Biography
James Peter Giuffre was born in Dallas, Texas, on April 26, 1921, and began playing clarinet at age nine.[1][2] He studied music at North Texas State Teachers College, graduating in 1942, and served in the Army Band during World War II.[1][2] In the 1940s, Giuffre worked as an arranger and saxophonist for several prominent big bands, including those led by Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey, Buddy Rich, and Woody Herman.[1][2] His composition "Four Brothers" (1947) for Woody Herman became a jazz classic and established him as a significant creative voice in the jazz world.[1][2]
Moving to Los Angeles in the early 1950s, Giuffre studied at UCLA and became a central figure in West Coast jazz and cool jazz, performing with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars (1951-1953) and Shorty Rogers and His Giants (1953-1956).[1][2] During this period, he expanded his instrumental palette to include tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, and a renewed focus on clarinet. In 1956, Giuffre formed his revolutionary Jimmy Giuffre 3, initially with guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ralph Peña, exploring what he termed "blues-based folk jazz."[1][2] The group's unconventional instrumentation—lacking piano and drums—and their appearance on the 1957 television special The Sound of Jazz brought them recognition.[1]
In 1961, Giuffre formed a new trio with pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow, marking a transition toward free jazz and free improvisation.[1][3] Though receiving little commercial attention at the time, this lineup is now regarded by critics and musicians as among the most important groups in jazz history.[1] Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Giuffre continued teaching at institutions including New York University, Rutgers, and the New England Conservatory, while recording sporadically and experimenting with additional instruments including bass flute, soprano saxophone, synthesizer, and electric bass.[1][2] Giuffre died of pneumonia in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on April 24, 2008, two days before his 87th birthday.[1]
Fun Facts
- Giuffre made solo clarinet albums in 1959 and 1962, a revolutionary idea at the time that challenged conventional jazz recording practices.[2]
- In addition to his musical career, Giuffre supplemented his income by working as a hand model in television commercials and composing music for theatre, dance companies, films, and TV commercials.[3]
- The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, California, became the focal point of West Coast jazz during the 1952-1953 period, with Giuffre as a central figure in this movement.[1]
- Giuffre suffered from Parkinson's disease in his later years, which eventually prevented him from performing, though he continued teaching until the mid-1990s.[1]
Associated Acts
- The Jimmy Giuffre 3 - eponymous (1957–present)
- John Graas Octet - baritone saxophone
- Teddy Charles Quintet - clarinet
- Teddy Charles Quintet - tenor saxophone
- Teddy Charles Quintet - baritone saxophone
- Shelly Manne & His Men
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Dr. Wesley La Violette - Music teacher, poet, and composer who introduced Giuffre to classical counterpoint and linear compositional techniques that freed him from traditional chord structures (Conceptual influence on Giuffre's compositional approach) [Early 1950s]
Key Collaborators
- Jim Hall - Guitarist in Giuffre's revolutionary trio, exploring blues-based folk jazz (Jimmy Giuffre 3 recordings (1956-1959), The Sound of Jazz (1957)) [1956-1959]
- Ralph Peña - Original double bassist in the Jimmy Giuffre 3 (Jimmy Giuffre 3 recordings) [1956-1957]
- Paul Bley - Pianist in Giuffre's second trio, collaborating on pioneering free jazz recordings (Free Fall (1962), ECM and Sony Legacy recordings) [1961-1962 and later reunions through 1990s]
- Steve Swallow - Bassist in Giuffre's second trio, later switching to bass guitar for reunions (Free Fall (1962), ECM and Sony Legacy recordings) [1961-1962 and later reunions through 1990s]
- Bob Brookmeyer - Valve trombonist who briefly joined the trio, creating an unusual instrumentation (Jimmy Giuffre 3 recordings) [Late 1950s]
- Shorty Rogers - Bandleader and collaborator; Giuffre was member of Shorty Rogers and His Giants and co-wrote arrangements (Shorty Rogers and His Giants recordings, collaborative charts) [1953-1956]
- Howard Rumsey - Bandleader of the Lighthouse All-Stars; Giuffre was a full-time member (Lighthouse All-Stars recordings) [1951-1953]
- Woody Herman - Big band leader for whom Giuffre arranged and performed; composer of "Four Brothers" ("Four Brothers" (1947), Woody Herman orchestra recordings) [1940s-1949]
- Joe McPhee - Musician with whom Giuffre recorded in his later years (Collaborative recordings) [1990s]
Artists Influenced
- Lee Konitz - Protégé of Lennie Tristano who was influenced by Giuffre's explorations in the 1960s (Influenced by Giuffre's free jazz innovations) [1960s onward]
- Warne Marsh - Protégé of Lennie Tristano who carried forward the musical explorations influenced by Giuffre (Influenced by Giuffre's free jazz innovations) [1960s onward]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre | 1959-01-01 | Album |
| The Jimmy Giuffre 3 | 1957 | Album |
| Voodoo | 2010-03-01 | Album |
| Tangents In Jazz | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| Jimmy Giuffre 3, 1961 | 1992-03-01 | Album |
| Tenors West | 2025-03-28 | Album |
| The Easy Way | 1959-01-01 | Album |
| The Way It Is | 2021-10-22 | Album |
| Feuer frei | 2021-05-15 | Album |
| The Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet | 1956 | Album |
| Free Fall | 1963 | Album |
| The Cool One | 1954-01-01 | Album |
| Jazz Waltz (and more) | 2025-04-09 | Album |
| Milestones of a Jazz Legend - Jim Hall on Guitar Vol. 7 | 2020-03-13 | Album |
| Western Suite | 1958 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Someone To Watch Over Me (Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre)
- Crazy She Calls Me (The Jimmy Giuffre 3)
- That's the Way It Is (The Jimmy Giuffre 3)
- When Your Lover Has Gone (Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre)
- Uncharted (Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre)
- Gotta Dance (The Jimmy Giuffre 3)
- Lazy Tones (Voodoo)
- Lazy Tones (Tangents In Jazz)
- The Green Country (New England Mood) (The Jimmy Giuffre 3)
- The Train and the River (The Jimmy Giuffre 3)
External Links
Tags: #avant-garde-jazz, #cool-jazz, #free-improvisation
Heard on WWOZ
JIMMY GIUFFRE has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 21, 2025 | 16:33 | THE WELLS FARGO WAGONfrom THE MUSIC MAN | Sitting Inw/ Elizabeth Meneray |