992)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The Dead Rock Stars Club - 2004 July to December". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ "Final Cadence | Berklee". www.berklee.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ Jazz, All About (2004-11-04). "Jazz news: Singer Mark Ledford Passes". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Mark Ledford". Discogs. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Noteworthy Alumni in the Field of Music: Mark Ledford '78". www.missourimilitaryacademy.org. 2020-01-30. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
- ^ "Smooth Jazz Vibes: Longtime Pat Metheny Group Member Dies After Heart Attack". Smoothvibes.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ Joe Locke - Storytelling, 2001, retrieved 2023-10-11
- ^ "Music | Banff Centre". Banffcentre.ca. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ Mark Ledford - Miles 2 Go, 1998, retrieved 2023-10-11