Miami native Stafford grew up in a musical family, mostly living in Chicago and suburban Washington, DC. He was a relatively late bloomer on trumpet, which he did not begin to play until he was thirteen. Initially studying classical music, his budding interest in jazz was reinforced while attending the University of Maryland (music education) where he played in the college jazz band. "One of my first and most profound musical influences was and is Clifford Brown," notes Stafford. "When I first heard him play 'Cherokee' I was in total awe of his playing." Following advice from Wynton Marsalis, Stafford pursued a Master’s in music performance at Rutgers University where he studied with Dr. William Fielder. Soon he hooked up with Bobby Watson and Horizon, and remained with Watson for five years. McCoy Tyner also took an interest in Stafford’s career, and the young trumpeter joined Tyner's Latin All-Star Band, which featured trombonist Steve Turre, flutist Dave Valentin, and percussionist Jerry Gonzalez.

For the past ten years, Stafford has performed with Cedar Walton, Sadao Watanabe, the Clayton Brothers, Herbie Mann, Kenny Barron, Matt Wilson, and big bands, including Jon Faddis' Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Wynton Marsalis' Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, and the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. He has appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the soundtrack for the film, "A Bronx Tale," and with the Billy Taylor Trio on NPR’s Jazz at the Kennedy Center. His recordings as a leader have included "Time to Let Go" (Candid, 1995), "Centripedal Force" (Candid, 1997), "Fields of Gold," (Nagel-Heyer, 2000), and “New Beginnings” (MaxJazz, 2003). In addition to his busy performance and recording schedule, Stafford is a dedicated educator as an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at Temple University in Philadelphia and on the faculties of the prestigious Vail Foundation in Colorado, Jazz at Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington Program, and the Juilliard Institute for Jazz Studies in New York. Mentor McCoy Tyner notes, "Terell is one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player. He has his own voice on his instrument—a very personal sound. And while he is right within the tradition, he is making his own inroads. That is what distinguishes him as an excellent player!"

Terrell Stafford brings a stellar quintet to the Dakota on June 28-29: Now in his mid-40s, pianist Bruce Barth was a young lion who continues to roar. A California native who moved to New York in his teens, Barth studied privately with Norman Simmons, Jaki Byard, and Fred Hersch at the New England Conservatory in Boston in the early 1980s, and made his first recording, “The African Game,” with composer George Russell in 1983. Back in the New York area in the late 1980s, Barth worked with Nat Adderley, Stanley Turrentine, and Terrence Blanchard, recording his first CDs as a leader—“In Focus” and “Morning Call” (Enja); both were selected by the New York Times for their Top Ten lists. In addition to his numerous recording and performance duties, Barth has produced many of the Vocal Series releases for MaxJazz. Said Terence Blanchard, “Bruce is a great musician, a force to be reckoned with. He has a wide range of abilities—he can be very percussive and energetic or play with the subtleties of a Hank Jones or Herbie Hancock.”

A familiar name to Twin Citians, Iowa native Dick Oates has had an acclaimed career as a tenor, alto, and soprano saxist and flutist, spanning three decades, from Minneapolis in the early 1970s to New York. Over the years he has worked with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Red Rodney, Eddie Gomez, Bob Brookmeyer, Fred Hersch, Dave Douglas, Flim & the BBs, Joe Morello, Jack McDuff, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Bob Minzter Big Band, Gerry Mulligan, Joe Lovano, Tito Puente, Paquito D'Rivera, and Lester Bowie, among others. He has also accompanied vocalists Joe Williams, Sara Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Nneena Freelon, Mel Torme, Milton Nascimento, and James Taylor. Recently he has been a member of Dave Berkman’s Quartet. Oatts records for Steeplechase, has taught at the Manhattan School of Music, and is an artist-in-residence at the Amsterdam Conservatory.

Rounding out the quintet will be Derrick Hodge (Bass) and Dana Hall (drums), both featured on Stafford’s “New Beginnings.” Hall has recently backed Mulgrew Miller as well as Stafford, works with Jazz at Lincoln Center, and is on the faculties of the University of Chicago and Columbia College in Chicago. Hodge has also worked with Mulgrew Miller as well as Clark Terry and Terence Blanchard. A graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, he was named outstanding soloist for Temple’s top-rated collegiate big band at the 2001 Villanova Jazz Festival.

If you are in the Twin Cities area this week, be sure to check out the Terell Stafford Quintet at the www.iowacityjazzfestival.com). On the east coast this summer, you can also catch Stafford with the Bruce Barth Quintet at the Jazz Standard in New York (July 31-August 1), at the Litchfield, CT Jazz Festival with Bobby Watson (August 7), at the Vail Jazz Festival (August 28-September 5), and with the Kenny Barron Sextet at the Village Vanguard in NYC (September 7-12). See www.terrellstafford.com for more tour dates.