Jimmy Ponder (May 10, 1946 – September 16, 2013) was an American

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 ...

guitarist.

Career

When Ponder's brother entered the military, he left his guitar, and Ponder picked it up. In his early teens he received lessons from the guitarist in a band for which he sang doo-wop. He was drawn to the jazz guitar he heard on the radio. While playing in a rhythm and blues band, he occasionally inserted a jazz solo. He considered hearing guitarist Thornel Schwartz an important part of his life, when Schwartz was playing with organist

Jimmy McGriff James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader. Biography Early years and influences Born in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McGriff started playing pia ...

. He was impressed by Pat Martino when he saw Martino in the

Jack McDuff Eugene McDuffy (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader. He was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz ...

band. He also cited as influences

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the ...

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, and Rene Thomas, though none surpassed the impact of seeing

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for his unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and for his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a ...

. He learned the guitar solo from "Daily Double" (Quaker Town), the first 45 rpm single released by Charles Earland. When Earland performed in Pittsburgh, he invited Ponder to sit-in with the band and liked what he heard. Earland promised Ponder he could become a member of the band after he finished high school. Six months after graduating, he was hired by Earland. He began playing with Earland at 17 and in the following years with

Lou Donaldson Louis Andrew Donaldson Jr. (November 1, 1926 – November 9, 2024) was an American jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. He was best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was he ...

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing music, swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He re ...

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Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophone, tenor saxophonist and record producer. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note Reco ...

, and Jimmy McGriff. He moved to Philadelphia and later New York City in the 1970s and recorded extensively as a leader. Since the late 1980s, he frequently returned to his hometown to perform with his trio of two other Pittsburgh musicians, Gene Ludwig and Roger Humphries. Ponder's highest charting release was ''Somebody's Child'', which reached No. 3 on the ''JazzWeek'' airplay chart in 2007. Ponder died of lung cancer in Pittsburgh at the age of 67 in September 2013.

Discography

As leader

* ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps'' (

Cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...

, 1974) * ''Illusions'' ( ABC Impulse!, 1976) * ''White Room'' (ABC Impulse!, 1977) * ''All Things Beautiful'' (LRC, 1978) * ''Ponder'n'' (51 West, 1981) * ''Down Here on the Ground'' (

Milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...

, 1984) * ''So Many Stars'' (Milestone, 1985) * '' Mean Streets – No Bridges'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...

, 1987) * '' Jump'' (Muse, 1989) * '' Come On Down'' (Muse, 1991) * '' To Reach a Dream'' (Muse, 1991) * ''Soul Eyes'' (Muse, 1995) * '' Something to Ponder'' (Muse, 1996) * '' James Street'' ( HighNote, 1997) * ''Guitar Christmas'' (HighNote, 1998) * ''Ain't Misbehavin' '' (HighNote, 2000) * ''Thumbs Up'' (HighNote, 2001) * ''Alone'' (HighNote, 2003) * ''What's New'' (HighNote, 2005) * ''Somebody's Child'' (HighNote, 2007) * ''Live at The Other End '' (Explore, 2007)

As sideman

With

Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist, pianist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was musical director for ...

and

* '' Soul Survivors'' (Milestone, 1986) * '' Steppin' Up'' (Milestone, 1987) * '' On the Blue Side'' (Milestone, 1990) With

* 1967: '' Mr. Shing-A-Ling'' ( Blue Note, 1968) * 1968: '' Say It Loud!'' (Blue Note, 1969) With Charles Earland * '' Boss Organ'' (Choice, 1966) * '' Soul Crib'' (Choice, 1969) * '' Smokin''' (Muse, 1977) * '' Mama Roots'' (Muse, 1977) * '' Infant Eyes'' (Muse, 1978) With Richard Groove Holmes * ''Blues All Day Long'' (Muse, 1988) * ''Hot Tat'' (Muse, 1991) With Etta Jones * '' Ms. Jones to You'' (Muse, 1976) * '' My Mother's Eyes'' (Muse, 1977) With

* '' The Main Squeeze'' ( Groove Merchant, 1974) * '' Stump Juice'' (Groove Merchant, 1975) * ''

Tailgunner A tail gunner or rear gunner is a crewman on a military aircraft who functions as a air gunner, gunner defending against enemy fighter aircraft, fighter or interceptor aircraft, interceptor attacks from the rear, or "tail", of the plane. The t ...

'' (LRC, 1977) * ''

City Lights ''City Lights'' is a 1931 American synchronized sound film, sound romance film, romantic comedy drama, comedy-drama film written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a ...

'' (JAM, 1981) * '' Movin' Upside the Blues'' (JAM, 1982) * ''

Skywalk The SkyWalk is an approximately 160 metre enclosed walkway connecting Union Station to the CN Tower and the Rogers Centre (SkyDome) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Part of Toronto's PATH network, the SkyWalk passes above the York Street ' s ...

'' (Milestone, 1984) With

* '' Stolen Sweets'' (Muse, 1976) * '' Wild Flower'' (Muse, 1977) With others * Rusty Bryant, ''

Wild Fire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a bushfire ( in Australia), desert ...

'' (

Prestige Prestige may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films *Prestige (film), ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett: woman travels to French Indochina to meet up with husband *The Prestige (film), ''The Prestige'' (fi ...

, 1972) *

, '' Fancy Free'' (Blue Note, 1969) * Andrew Hill, '' Grass Roots'' (Blue Note, 1968) *

Johnny Hodges Johnny Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on sop ...

, '' Rippin' & Runnin''' (Verve, 1969) * Willis Jackson, '' In the Alley'' (Muse, 1977) *

Clifford Jordan Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player and composer. Originally from Chicago, Jordan later moved to New York City, where he recorded extensively in addition to touring across ...

, '' Inward Fire'' (Muse, 1978) *

, '' The Fourth Dimension'' (Cadet, 1974) * John Patton '' That Certain Feeling'', (Blue Note, 1968) *

Sonny Phillips Sonny Phillips (born December 7, 1936) is an American jazz keyboardist. His primary instrument is electronic organ but he often plays piano. Biography Phillips began playing jazz organ after hearing Jimmy Smith (musician), Jimmy Smith in his twen ...

, ''My Black Flower'' (Muse, 1976) * Shirley Scott, ''

Superstition A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic (supernatural), magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly app ...

'' (Cadet, 1973) * Lonnie Smith, '' Mama Wailer'' (Kudu, 1971) * Joe Thomas, '' Joy of Cookin''' (Groove Merchant, 1972) * Mickey Tucker, '' Triplicity'' ( Xanadu, 1976) *

, '' Common Touch'' (Blue Note, 1969) * Joe Lee Wilson, ''Come and See'' (Explore, 2007)

References

External links

Pittsburgh Music History
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponder, Jimmy 1946 births 2013 deaths American jazz guitarists American male guitarists Guitarists from Pennsylvania Jazz musicians from Pittsburgh HighNote Records artists Impulse! Records artists Milestone Records artists Muse Records artists 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians African-American jazz guitarists