Bob Ojeda (musician)

Robert Ojeda
Also known as	Bob Ojeda
Born	(1941-09-01)September 1, 1941 Austin,Texas
Died	March 26, 2020(2020-03-26)(aged 78) Elmhurst,Illinois
Genres	Jazz
Instrument	Trumpet

Robert Ojeda(September 1, 1941 – March 26, 2020) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Career

Ojeda grew up inChicago,where he went tojazzclubs as a teenager. By the time he was 15, he and a friend were leading a neighborhood band, for which he was already orchestrating and arranging. At 18 he played inStan Kenton's orchestra, and in the following years withWoody Herman,Buddy Rich,Ralph MarterieandLes Elgart.In the second half of the 1960s he was involved in recordings byBunky Green,andJoe Morelloin Chicago. He has also appeared on the TV showsThe Tonight ShowandThe Midnight Special.In the following years he belonged to the Les Hooper Big Band. He has also worked withHank Jones,Lionel Hampton,andThe Manhattan Transfer.In 1975 he played withThe Rolling Stones.

As a member of theCount Basie Orchestra,to which Ojeda belonged from 1985 to 2002, he accompanied the singer Caterina Valente in 1985-86. The Basie Band led byFrank Fosteralso recorded withThad Jones,Diane Schuur,George Benson,Joe Williams,Lena Horne,Tito Puente,andRosemary Clooney.Since 2013 he has been part of Petra van Nuis' Recession Seven. Furthermore, in his later years Ojada played with Grover Mitchell's New Blue Devils, Kenny Hing, Butch Miles, and vocalist Marc Pompe. In the field of jazz, according to Tom Lord, he was involved in 39 recording sessions between 1958 and 2014.

Ojeda worked as an arranger forJohnny Carson'sThe Tonight Showin the 1980s. He was not only active as a composer for big bands, but also wrote symphonic works that were performed in Dallas, Detroit and Indianapolis. He died atElmhurst Hospitalof complications following surgery in 2020.