Blue Mitchell

Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American trumpeter and composer who worked in jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk. He recorded albums as leader and sideman for Riverside, Mainstream Records, and Blue Note. He is also credited as the most recorded trumpeter with jazz organ, accumulating 27 sideman recordings in the genre.

Early life Mitchell was born and raised in Miami, Florida, United States. with the nickname "Blue".

Career After high school, Blue Mitchell began playing with local musicians in Miami. Keepnews, impressed, signed Mitchell to record a string of his own albums for Riverside.

Mitchell joined the Horace Silver Quintet in 1958,

Discography As leader/co-leader Recording date Title Label Year released Notes 1958-07 Big 6 Riverside 1958 1958-10Get Those Elephants Out'a Here MetroJazz 1959 with Red Mitchell, Whitey Mitchell, and André Previn 1959-01 Out of the Blue Riverside 1959 1959-09 Blue Soul Riverside 1959 1960-08 Blue's Moods Riverside 1960 1960-12, 1961-03 Smooth as the Wind Riverside 1961 1962-03A Sure Thing Riverside 1962 1962-08 The Cup Bearers Riverside 1962 1963-08 Step Lightly Blue Note 1980 1964-07 The Thing to Do Blue Note 1965 1965-07 Down with It! Blue Note 1966 1966-01 Bring It Home to Me Blue Note 1967 1966-11 Boss Horn Blue Note 1967 1967-11 Heads Up! Blue Note 1968 1968-09 Collision in Black Blue Note 1969 1969-05 Bantu Village Blue Note 1969 1971-03 Blue Mitchell (a.k.a. Soul Village) Mainstream 1971 1971-06 Vital Blue Mainstream 1971 1972 Blues' Blues Mainstream 1972 1972 The Last Tango = Blues Mainstream 1973 1973-03-01 Graffiti Blues Mainstream 1973 1974 Many Shades of Blue Mainstream 1974 1975 Stratosonic Nuances RCA 1975 1976 Funktion Junction RCA 1976 1977-04-14 Mapenzi Concord Jazz 1977 with Harold Land 1977-04-28, -29 Stablemates Candid 1977 1977 African Violet Impulse! 1978 1977 Summer Soft Impulse! 1978

As sideman