Jim Rotondi

James Robert Rotondi (born 28 August 1962) is an American jazz trumpeter, educator, and conductor.

The youngest of five siblings, Rotondi was born in Butte, Montana. He lives in Graz, Austria, where he is a professor at University for Music and Dramatic Arts. He performs in Austria and around the world. Before moving to Austria, he played in New York City for twenty years. He has released over ten albums as a leader for Sharp Nine, Criss Cross, Posi-Tone, and Smoke Sessions Records. He has played on over eighty albums as a sideman. He has performed and recorded with a wide variety of artists including Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, Lou Donaldson, Curtis Fuller, Eric Alexander and George Coleman.

Rotondi leads two groups of his own: one quintet, which features vibraphonist Joe Locke, and one electric band with David Hazeltine called Full House, which uses electronic sound on his trumpet and a variety of other electronic instruments. He is also a member of the group One for All.

In 1984, while attending North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas), he was awarded first place in the International Trumpet Guild's jazz trumpet competition.

After moving to Brooklyn, New York he became an active member for several years of the Slope of the Slope Manor Collective, a musical jazz improv space featuring eclectic musical artists such as George Whitney (Brecker Brothers), Eric Eudel (Blues Brothers), Rob Crick Cohen, Dwight Loop and Wayne Conigula.

Discography

As a leader

• Introducing Jim Rotondi (Criss Cross, 1996)
• Jim's Bop (Criss Cross, 1997)
• Excursions (Criss Cross, 1998) (this is the 'One For All' group under Jim's leadership)
• Reverence (Criss Cross, 2000)
• Destination Up (Sharp Nine, 2001)
• New Vistas (Criss Cross, 2003)
• The Pleasure Dome (Sharp Nine, 2004)
• Champagne Taste (Nagel Heyer, 2005)
• Iron Man (Criss Cross, 2005)
• Four of a Kind (Posi-Tone, 2008)
• Blues for Brother Ray [a tribute to Ray Charles] (Posi-Tone, 2009)
• Live at Smalls (Smalls Live, 2009)
• The Move (Criss Cross, 2009)
• 1000 Rainbows (Posi-Tone, 2010)
• Hard Hittin' at the Bird's Eye (Sharp Nine, 2012)
• Dark Blue (Smoke Sessions, 2016)

As sideman

With One for All (co-leader with Eric Alexander, Steve Davis, David Hazeltine)

• Too Soon to Tell (Sharp Nine, 1997)
• Optimism (Sharp Nine, 1998)
• Upward and Onward (Criss Cross, 1999)
• The Long Haul (Criss Cross, 2000)
• The End of a Love Affair (Venus, 2001)
• Live at Smoke: Volume 1 (Criss Cross, 2001)
• Wide Horizons (Criss Cross, 2002)
• No Problem: Tribute to Art Blakey (Venus, 2003)
• Blueslike (Criss Cross, 2003)
• Killer Joe (Venus, 2005)
• The Lineup (Sharp Nine, 2006)
• What's Going On (Venus, 2007)
• Return of the Lineup (Sharp Nine, 2008)
• Incorrigible (Jazz Legacy Productions, 2009)
• Invades Vancouver! (Live At The Cellar) (Cellar Live, 2010)
• The Third Decade (Smoke Sessions, 2016)

With Eric Alexander

• Straight Up (Delmark, 1992)
• Man with a Horn (Milestone, 1997)
• Alexander the Great (Milestone, 1997)
• Mode for Mabes (Delmark, 1997)
• Solid! (Milestone, 1998)
• The Second Milestone (Milestone, 2000)
• Temple of Olympic Zeus (HighNote, 2007)

With Others

• Steve Davis: Dig Deep (Criss Cross, 1996)
• David Hazeltine: How It Is (Criss Cross, 1997)
• Mike DiRubbo: Keep Steppin' (Criss Cross, 2001)
• Mike DiRubbo: Human Spirit (Criss Cross, 2002)

References

General references

• Jim Rotondi at allmusic.com
• Jim Rotondi at allaboutjazz.com
• Article on Jim Rotondi in JazzTimes

Inline citations

External links

• jimrotondi.com
• Jim Rotondi at AllMusic