Pharez Whitted is 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 m ...

trumpeter and educator from Indianapolis.

Biography

Born in Indianapolis, Whitted grew up in a family of musicians that included his mother, Virtue Hampton Whitted, his aunt Dawn Hampton, and his uncle Slide Hampton. His father, Thomas, played drums with Freddie Hubbard and

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a dist ...

, both natives of Indianapolis. He studied music at

DePauw University DePauw University is a private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. It has an enrollment of 1,972 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the ...

and earned a master's degree from the

Jacobs School of Music The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music. It has more than 1,500 students, approximately half of whom ar ...

at Indiana University in Bloomington. He has worked with George Duke, Slide Hampton,

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

Ramsey Lewis Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. (May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five gold records and three Grammy Awards in his career. His album '' The ...

, Branford Marsalis,

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

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, Roy Meriwether,

The O'Jays The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1958 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. The O'Jays made their first chart appearance with the minor ...

, Lou Rawls,

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

Kirk Whalum Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it. Basic meaning and etymology As a common noun, ''kirk' ...

, and former ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...

'' bassist Bob Hurst. Whitted wrote, produced, and arranged his first two albums for Motown. He co-produced the album ''People Make the World Go 'Round''. His album ''Transient Journey'' was released in 2010 by the jazz label Owl Studios in Indianapolis. He has toured in a band with

Bobby Broom Robert Broom Jr. (born January 18, 1961) is an American jazz guitarist, composer, and educator. He was born and raised in New York City, then moved to Chicago, which has been his home town since 1984. He performs and records with The Bobby Broo ...

, Ron Perrillo, and Eddie Bayard. Whitted has performed throughout the United States and overseas, including shows at the 1988

Presidential Inauguration A presidential inauguration is a ceremonial event centered on the formal transition of a new president into office, usually in democracies where this official has been elected. Frequently, this involves the swearing of an oath of office. Examples o ...

, ''

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'', ''The Billboard Music Awards'', Carnegie Hall, and the MoTown Music Showcase. He has been jazz director of Chicago's Youth Symphony Orchestra and works with Jazz at Lincoln Center and Ravinia's Jazz Scholar program. He has been director of jazz studies at

Chicago State University Chicago State University (CSU) is a predominantly black public university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1867 as the Cook County Normal School, it was an innovative teachers college. Eventually the Chicago Public Schools assumed control of t ...

Awards and honors

In January 2011, Whitted was nominated for the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards in the Jazz Album category for ''Transient Journey''. In December 2016 he was named one of six "Chicagoans of the Year" by the ''Chicago Tribune''.

Discography

As leader

* 1994 ''Pharez Whitted'' ( Motown) * 1996 ''Mysterious Cargo'' (Motown) * 2010 ''Transient Journey'' (

Owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...

) * 2012 ''For the People'' (

Origin Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics and manga * ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002 * ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...

) * 2014 ''Tree of Life'' (Truth Revolution)

As guest

* 1991

, '' Whenever We Wanted'' * 1998

Jimmy Coe James "Jimmy" R. Coe (March 20, 1921 – February 26, 2004) was an American jazz saxophonist. Early life Coe was born in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, and moved to Indianapolis with his family as a child. He first played in a band with Erroll "G ...

, ''Say What'' * 2007

Ari Brown Ari Brown (born February 1, 1944) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and pianist. Biography Brown grew up in Chicago and attended Wilson College, where he met musicians such as Jack DeJohnette, Henry Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell, and Joseph ...

, ''Live at the Green Mill'' * 2009 Kobie Watkins, ''Involved''

References

External links

Review of ''Transient Journey'' at AllAboutJazz.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitted, Pharez American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American jazz composers American male jazz composers DePauw University alumni Jacobs School of Music alumni Chicago State University faculty 1960 births Living people Owl Studios artists 21st-century trumpeters 21st-century American male musicians