Derrick Gardner

Derrick Gardner (born June 3, 1965) is an American jazz trumpeter from Chicago, Illinois.

Gardner began playing trumpet at the age of 9 in his hometown of Chicago. In 1991, he moved to New York City and played with groups such as the Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Foster's Loud Minority Band, Harry Connick, Jr.'s Big Band, Roman Schwaller's European Sextet, and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.

Gardner has gone on to work with such jazz notables as the late Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Jon Faddis, Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Rufus Reid, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Stefon Harris and James Moody.

Critics have described him as "having a way of moving past the notes in a solo and getting into formal realms that make sense and heighten interest." Another critic describes him as "Soulful and Intelligent, a tremendous talent with a vivid and unusual imagination."

As a composer and arranger, Gardner's music has been featured with The Count Basie Orchestra, The Jazz Heritage Orchestra, The Brad Leali Big Band, Michigan State University Jazz Ensembles, Ohio State University Jazz Ensembles, University of Manitoba Jazz Ensembles.

Since 1989, Derrick has written for and led his own sextet, Derrick Gardner & the Jazz Prophets. In 2008, Gardner signed the group to Indianapolis jazz label Owl Studios and has since released two albums on the label, 2008's A Ride to the Other Side, and 2009's Echoes of Ethnicity, which was the winner of the Best Jazz Album award at the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards "Echoes of Ethnicity".

As of July 2011, Gardner is associate professor of trumpet in the University of Manitoba's Jazz Studies program.

Discography Year Artist Title Label 1992 Count Basie Orchestra Live at El Morocco Telarc 1997 Frank Foster Leo Rising Arabesque 2000 George Gee Swingin' Away Zort 2001 Craig Bailey Brooklyn Evidence 2003 Stefon Harris The Grand Unification Theory Blue Note 2003 Lizz Wright Salt Verve 2003 Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets Slim Goodie Impact Jazz 2003 Harry Connick, Jr. Harry for the Holidays Columbia 2003 Harry Connick, Jr. Only You Columbia 2006 Harry Connick, Jr. Chanson Du Vieux Carre Columbia 2007 Harry Connick, Jr. Oh, My Nola Columbia 2007 Brad Leali Jazz Orchestra Maria Juanez TCB 2007 Ron Di Salvio Essence of Green: A Tribute to Kind of Blue Origin 2008 Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets A Ride to the Other Side... Owl 2009 Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets Echoes of Ethnicity Owl