Grachan Moncur III

Jazz trombonist Grachan Moncur III was born in New York City, New York on June 3, 1937. After being raised in New Jersey, he studied at the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina. Laurinburg had a well-established music department which included Dizzy Gillespie as a prior alumnus. During Grachan Moncur III’s tenure at the college, he would sit in for passing touring artists such as Art Blakey and Jackie McLean. His relationship with McLean endured and in 1963 Grachan Moncur III recorded his debut album, Evolution, with musical assistance from Lee Morgan, Bobby Hutcherson, and, of course, Jackie McLean. The album was a critically acclaimed avant-garde work which featured a similar style to McLean's own albums One Step Beyond and Destination... Out! recorded earlier that year. During his career, Grachan Moncur III has released a relatively modest recording output, something which can be attributed to ongoing health problems. Jazz enthusiasts can draw solace from the quality rather than the quantity of his recorded work. His nine studio albums – including Some Other Stuff (1964), New Africa (1969), Shadows (1977) and Inner Cry Blues (2007) - feature some outstanding trombone work highly regarded by both fans and critics. Over the course of his career, he was a sideman for several artists including Herbie Hancock, Frank Lowe, Joe Henderson, Lee Morgan, Archie Shepp, Cassandra Wilson, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Marion Brown, and many others. Grachan Moncur III died on June 3, 2022, his 85th birthday.

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