Claude Gordon

Claude E. Gordon (April 5, 1916 - May 16, 1996) was a trumpet player, band director, educator, lecturer, and writer.

Claude Gordon

Gordon was born on April 5, 1916 in Helena, Montana. His father was a clarinet player and orchestra director. His mother was a pianist. His siblings were also musically inclined and they formed a family orchestra led by their father. They performed as the staff orchestra for a local radio station. Gordon was given his first cornet at the age of five and three years later while in fifth grade he was featured as a soloist playing with the Helena High School Band. While in his early teens, Gordon played professionally and taught both cornet and accordion.

Gordon studied with Herbert L. Clarke from 1936 until Clarke died in 1945. During the era of live radio and television, Gordon worked as a studio trumpet player. In 1939, Gordon was cast as the Roma accordion player in the Universal Studio's motion picture musical an Old Spanish Custom, later renamed In Rhumba Land. Gordon formed his own big band in 1959 - albums include "Jazz For Jean-Agers" and "Sounds Of The Big Band Era".[1]

Gordon performed with the studio orchestras on shows including Amos and Andy and I Love Lucy.

The Claude Gordon Orchestra was awarded, Best Big Band of 1959.[2]

Gordone worked with the Benge and Selmer companies designing trumpets and both companies produced a Claude Gordon model. Claude designed trumpet and cornet mouthpieces originally made by Benge.

As a teacher Gordon emphasized the need for brass players to do physical exercise to stay in shape and prescribed daily breathing exercises to develop wind-power. He considered brass players to be athletes that needed to practice to stay in shape. His method "Systematic Approach To Daily Practice" is published by Carl Fischer Music.[3]

The Claude Gordon Personal Papers and Music Instrument Collection consists of music, correspondence with Herbert L. Clarke and other notable trumpet artists, educational material, performance contracts, publicity material and memorabilia and is housed at the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Gordon died from cancer on May 16, 1996.