Jon Eardley

Jon Eardley, whose profile has faded somewhat on American shores, maintained a steady presence across Europe over many decades. His trumpet journey commenced at the age of eleven. Between 1946 and 1949, he performed in an Air Force ensemble, followed by local gigs from 1950 through 1953, before joining Phil Woods for engagements in New York during 1954. Visibility came his way through intermittent stints in both the quartet and sextet led by Gerry Mulligan spanning 1954 to 1957, an affiliation for which he remains most recognized. Upon returning to Pennsylvania and spending several years there, this cool-toned bopper shifted his base to Belgium in 1963, then in 1969 made his way to Germany for a position in a radio orchestra. His strongest performances are captured on a trio of Spotlite recordings dating all to 1977.