Carmell Jones was a hard bop trumpeter who won the appreciation of jazz fans but spent much of his career underexposed thanks to a move to Europe at the height of his powers. Born in Kansas City, Jones began playing the piano at the age of five and started playing the trumpet at seven. After serving in the military and spending two years at the University of Kansas he got his first professional work as a trumpeter in his hometown alongside Nathan Davis, Cleanhead Vinson and Frank Smith. Jones moved to LA in 1960 and worked as a studio musician for a few years, appearing on the soundtracks for 'The Manchurian Candidate' (1962) and 'Seven Days in May' (1964). In the same period he played as a leader for Pacific Jazz and recorded albums with Harold Land, Bud Shank, Curtis Amy and Gerald Wilson's Orchestra. From 1964 to 1965 Jones toured with Horace Silver, appearing on the original recording of 'Song for My Father', before making the move to Berlin in 1965. He stayed for 15 years, working with the likes of Paul Kuhn and the SFB Big Band, Milo Pavlovic, Leo Wright, Herb Geller, Rudi Wilfer and Eugen Cicero but becoming largely forgotten by the American jazz world.
Jones returned to Kansas City in 1980. He gigged at local clubs and taught, recording an album as leader, titled 'Carmell Jones Returns', and reminding jazz fans of what he could do in 1982.
Jones died in Kansas City on November 7th, 1996 aged 60.
