Blue Mitchell

Richard Allen (Blue) Mitchell (1930 – 1979) was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock,and funk trumpeter. He was born and grew up in Miami, Florida. After high school he played in the rhythm and blues ensembles of Paul Williams, Earl Bostic, and Chuck Willis. He was noticed by Cannonball Adderley, with whom he recorded in 1958. He then joined the Horace Silver Quintet. After the Silver quintet disbanded, Mitchell formed a group which included Chick Corea. This group disbanded in 1969, after which Mitchell performed, recorded, and worked as a session man in the genres noted previously.