Clark Terry Biography

Fast Facts

• Received Arts and Letters Awards from the French and Austrian Governments and was knighted in Germany
• Served in the U․S․ Navy from 1942 to 1945 before becoming a jazz star
• Organized a Harlem youth band which helped lead to the creation of Jazz Mobile, a traveling stage that brought free jazz concerts to neighborhoods in New York City to help raise awareness of the art
• Was awarded 15 honorary doctorates and three adjunct professorships to celebrate his contributions to jazz education
• Quote: "Teaching jazz allows me to play a part in making dreams come true for aspiring musicians․"
• Known for his skill as a jazz trumpeter, he also played the flugelhorn and composed music
• One of the most recorded musicians in the history of jazz, he made over 900 recordings alongside such greats as Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson and Dizzy Gillespie
• Served as a Jazz Ambassador for State Department tours in the Middle East and Africa
• A life-sized wax figure of him was displayed, along with memorabilia, at the Griot Museum
• Co-authored such books as "Let's Talk Trumpet: From Legit to Jazz" and "Interpretation of the Jazz Language․"