Melba Liston | |
|---|---|
 Liston in 1960 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Melba Doretta Liston |
| Born | January 13, 1926 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 1999 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger, music educator |
| Instrument | Trombone |
| Years active | 1940s–1970s |
Melba Doretta Liston (January 13, 1926 – April 23, 1999)[1] was an American jazz trombonist, arranger, and composer. Other than those playing in all-female bands, she was the first woman trombonist to play in big bands during the 1940s and 1960s, but as her career progressed she became better known as an arranger,[2] particularly in partnership with pianist Randy Weston.[3][4] Other major artists with whom she worked include Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, and Count Basie.[5]
- ^ "Obituary: Melba Liston". The Independent. London, UK. April 27, 1999. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ Johnson, David (June 15, 2015). "Proving Herself: Melba Liston, Arranger And First Lady Of Trombone". Indiana Public Media. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ Smith, Jessie Carney, ed. (1996). Notable Black American Women: Book 2. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research. pp. 413–415. ISBN 9780810391772. OCLC 24468213.
- ^ Oliver, Myrna (April 28, 1999). "Melba Liston; Jazz Trombonist, Composer". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Jones, Jae (October 19, 2018). "Melba D. Liston: First Woman Trombonist In Big Band Era". Black Then. Retrieved November 1, 2020.