Jack Sheldon
Trumpet
About
Jack Sheldon was a West Coast jazz trumpeter, vocalist, comedian, and actor whose seven-decade career made him one of the most multifaceted figures in American entertainment. In the 1950s he was a vital voice on the Los Angeles jazz scene, recording and performing with Art Pepper, Gerry Mulligan, Curtis Counce, and Zoot Sims, and developing a trademark triple-tongue technique. He played the trumpet solo on Johnny Mandel's "The Shadow of Your Smile" for the 1965 film The Sandpiper, which won both an Academy Award and a Grammy. From 1962 to 1980 he served as sidekick and music director on The Merv Griffin Show. He became beloved by generations of children as the voice of "I'm Just a Bill" and "Conjunction Junction" on Schoolhouse Rock! He also toured with Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Mel Tormé, and recorded with Tom Waits and Frank Sinatra.
Trivia
When World War II created a shortage of professional musicians, the twelve-year-old Sheldon joined the musicians' union and began working professionally. The Schoolhouse Rock! sessions were performed by a full jazz band — Teddy Edwards, Nick Ceroli, Leroy Vinnegar, and Bob Dorough — though the series was marketed as rock and roll. His son John voiced the curious kid in "I'm Just a Bill." In 2011 a massive stroke paralyzed his right arm; he taught himself to play trumpet left-handed and continued performing into his eighties. Billy Crystal called him "the last cat standing" from the bebop generation.
Early Life
Born Beryl Cyril Sheldon Jr. on September 30, 1931, in Jacksonville, Florida, he was raised by his mother after his father abandoned the family. His obsession with trumpet began when his mother brought home a record of Clyde McCoy playing "Sugar Blues" and was further fueled by watching Harry James in the movies. The musician shortage of World War II allowed him to join the union and turn professional at twelve. When he was fifteen, his mother relocated them to Los Angeles, where he discovered bebop through Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. After two years in the Air Force playing in military bands, he joined Stan Kenton's orchestra, then toured with Mel Tormé and Benny Goodman, the latter of whom first featured him as a vocalist.
Jack Sheldon Solos
1955
Trumpet solo - Crescendo Blues - 1955
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 120 BPM
Trumpet solo - "HUH!" - 1955
4/4 swing in C minor at 119 BPM
Trumpet solo - Well, You Needn't - 1955
4/4 swing in F major at 128 BPM
Trumpet solo - B.T. - 1955
4/4 swing in C minor at 257 BPM