West Coast Trumpet Ace, Bandleader, Composer Vol. 1 1946-1954

Shorty Rogers

A prime mover in the west coast jazz scene of the 1950s, Shorty Rogers honed his smooth, ultra-cool trumpet style in the bands of Will Bradley, Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. He also recorded with his small groups, including the hugely influential Modern Sounds in 1951. Rogers also strutted his stuff on LPs like the big band COOL AND CRAZY, THE SWINGING MR. ROGERS and MARTIANS, COME BACK!. He made a splash in 1955 on-screen and on the soundtrack of THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM. After a brief hiatus, Rogers returned to performing, teaming up with his old friend, Bud Shank, in the '80s. He switched to flugelhorn and continued to perform until his death in 1995.