James Edward Pugh (born November 12, 1950) is an American trombonist and composer. He was a trombonist with

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

(1972–1976) and briefly with

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

before concentrating on session work.

Early life

Pugh was born in

Butler, Pennsylvania Butler is a city and the county seat of Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north of Pittsburgh and is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 13,502. History Butler was na ...

, on November 12, 1950. Pugh began playing the trombone around the age of ten. He attended the

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. It offers Bachelor of Music (B.M ...

from 1968 to 1972, where he played in an ensemble under

Chuck Mangione Charles Frank Mangione ( ; born November 29, 1940) is an American flugelhorn player, voice actor, trumpeter and composer. He came to prominence as a member of Art Blakey's band in the 1960s, and later co-led the Jazz Brothers with his brother, ...

Later life and career

Pugh toured and recorded with the

Band for four years from 1972, and briefly performed with

in 1977. He then concentrated on studio session work for jazz and popular musicians. In 1984, he was co-leader for the album ''The Pugh–Taylor Project''. He also composed for and played on the album ''X Over Trombone''.

Discography

Solo * 1981: ''Crystal Eyes'' (Pewter) * 1984: ''The Pugh /Taylor Project'' ( DMP) * 2001: ''Pugh Mosso'' * 2002: ''E'nJ "Legend and Lion"'' with Eijiro Nakagawa Japanese release * 2004: ''Echano'' * 2004: ''E2'nJ2'' (TNC) * 2006: ''E'nJ Just Us'' * 2007: ''X Over Trombone'' (Albany) * 2007: ''Holly and the Ivy'' * 2012: ''The Devil's Hopyard'' (Jazzmaniac) * 2012: ''Pugh Taylor II'' (Pewter) As sideman * 1972: ''Giant Steps'',

* 1973: ''Thundering Herd'', Woody Herman * 1976: ''The 40th Anniversary Concert'', Woody Herman * 1977: ''Musicmagic,''

and

Return to Forever Return to Forever was an American jazz fusion band that was founded by pianist Chick Corea in 1972. The band has had many members, with the only consistent bandmate of Corea's being bassist Stanley Clarke. Along with Weather Report, The Headhun ...

* 1977: ''

– Live'', Chick Corea * 1978: ''Secret Agent'', Chick Corea * 1979: '' In a Temple Garden'' (CTI, 1979)

Yusef Lateef Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and prominent figure among the Ahmadiyya Community in America. Although Lateef's main instruments ...

* 1988: ''The Disney Album'',

Barbara Cook Barbara Cook (October 25, 1927 – August 8, 2017) was an American actress and singer who first came to prominence in the 1950s as the lead in the original Broadway musicals ''Plain and Fancy'' (1955), ''Candide'' (1956) and ''The Music Man'' (19 ...

* 1989: '' When Harry Met Sally...'',

Harry Connick, Jr Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and television host. He has sold over 28million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling male artists in the Uni ...

. * 1990: ''

Big Boss Band ''Big Boss Band'' is the 1990 studio album of George Benson on Warner Bros. featuring the Count Basie Orchestra. This is Benson's second consecutive album which returns to his jazz roots after his successful pop career in the 1980s, and also his d ...

'',

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...

* 1992: ''League of Their Own'',

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

* 1993: '' What Headphones?'',

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

* 1994: '' Mr. Gentle Mr. Cool'',

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s and ...

* 1994: ''Scampi Fritti'', Marc Beacco * 1995: ''

Honey and Rue ''Honey and Rue'' is a song cycle composed by Oscar and Grammy award winner André Previn and premiered by Kathleen Battle, with words from poems by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison. It is scored for a solo soprano and small orchestra and is infl ...

'', with

Kathleen Battle Kathleen Deanna Battle (born August 13, 1948) is an American operatic soprano known for her distinctive vocal range and tone. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances ...

; St. Luke's Orchestra,

, conductor * 1995: '' Leave Your Mind Behind'', With the

Joe Roccisano Joseph Lucian Roccisano (October 15, 1939 in Springfield, Massachusetts – November 9, 1997) was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger. Career Roccisano received his bachelor's degree in music education from SUNY-Potsdam in 1963. In 1964 he ...

Orchestra * 1995: ''Rush Hour'', with

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarin ...

;

Gunther Schuller Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925June 21, 2015) was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician. Biography and works Early years Schuller was born in Queens, New York City, ...

, conductor * 1996: ''Two Lane Highways'',

Jay Leonhart Jay Leonhart (born December 6, 1940) is a double bassist, singer, and songwriter who has worked in jazz and popular music. He has performed with Judy Garland, Bucky Pizzarelli, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra, and Sting. Leonhart is noted for his cle ...

and Friends * 1999: ''Crossing the Bridge'',

Eileen Ivers Eileen Ivers (born July 13, 1965) is an American fiddler. Ivers was born in New York City of Irish-born parents, grew up in the Bronx and attended St. Barnabas High School. She spent summers in Ireland and took up the fiddle at the age of n ...

