Grover Mitchell

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American jazz trombonist

title: "Grover Mitchell" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1930-births", "2003-deaths", "people-from-clarke-county,-alabama", "american-jazz-trombonists", "american-male-trombonists", "american-jazz-bandleaders", "american-big-band-bandleaders", "grammy-award-winners", "jazz-musicians-from-alabama", "20th-century-american-trombonists", "20th-century-american-male-musicians", "american-male-jazz-musicians"] description: "American jazz trombonist" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Mitchell" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American jazz trombonist ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

FieldValue
nameGrover Mitchell
imageGrovermitchell.jpg
backgroundnon_vocal_instrumentalist
birth_nameGrover Curry Mitchell
birth_date
birth_placeWhatley, Alabama, U.S.
death_date
death_placeNew York City, U.S.
genreJazz
occupationMusician, bandleader
instrumentTrombone
years_active1960–2000
labelStash, Ken
associated_actsCount Basie Orchestra
::

| name = Grover Mitchell | image = Grovermitchell.jpg | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = Grover Curry Mitchell | birth_date = | birth_place = Whatley, Alabama, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = New York City, U.S. | genre = Jazz | occupation = Musician, bandleader | instrument = Trombone | years_active = 1960–2000 | label = Stash, Ken | associated_acts = Count Basie Orchestra

Grover Mitchell, born Grover Curry Mitchell (March 17, 1930 – August 6, 2003) was an American jazz trombonist who led the Count Basie Orchestra.

Biography

Mitchell was born in Whately, Alabama, but he moved with his parents to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when he was eight. He played the bugle in school and wanted to play trumpet. However, the school band needed a trombonist and reportedly Mitchell's long arms fit the task. He was a member of the school's orchestra with Ahmad Jamal and Dakota Staton. At sixteen, he played with King Kolax's territory band in Indiana.

In 1951 he joined the U.S. Marines and played in a military band. After being discharged in 1953, he moved to San Francisco, where he worked with Earl Hines, Lionel Hampton, and Duke Ellington. From 1962–1970, he was a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. Mitchell had been a fan of Tommy Dorsey, as Count Basie told him he sounded like him. He spent the next decade working in television and movies, then returned to Basie's orchestra in 1980 and remained with it until his death in 1984. Thad Jones became leader of the orchestra, followed by Frank Foster, then Mitchell in 1995.

As bandleader, Mitchell won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (1996) and Count Plays Duke (1998)

He died of cancer in New York at the age of 73.

Discography

As leader

  • Meet Grover Mitchell (Jazz Chronicles, 1979)
  • The Devil's Waltz (Jazz Chronicles, 1980)
  • Live at the Red Parrot (Hemisphere, 1984)
  • Grover Mitchell & His Orchestra (Stash, 1987)
  • ''Truckin''' (Stash, 1987)
  • *Hip Shakin' * (Ken, 1990)
  • Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (1996) with the Count Basie Orchestra
  • On Track with his New Blue Devils (Quixotic Records, 1997)
  • Count Plays Duke with the Count Basie Orchestra (MAMA, 1998)
  • Swing Shift (MAMA/Summit, 1999)
  • Grover Mitchell Big Band (Storyville, 2004)

As sideman

With Count Basie

References

References

  1. (1994). "An Interview with Grover Mitchell: Part 1".
  2. (2003). "Grover Mitchell: 1930-2003".
  3. (8 August 2003). "Grover Mitchell, 73, Trombonist And Leader of Basie Orchestra".
  4. (9 August 2003). "Grover Mitchell, 73; Trombonist Brought New Success to Basie Band".
  5. "Jazz Music Archive".
  6. "Grover Mitchell".

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1930-births2003-deathspeople-from-clarke-county,-alabamaamerican-jazz-trombonistsamerican-male-trombonistsamerican-jazz-bandleadersamerican-big-band-bandleadersgrammy-award-winnersjazz-musicians-from-alabama20th-century-american-trombonists20th-century-american-male-musiciansamerican-male-jazz-musicians