JULIAN PRIESTER

This page is updated: April 2, 2022 6:32 PM

Julian Priester b. Jun. 29, 1935, Chicago, IL

Julian has long been a flexible and adventurous trombonist who has not yet achieved fame he deserved. Originally studied piano, bariton horn and finally trombone. Prior to moving to New York in 1958 he worked with Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Sun Ra (1954-56), Lionel Hampton and Dinah Washington (1957). Priester gained recognition for his playing with Max Roach (1958-61) during a period when the drummer often used Booker Little and Eric Dolphy. He played in a wide variety of settings throughout the 1960s including six months with Duke Ellington (1969-70).

Priester's highest profile gig was with Herbie Hancock's sextet during 1970-73 with whom he toured and recorded. Moving to San Francisco in the mid-'70s, he experimented with electronic music while still playing trombone, recording with Stanley Cowell and Red Garland. Most of the first half of the 1990s was spent with Dave Holland's 4 and later in the decade he worked with George Gruntz and Sun Ra. ~ Scott Yanow

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