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Ron Horton

Since 1982, trumpeter Ron Horton has been an integral part of New York's flourishing jazz scene and he stands out both as an exemplary instrumentalist and as a highly progressive composer and arranger. Whether called upon as a sideman or as a leader of one of his own ensembles, he shows that he is committed to further expanding the existing perimeters of jazz. Photo: Ben Allison

Horton has had many long musical associations with leaders such as saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom (1983-2000) and pianist Andrew Hill. He was a member of Hill's sextet from 1998 until 2003, and appears on the group's critically acclaimed cd, Dusk (Palmetto 2000). He was also musical director and co-arranger for Hill's big band, and is featured on the cd, A Beautiful Day (Palmetto 2002).

Horton has also had an integral collaboration with New York's Jazz Composers Collective, going back to its inception in 1992, and appears on several cds by the other members of the group, such as Ben Allison and Michael Blake, as well as the collective's Herbie Nichols Project. In 1995, Horton went to the Library of Congress and uncovered over three dozen of Nichols' songs that had never been recorded. Several of these works appear on the three cds released by the HNP on Soul Note and Palmetto.

Through his work with the JCC, Horton has received composing grants from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust and Meet the Composer.

Ron Horton was born in 1960 in Bethesda, Maryland, and has been frequently called on as a sideman to perform and/or record with such artists as Lee Konitz, Will Holshouser, Rez Abbasi, Phillip Johnston, Andy Laster, Mick Rossi, Matt Wilson, Bill Gerhardt, Bill Mays, Peggy Stern, Allan Chase, Andy Biskin, Ted Nash, Jon Gordon, John McKenna, Walter Thompson, Diana Perez, Billy Newman, Mario Pavone, Tina Marsh, Maryanne DeProphetis, Landon Knoblock, Sam Bardfeld, Maria Guida, Abigail Riccards, Angie Sanchez, Kris Davis, Darcy James Argue and many others.

In 1999, Horton released his debut cd, Genius Envy (OmniTone), featuring Jane Ira Bloom. All About Jazz said of the cd, "(Horton) shines as a formidable composer, arranger and leader. (It's) not difficult to discern why Horton is highly respected within jazz circles".

Subtextures, Horton's first release on Fresh Sounds New Talent (FSNT-175) features pianist Kimbrough, bassist Allison and drummer Matt Wilson. It includes four new original compositions, as well as those by Kimbrough, Hill, Olivier Messiaen, and Frederic Chopin. The cd was selected by Jazzman magazine (France) for its CHOC award as one of the top cds of 2004. Jazzwise (UK) also chose it as one of the top cds of 2004.

Andrew Hill Sextet Plus 10: A Beautiful Day, Revisited

Read "A Beautiful Day, Revisited" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro

by Alberto Bazzurro
November 13, 2024

Registrato dal vivo al Birdland dal 24 al 26 gennaio 2002, il materiale di questo doppio CD (nonché doppio vinile) raggiunge oggi i quasi 83 minuti di durata, aggiungendo, rispetto all'edizione originaria uscita pochi mesi dopo il concerto, un'alternate take inedita del brano che intitola l'album e una versione ampliata di “11/8," riposizionando nel contempo i nove brani complessivi in quanto a “ordine di apparizione." Ne vien fuori un'opera che possiamo tranquillamente definire monumentale, anche proprio per la ...

Album Review

Andrew Hill Sextet Plus Ten: A Beautiful Day, Revisited

Read "A Beautiful Day, Revisited" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
October 21, 2024

The heyday of pianist Andrew Hill (1931-2007) happened during his hang with Blue Note Records, where he released ten albums between 1963 and 1970, including 1964's Black Fire, a splendid quartet session featuring saxophonist Joe Henderson; 1964's Point Of Departure), that featured a freewheeling sextet that included Henderson, multiple reedist Eric Dolphy and trumpeter Kenny Dorham; to Passing Ships (1969), with an exuberant multi-horn group that included trumpeter Woody Shaw, trombonist Julian Priester and flutist Joe Farrell. For those with ...

