Jim Rotondi

James Robert Rotondi (born 28 August 1962) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, educator, and conductor.The youngest of five siblings, Rotondi was born in Butte, Montana. He played in New York City for twenty years before moving to Austria. He has taught at the University for Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria. He has released over ten albums as a leader for Sharp Nine, Criss Cross, Posi-Tone, and Smoke Sessions Records. He has played on over eighty albums as a sideman. He has performed and recorded with Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, Lou Donaldson, Curtis Fuller, Benny Sharoni, Eric Alexander, and George Coleman. Rotondi has led a quintet, which features vibraphonist Joe Locke, and an electric band with David Hazeltine called Full House, which uses electronic sound on his trumpet and a variety of other electronic instruments. He is also a member of the group One for All. In 1984, while attending North Texas State University (University of North Texas), he won first place in the International Trumpet Guild's jazz trumpet competition.