Ira Sullivan

by Scott YanowIra Sullivan, who is equally skilled on trumpet and a variety of reeds, is one of the great talents in jazz. But due to his desire to be away from the spotlight, his contributions have often been overlooked. His father taught him the trumpet and his mother the saxophone. Sullivan was a key part of the Chicago jazz scene of the 1950s, jamming with visiting all-stars and, in 1956, spending some time with Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers. He settled in Florida in the early 60s and, although he has been active locally, he only emerges on the national jazz scene on an irregular basis. His most notable association since the 60s was with Red Rodney in a brilliant (and fortunately well-recorded) quintet that also included pianist Garry Dial. Sullivan has retained an open-minded approach to music and has never been afraid to try new things. Virtually all of his recordings offer some surprises.