Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by the late piano legend McCoy Tyner. Recognized as an incredibly gifted and versatile player, he combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Since the mid-1990’s, Terell has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Frank Wess Quintet, Jimmy Heath Quintet and Big Band, Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band. Stafford with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Terell performed on Diana Krall’s GRAMMY nominated From This Moment On (2006). John Clayton invited Terell to perform with the Clayton Brothers Quintet and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.
Terell is a member of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and they were awarded a GRAMMY in 2009 for their recording Live at the Village Vanguard. Stafford can be heard on over 130 albums including his own BrotherLee Love, Celebrating Lee Morgan, which received a 47th Annual NAACP Image Award nomination. Terell is the Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University, founder and band leader of the Terell Stafford Quintet, and Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia (JOP). Terell is renowned in the jazz world as an educator, performer and leader and has received countless award nominations and accolades. He has sailed on The Jazz Cruise numerous times, both as a member of the Clayton Brothers Quintet and as an All-Star.