Claude Deppa (born 10 May 1958) is a South African

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

trumpeter The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

born in

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, probably best known for his work with the Brotherhood of Breath and

Carla Bley Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936 – October 17, 2023) was an American jazz composer, pianist, organist, and bandleader. An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she gained acclaim for her jazz opera ''Escalator ...

Early life

Claude Deppa was born in

, South Africa, and moved with his family to England in 1974. Having learned drums as a child, he focused on trumpet and the flugelhorn when at secondary school in the UK.

Music career

Deppa began his professional career as a member of Dave Holdsworth’s quartet and also played with a band led by Johnny Mbizo Dyani. He was a founding member of the Jazz Warriors in London. He joined

Grand Union Orchestra Grand Union Orchestra, also known as The Grand Union, is a multicultural World music, world jazz ensemble based in London. It has been performing, touring and recording large-scale shows for over 30 years and is well known for its educational work ...

in 1984 and has been a prominent member of the group led by Tony Haynes for over 30 years. Deppa has played and recorded with a wide variety of international jazz talent, including

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’s big band,

Chris McGregor Christopher McGregor (24 December 1936 – 26 May 1990) was a South African jazz pianist, bandleader and composer born in Somerset West, South Africa. Early influences McGregor grew up in the then Transkei (now part of the Eastern Cape Prov ...

’s Brotherhood Of Breath,

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Louis Moholo Louis Tebogo Moholo (10 March 1940 – 13 June 2025) was a South African jazz drummer. He was a member of several notable bands, including The Blue Notes, the Brotherhood of Breath and Assagai. Biography Born in Cape Town, Moholo formed The ...

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’s Jazz Warriors, and Andy Sheppard’s Big Co-Motion. As bandleader, Deppa has performed with, directed and composed for African Jazz Explosion, Horns Unlimited and Five Funky Fellas. Together with saxophonist Clare Hirst, Deppa performs and composes for the Deppa Hirst Band, who have appeared live at jazz festivals in Marlborough, Ipswich and Swanage. He leads the brass and woodwind section of Kinetica Bloco, a project that celebrates the music of the African diaspora with themed summer schools and performances.

Discography

*''The Song of Many Tongues'' - Grand Union Orchestra (RedGold Records, 1986) *''Out Of Many, One People'' - Jazz Warriors (Antilles, 1987) *''Country Cooking'' - Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath (Venture, 1988) *''Louis Moholo's Viva La Black'' (Ogun, 1988) *''Freedom Calls'' - Grand Union Orchestra (RedGold Records, 1989) *''Welela'' - Miriam Makeba (Polydor, 1989) *''Soft On The Inside'' - Andy Sheppard (Island Records, 1990) *''In Co-Motion'' - Andy Sheppard (Antilles, 1991) *''The Very Big Carla Bley Band'' - Carla Bley (WATT, 1991) *''Rhythm Method'' - Andy Sheppard (Blue Note International, 1993) *''Delivery Suite'' - Andy Sheppard (Blue Note International, 1993) *''Big Band Theory'' - Carla Bley (WATT, 1993) *''The Rhythm of Tides'' - Grand Union Orchestra (RedGold Records, 1997) *''Toi Toi'' (Jika Records, 2003)

References

South African jazz trumpeters 1958 births Living people Musicians from Cape Town South African session musicians 21st-century trumpeters Jazz Warriors members Brotherhood of Breath members {{jazz-trumpeter-stub