Claudio Roditi born 28 May 1946

Claudio Roditi (May 28, 1946 – January 17, 2020) was a Brazilian jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn player and composer. In 1966 Claudio was named a trumpet finalist at the International Jazz Competition in Vienna, Austria. While in Vienna, Roditi met Art Farmer, one of his idols, and the friendship inspired the younger trumpeter to follow a career in jazz. 

Roditi was often a fiery presence on the bandstand, having mastered the language of post-World War II jazz trumpet; everyone from Clifford Brown to Woody Shaw made their presence known in his playing. However, he was also capable of a preternaturally smooth tone that could take the edge off his ferocity or delve beautifully into a tender ballad. Rhythmically, he was second to none, and in addition to bop and samba was expert in Afro-Cuban grooves. 

Claudio Roditi was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Alberto and Daisy Roditi. The family moved regularly to locations around the country, owing to Alberto’s position in the Brazilian coffee industry. Young Claudio was first attracted to rhythm, beginning as a young child on bongos and then moving to piano. He soon become captivated by the trumpet, before he’d ever attempted to play it; his father brought home his first one, only to have him mangle it in a tantrum when he couldn’t make it work.

By the time he was five years old he began his musical studies and when he was 12, he had already become a serious jazz listener. Eight years later, he was named a finalist in the International Jazz Competition in Vienna, where he met his future mentor Art Farmer and the following year, he moved to Mexico City where he was active on the contemporary music scene. 

Moving closer to New York, Roditi relocated to Boston in 1970 he was accepted at the Berklee College of Music. Roditi emigrated to the United States that year where he quickly attracted attention on the jazz scene. Later he joined the faculty of the School of Contemporary Music and rounded out his schedule with club and concert performances. He began working with tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, flutist Herbie Mann, and then clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera, with whom he spent most of the 1980s (beginning on valve trombone but ultimately developing a predilection for the rotary valve trumpet, with which he became associated). 

                            Here's "Airegin" from above album.

                                   

D’Rivera introduced Roditi to his own mentor, trumpet legend Dizzy Gillespie. Impressed with his sound, Gillespie recruited Roditi into his United Nation Orchestra in 1989. He continued working with the large ensemble until Gillespie’s death in 1993, appearing as well at the 1992 concerts that would form Gillespie’s final album, To Diz With Love. Following Gillespie’s passing, Roditi became a member of the tribute group the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Big Band, with which he continued working for the rest of his career. He was also a frequent presence in trombonist Slide Hampton’s all-star band, the Jazz Masters. 

Roditi was not just a sideman, however. He released his own first album, Red on Red, in 1984; it was the first of 25 recordings made under his leadership or co-leadership. His albums frequently contained a mix of bop-based jazz and Brazilian (and other Afro-Caribbean) traditions, increasingly including his own original compositions. Beginning in the 2000s, Roditi worked steadily in a drumless trio with German pianist Klaus Ignatzek and Belgian bassist Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, revealing a remarkable capacity for subtlety not often seen in his large ensemble performances. 

Roditi received a 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (2009) nomination in the category Best Latin Jazz Album for Brazillance X 4. He was also the featured soloist on Atras Da Porta from Symphonic Bossa Nova (Ettore Stratta conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), for which Jorge Calandrelli received an arranger nomination at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards (1995). 

In 2017, Roditi received his cancer diagnosis; before the initial tumor could be removed, it had metastasized to his lung and lymph nodes. John Lee’s GoFundMe account raised nearly $100,000 to assist with his medical expenses. His final engagement lasted 12 nights, but Roditi was so sick that he was only able to play nine. On Aug. 29, 2019  Roditi played his last live performance. Tellingly, he offered to repay the drummer for the days he couldn’t work. Roditi had spent time in his final days listening to the album. He died from  prostate cancer at his home in South Orange, New Jersey on January 17, 2020 at the age of 73. 

(Edited from Wikipedia, Jazz Times, & Azica Records)