Wycliffe Gordon

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Wycliffe A. Gordon (born May 29, 1967) is an American jazz trombonist, arranger, composer, band leader, and music educator. He also sings and plays didgeridoo, trumpet, soprano trombone, tuba, and piano. His nickname is Pinecone.

He was born in Waynesboro, Georgia, into a religious and musical family. His father, Lucius Gordon, was a church organist and classical pianist. Gordon got into jazz at age 13 after hearing a large record collection, especially Louis Armstrong and early jazz records. He attended Sego Junior High in Augusta, where trombonist Don Milford was his band director. He graduated from Butler High School in 1984 and played in the McDonald’s High School All-American Band in New York City. He studied at Florida A&M and played in the marching band.

Gordon’s early professional work included collaborations with Wynton Marsalis. In 2010 he began to explore styles beyond traditional swing, using new instruments. A notable project is The Search, where he plays the didgeridoo and covers Thelonious Monk tunes, and he has also explored Gospel music. In 1995 he arranged and orchestrated the theme for NPR’s All Things Considered.

On September 24, 2004, Gordon led the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in the premiere of his original score for Body and Soul, the 1925 silent film by Oscar Micheaux. He has gained international visibility, including appearances at Generations In Jazz in Australia in 2016 and 2017.

Gordon is an active educator and has worked with visual artist Ligel Lambert on collaborative projects. He is an assistant professor at Augusta University in Georgia, where he serves as Director of Jazz Studies. He has been named Jazz Trombonist of the Year thirteen times by the Jazz Journalists Association and Best Trombone by DownBeat magazine six times.

In 2006 he started Blues Back Records, releasing Rhythm on My Mind with bassist Jay Leonhart. The label aimed to give artists more artistic control, but it became inactive in 2011. Gordon has performed and recorded with many notable artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Ted Nash, Marcus Roberts, Chip White, and others.