By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN —Rod McGaha has excelled in Music City on two fronts. He’s both an outstanding trumpeter and a top photographer. This weekend he’ll take on another role, that of music historian as he’ll be featured in a Jazz On The Move presentation “The Life And Music of Clark Terry.” McGaha was once a student of Terry, whose stature as both a player and mentor/educator was extensive throughout his career.
Terry was a brilliant soloist, but also one of the greatest section players in jazz history. He was among the rare players to be a featured member of both the Basie and Ellington bands, as well as many other top studio orchestras and several small ensembles and combos. He was also a distinguished composer, fine verbal improviser and the number of students whose careers he helped develop include Quincy Jones (his first student in 1946), Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Terri Lyne Carrington and McGaha.
McGaha has played with other top artists, among them the great Max Roach, while also collaborating with Lou Rawls, The O’Jays, Take 6, Kirk Whalum and Cece Winans. He’s been a part of the Nashville music scene since the early ‘90s and done several solo projects as well as club dates.
Jazz On The Move: The Life And Music of Clark Terry with Rod McGaha gets underway at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Frist Museum, 919 Broadway.
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