Ira John Rapson, III (born February 4, 1953,

Gary, Indiana Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along the ...

, died July 21, 2021, Iowa City, Iowa) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

trombonist and educator. Rapson began on piano at age five before switching to trombone. He studied at

Westmont College Westmont College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Montecito, California. It was founded in 1937. History Ruth Kerr, owner and CEO of the Kerr Glass Manufacturing Company, established the school as the Bible Missionary Institute in ...

, graduating in 1976, then took his MA in composition at

California State University The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a public university system in California. With 23 campuses and eight off-campus centers enrolling 485,550 students with 55,909 faculty and staff, CSU is the largest four-year public univers ...

. Rapson taught at Westmont from 1980 to 1990, concurrently playing in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

with

Vinny Golia Vinny Golia (born March 1, 1946) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist specializing in woodwind instruments. He performs in the genres of contemporary music, jazz, free jazz, and free improvisation. Career As a composer, Golia fuse ...

(1979–1990). He also worked with

Tim Berne Tim Berne (born October 16, 1954) is an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and record label owner. His primary instruments are the alto and baritone saxophones. Biography Berne was born in Syracuse, New York, United States. He has said that ...

(1980, 1986), Walter Thompson (1980),

Bobby Bradford Bobby Lee Bradford (born July 19, 1934) is an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer. In addition to his solo work, Bradford is noted for his work with John Carter, Vinny Golia and Ornette Coleman. In October 2009, Bradfo ...

(1986–1990), and John Carter (1988–1990). He worked extensively as a leader with noted

West Coast jazz West Coast jazz refers to styles of jazz that developed in Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a subgenre of cool jazz, which consisted of a calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music relied rela ...

players. His sextet, active from 1982–1985, included Golia, Wayne Peet,

Alex Cline Alex Cline (born January 4, 1956) is an American jazz drummer. Biography Born in Los Angeles, California, Cline began playing drums with his twin brother, guitarist Nels Cline, at the age of 11. Their first band was called Homogenized Goo and in ...

, and

Roberto Miguel Miranda The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

; his octet, active from 1985–1990, had Golia, Cline,

Ken Filiano Ken Filiano (born 1952) is an American jazz and orchestral bassist based in Brooklyn, New York. Since the 1970s, Filiano has played or recorded with Anthony Braxton, Fred Ho, Nels Cline, Bill Dixon, Fay Victor, and others. Filiano is on the tea ...

John Fumo John Fumo (born 5 June 1957, Kenosha, Wisconsin) is an American composer, trumpet and flugelhorn, artist. He maintains an active performing, recording, and touring schedule in addition to his CalArts and USC teaching. He has released 8 CDs to ...

Kim Richmond Kim Richmond (born July 24, 1940, Champaign, Illinois) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Richmond played piano, clarinet, and saxophone when young, and made his professional debut in 1956. He studied at the University of Illinois in th ...

or Steve Fowler, and Bill Roper as members. He also led a trio in 1986-1987 with Golia and Miranda. Rapson moved to the

East Coast East Coast may refer to: Entertainment * East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop * East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017 * East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004 * East Coast FM, a ra ...

in 1990, studying at

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...

, where he received his doctorate in

ethnomusicology Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it. It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dim ...

. He played with

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chica ...

in 1992 and worked with

Ed Blackwell Edward Joseph Blackwell (October 10, 1929 – October 7, 1992) was an American jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana, known for his extensive, influential work with Ornette Coleman. Biography Blackwell's early career began in New Orleans ...

(1990–1991),

Jay Hoggard Jay Hoggard (born September 24, 1954) is an American jazz vibraphonist. Biography Jay Hoggard was raised in a religious family. He was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. His mother taught him how to play piano at ...

(1990–1992), and

Allen Lowe Allen Lowe is a composer, musician, music historian, and sound restoration specialist. He plays alto saxophone, C-melody saxophone, and guitar and has recorded with Julius Hemphill, Marc Ribot, Roswell Rudd, Don Byron, Doc Cheatham, and David Mur ...

(1991–1992). He again led a sextet from 1992-1999 with Braxton, Bradford, Peet, Roper, and Cline. In 1993 he became a faculty member of the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

School of Music, where he was director of jazz studies and conductor of the school's Johnson County Landmark jazz band. He led his own

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

in 1994, the OftENsemble, and formed the Oddball Trio Plus Trombone in 1996 with

Steve Grismore ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

Discography

As leader

* ''Bu-Wah'' (

Nine Winds Nine Winds is an American jazz record label that was founded in 1977 by Vinny Golia. Golia is a self-taught musician who plays over fifty woodwind instruments, in addition to brass. In the early 1970s, he believed it was impossible for musicians ...

, 1986) * ''Bing'' (Sound Aspects, 1990) * ''Dances & Orations'' (

Music & Arts Music & Arts is a classical and jazz record label founded in Berkeley, California by Frederick Maroth. It began in 1984 as a classical music label before adding jazz and world music. The catalog includes classical composers and musicians Milto ...

, 1996) * ''Water and Blood'' (Nine Winds, 2001)

As sideman

With

* ''The Gift of Fury'' (Nine Winds, 1982) * ''Compositions for Large Ensembles'' (Nine Winds, 1984) * ''Deeba Dah Bwee'' (Nine Winds, 1985) * ''Facts of Their Own Lives'' (Nine Winds, 1988) * ''Pilgrimage to Obscurity'' (Nine Winds, 1989) With others * ''7X''

, (

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

, 1980) * ''Stardate'', Walter Thompson (Dane, 1980) * ''Headless Household'', Josef Woodard and Dick Dunlap (HH, 1987) * ''New Tango '92: After Ástor Piazzolla'',

Julius Hemphill Julius Arthur Hemphill (January 24, 1938 – April 2, 1995) was a jazz composer and saxophone player. He performed mainly on alto saxophone, less often on soprano and tenor saxophones and flute. Biography Hemphill was born in Fort Worth, Texas, ...

and

(Fairhaven, 1991) * ''Mental Strain at Dawn: A Modern Portrait of Louis Armstrong'',

Doc Cheatham Adolphus Anthony Cheatham, better known as Doc Cheatham (June 13, 1905 – June 2, 1997), was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader. He is also the Grandfather of musician Theo Croker. Early life Doc Cheatham was born in Nashvi ...

and David Murray ( Stash, 1992) * ''

4 (Ensemble) Compositions 1992 ''4 (Ensemble) Compositions (1992)'' is an album by American saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton recorded in 1993 for the Italian Black Saint label.

'',

(

Black Saint Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

, 1993) As director * ''Been There, Done That'' (University of Iowa Johnson County Landmark, John Rapson, director, self-production, 1995) * ''A Mingus Among Us'' (University of Iowa Johnson County Landmark, John Rapson, director, self-production, 1996)

References

*Gary W. Kennedy, "John Rapson". '' Grove Jazz'' online. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rapson, John American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Musicians from Indiana Westmont College alumni Wesleyan University alumni Living people 1953 births 21st-century trombonists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Music & Arts artists