Album Review

Shoko Nagai, Maryanne de Prophetis, Ron Horton, Stomu Takeishi: FIDOqrtet

Read "FIDOqrtet" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro

by Alberto Bazzurro
March 9, 2021

Album di improvvisazione senza rete, questo del FIDOqrtet, che in realtà agisce come tale solo in quattro degli undici brani complessivi, scindendosi negli altri sette in diversi abbinamenti: senza la voce in altri quattro ("Rayo de luna," “Tsuru," “Terramoto" e “Morning"), senza al tromba in “La Coyote," in duo rispettivamente piano/batteria e tromba/batteria in “Waking" e “Flow In." Il risultato è un album inciso in più sedute fra il 2015 e il 2016 (il gruppo è attivo ...

Album Review

Falkner Evans: Marbles

by Jack Bowers
August 8, 2020

On his fifth recording as leader, pianist / composer Falkner Evans has expanded his group size from trio (the first three) and quintet (the fourth) to sextet with vibraphonist Steve Nelson added on three of the album's ten numbers, the first nine of which were written by Evans. Even though this was a one-off, Evans' teammates are skillful enough to make it sound like a working ensemble. One reason for this is that the rhythm section (bassist Belden Bullock, drummer ...

Album Review

Falkner Evans: Marbles

Read "Marbles" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
July 26, 2020

Pianist Falkner Evans has been gradually expanding the size of his recording projects. He started out with a couple of trio discs, then made one with a quintet. On this latest offering, he fronts a three-horn sextet scored to sound like a bigger and fuller unit. He uses a front line of Michael Blake on tenor sax, Ted Nash on alto sax and Ron Horton on trumpet, that is blended into a cool, reedy sound which ebbs and ...

Radio & Podcasts

The Enviable Genius of Ron Horton

by Ludovico Granvassu
March 5, 2020

A founding member of the Jazz Composers Collective, Ron Horton is a trumpeter of outstsanding lyricism and versatility. This mixtape highlights the many facets of his work as a leader as well as a sideman for the likes of Ben Allison, Will Holshouser, Michael Blake, Andy Biskin, Allan Chase, Jane Ira Bloom and pianist Andrew Hill, for which he acted as Musical Director. Also featured is music from his work with The Herbie Nichols Project and the East Down Septet. ...

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Album Review

Ron Horton: It's A Gadget World...

Read "It's A Gadget World..." reviewed by Sean Patrick Fitzell

by Sean Patrick Fitzell
December 9, 2009

Preferring tonal clarity and precise lines, trumpeter Ron Horton eschews the extended manipulations frequently associated with contemporary improvisers. But the warm resonance of his sound and the fluidity of his improvisations ensure that he's never stodgy, as evidenced on this fourth CD as a leader. While the title plays with the notion of preoccupation with the latest electronic toys, the music illustrates the enduring pliability and vibrancy of a taut acoustic quartet. Often minimal, the tunes have ...

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Performance / Tour

Ron Horton Sextet Performs Andrew Hill's "Passing Ships" at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia

Source: All About Jazz
December 11, 2008

Friday, December 12 | 8pm

Ron Horton Sextet performs Andrew Hill's Passing Ships

Ron Horton, trumpet/flugelhorn Tony Malaby, tenor saxophone Scott Robinson, tenor saxophone Ben Allison, double-bass Frank Kimbrough, piano Tim Horner, drums Settlement Music School 416 Queen Street Philadelphia, PA

$15 General Admission Seating is limited.

“The best jazz album of 2003 was recorded in 1969--then shelved, lost, forgotten, ...
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Recording

Ron Horton Releases "Everything In a Dream" on Fresh Sound Records

Source: All About Jazz
April 3, 2006

Fresh Sound New Talent has just released trumpeter/composer Ron Horton's newest CD, Everything In a Dream, recorded in Brooklyn, NY, June 2005.

“Epitomizing the new face of the creative mainstream, Horton is equal parts swinging hard bop stylist, modern classicist and exploratory avant gardist. All these facets appear on Everything In A Dream, Horton's most definitive statement as a leader--his third overall and second for the Fresh Sound label". ~ Troy Collins, All About Jazz

About Ron Horton:

Horton was ...
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