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Jimmy Ponder

An excellent guitarist, and sometimes vocalist, with a soulful sound and the ability to uplift any funky jazz date, Pittsburgh native Jimmy Ponder has appeared on many recordings during his long career, over 80 as a sideman and 15 as a leader. Ponder, a self taught musician, began playing guitar when he was 14 and considers Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell to be his two main early influences and Thornel Schwartz later on. After hearing Montgomery, he would abandon the use of a pick and, like his mentor, play with his thumb. Offered a job with Charles Earland after having only played guitar three years, Ponder waited until he graduated from high school and then spent three years with the organist's group, recording several dates with Earland. He worked and recording with Lou Donaldson, Houston Person, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine and Jimmy McGriff and in the early 1970's moved to New York (from Philadelphia), leading his own groups. Ponder has since recorded as a leader in the 1970's for Cadet, ABC/Impulse, TK, CBS and Toshiba, in the 80's for Milestone and in the 90's for Muse and his current label HighNote. Ponder currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA.

Lou Donaldson: Say It Loud

by C. Andrew Hovan
March 23, 2023

It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when the sound of jazz could be heard lingering in the smoky corners of neighborhood bars in every major city from New York to Los Angeles. These ghetto hangouts were on what was often called the 'chitlin' circuit,' a network of predominantly black operated venues that presented organ combos as the norm. Be it at The Smiling Dog Saloon in Cleveland or The Front Room in Newark, jazz and more ...

Profile

Jimmy Ponder: His Recorded Output

by Colter Harper
September 28, 2013

Jazz history has been intimately tied to its recorded output. Styles and genres are defined by landmark records, which stand responsible for representing the diffuse activities and artistic visions of a given musical community or individual. However, recordings are not simply glimpses of past musical realities but rather images of those realities filtered through various “lenses." The restrictions of technology, interests of record companies, personalities of record producers, and versatility of musicians all affect what is presented as the musical ...

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Album Review

Jimmy Ponder: Somebody's Child

Read "Somebody's Child" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
June 8, 2007

Eminent jazz guitarist Jimmy Ponder returned to his native Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to record this session with regional, like-minded musicians. Back in the 1970s, Ponder's craft was prominently conveyed during his association with fiery organist Charles Earland and the soul-jazz ensembles led by saxophonist Lou Donaldson among other notables. Subsequently, he's amassed a hefty discography as a leader and a sideman. On this studio date, his modish and reverent combination of soul, jazz, blues and funk, spawns a delightful listening experience ...

255

Album Review

Jimmy Ponder: Somebody's Child

Read "Somebody's Child" reviewed by John Barron

by John Barron
May 28, 2007

The jazz world is full of unsung legends that generally fly under the radar of mainstream attention. One such legend is Pittsburgh native and guitarist extraordinaire Jimmy Ponder, who has been recording soulful, swinging jazz for four decades strong as both a leader and sideman. Somebody's Child, his latest in a string of successful releases for High Note Records, finds the thumb wielding master grooving strong on a diverse set of ballads, blues and straight ahead classics. ...

402

Album Review

Lou Donaldson: Say It Loud!

Read "Say It Loud!" reviewed by Germein Linares

by Germein Linares
June 24, 2005

Lou Donaldson's Say It Loud! is finally on CD. Recorded for Blue Note in '69, this is one of several late-'60s albums by the legendary alto saxophonist that tend to get little respect. That's too bad, really. Apart from sporting a very capable band in trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Jimmy Ponder, organist Charles Earland and drummer Leo Morris, the five selections on Say It Loud! are undeniably fun.True, there aren't great answers on God or the circle of ...

164

Album Review

Jimmy Ponder: Steel City Soul

by AAJ Staff
December 1, 1998

Producer Lance Goler calls Jimmy Ponder one of “a handful of players who can hold a torch to Wes." Some would laugh, but there are a number of parallels. Jimmy plays with his thumb, and, like Wes, spent a lot of time playing guitar- organ “bar music". While Blue Note and Prestige recorded this music extensively in the 'Sixties, in the 'Eighties it was Muse; few others were doing it. This “best of" covers six Ponder albums for Muse, made ...

218

Album Review

Jimmy Ponder: Steel City Soul

by Douglas Payne
August 1, 1998

Despite sterling work over the last three decades with such luminaries as Johnny Hodges, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy McGriff and Stanley Turrentine and a baker's dozen albums on his own since 1973, talented Pittsburgh-based guitarist Jimmy Ponder has yet to receive his due. The guitarist clearly recalls Wes Montgomery because he too plays the guitar with his thumb, a difficult technique that yields a warm, pretty sound. But the problem is that Ponder (or his producer) never seems to know which ...

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