Jack Sheldon died the other day … details didn’t come out until a few hours ago.
Sad day for me. When you get to where so few of my heroes, those musicians that have changed me, are still around. This one really hurts. My all-time favorite trumpet player ( I bet most of you have not heard of him–but he did it all) died a few days ago in LA, but was not made known until today. There was no one cooler than Jack Sheldon. Thanks for all the music and laughter Jack.
(Links to some music below–you’ll get it if you listen!)
Jack Sheldon
did it all, and I mean did it all. Some of you might remember him as Merv Griffin’s sidekick from the old Griffin show or another old show called “Schoolhouse Rock”. He played amazing trumpet in many phases; jazz, Hollywood movies and had a sound like no one else. He could swing with the best but played with so much soul its indescribable.
Linda and I used to catch him at the Old “Monkey Tree Lounge” in Toluca Lake (near Burbank) in LA on Sunday nights playing a duo with Ross Tompkins on Piano (Carson’s band pianist)
I bet he’s swingin up there tonight in the ALL-Heaven All Star Band—what a hip player… RIP JACK
Speakers up folks—you get what I’m sayin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGaZHcvhmBE
And for those who have an hour here’s a full album of Jacks Playin!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmVNhgrKnxY
If you don’t have this DVD about Jack “TRYIN TO GET GOOD” they will be in short supply—no matter what kind of artist you are you can learn from Jack—click HERE for amazon.
A lot of folks say nice things about him, including legendary composer Johnny Mandel (who Jack helped win an Oscar for “The Shadow of Your Smile” with a gorgeous solo on a melody written with him in mind), Clint Eastwood, Billy Crystal, Bill Henderson, Merv Griffin, Ross Tompkins, and Dave Frishberg and Tierney Sutton.
