MELTON MUSTAFA

Jazz musician/educator (1947–2017)

Florida-born trumpeter Melton Mustafa started as a sessioneer in the late ’60s and early ’70s, backing Betty Wright, The Marvelettes and Sam & dave. But his ambition to play hard jazz was realised under the stewardship of ira Sullivan, prior to joining the count Basie orchestra in the ’80s, a time that also found him in Jaco Pastorius’ Word of Mouth ensemble. Boiling Point, Mustafa’s first album as leader, landed in 1995.