* 1999: ''Songs from the Last Century'',

George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musici ...

* 2000: ''Eight'', Walter Blanton * 2000: ''

Two Against Nature ''Two Against Nature'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Steely Dan. Their first studio album in 20 years, it was recorded from 1997 to 1999 and released on February 29, 2000, by Giant Records. A critical success, ''Two Against Na ...

'',

Steely Dan Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 in New York by Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Initially the band had a stable lineup, but in 1974, Becker and Fagen retired from live ...

* 2002: '' Looking for America'',

Carla Bley Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936) is an American jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader. An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera '' Escalator over the Hill'' ...

* 2003: '' Alegría'',

Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Davi ...

* 2003: '' Everything Must Go'' Steely Dan * 2006: ''

Morph the Cat ''Morph the Cat'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Donald Fagen. Released on March 7, 2006, to generally positive reviews from critics, ''Morph the Cat'' was described by Fagen as his "death album" in an interview with Fred ...

'',

Donald Fagen Donald Jay Fagen (born January 10, 1948) is an American musician best known as the co-founder, lead singer, co-songwriter, and keyboardist of the band Steely Dan, formed in the early 1970s with musical partner Walter Becker. In addition to his w ...

* 2007: ''This Meets That'',

John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in the ...

* 1989–present ''Manhattan Jazz Orchestra'' * 1998–present Super Trombone * 2012: '' Sunken Condos'', Donald Fagen * 2020: '' Joy Road Volume 6'', University of Illinois Concert Jazz Band Broadway Recordings * 1979 ''

Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial ''The String of Pearls'' (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London urban legend, legend. A barber fr ...

'' * 1992 '' City of Angels'' * 1995 ''Will Rogers' Follies'' * 1998 ''

Victor/Victoria ''Victor/Victoria'' is a 1982 musical comedy film written and directed by Blake Edwards and starring Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras, and John Rhys-Davies. The film was produced by Tony Adams and sco ...

'' * 2000 '' Fosse'' Motion picture soundtracks (featured soloist) * '' League Of Their Own'' * ''

Meet Joe Black ''Meet Joe Black'' is a 1998 American romantic fantasy film directed and produced by Martin Brest, and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, and Claire Forlani. The screenplay was written by Bo Goldman, Kevin Wade, Ron Osborn, and Jeff Reno, an ...

'' * ''

The Birdcage ''The Birdcage'' is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Mike Nichols, adapted by Elaine May, and starring Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, and Dianne Wiest. Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria, and Christine Baranski app ...

'' * ''

Brighton Beach Memoirs ''Brighton Beach Memoirs'' is a semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon, the first chapter in what is known as his Eugene trilogy. It precedes '' Biloxi Blues'' and ''Broadway Bound''. Productions ''Brighton Beach Memoirs'' had a pre-Broadway ...

'' * ''

Shining Through ''Shining Through'' is a 1992 American World War II drama film which was released to United States cinemas on January 31, 1992, written and directed by David Seltzer and starring Michael Douglas and Melanie Griffith, with Liam Neeson, Joely Ric ...

'' * '' Biloxi Blues'' Classical (not as soloist) * ''Mass'',

Charles Wuorinen Charles Peter Wuorinen (; June 9, 1938 – March 11, 2020) was an American composer of contemporary classical music based in New York City. He performed his works and other 20th-century music as pianist and conductor. He composed more than ...

* ''Ponder Nothing'', The Chamber Music of Ben Johnston, Music Amici * ''The Music of Irwin Bazelon'' * ''Collage'' – New York Trombone Quartet * ''

Bright Sheng Bright Sheng ( Chinese: 盛宗亮 pinyin: ''Shèng Zōngliàng''; born December 6, 1955) is a Chinese-born American composer, pianist and conductor. Sheng has earned many honors for his music and compositions, including a MacArthur Fellowship in ...

'': Lacerations, 92nd St. Y Orchestra, Gerard Schwartz, conductor * ''EOS Orchestra'' * ''Concordia Orchestra'' * ''The Silk Road Project'' with

YoYo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (''Chinese language, Chinese'': 馬友友 ''Ma Yo Yo''; born October 7, 1955) is an American cellist. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and educated in New York City, he was a child prodigy, performing from the age of four and a half. ...

* ''The Graham Ashton Brass Ensemble Plays the Music of James Pugh and Daniel Schnyder'', Graham Ashton Brass Ensemble

References

External links

Jim Pugh at Trombone Page of the World

NPR's Top 10 Classical Albums of 2008
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pugh, James E. 1950 births Living people Musicians from Camden, New Jersey People from Butler, Pennsylvania American trombonists Male trombonists American film score composers American male film score composers Composers for trombone Return to Forever members Musicians from Pennsylvania Eastman School of Music alumni University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty 21st-century trombonists 21st-century American male musicians