Al Aarons

Albert Aarons (March 23, 1932 – November 17, 2015) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Aarons was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit. 

He started playing the trumpet at the age of eight because of the interest and generosity of an uncle who played in an American Legion band. His earliest and influence was his high school band and orchestra director, who was also his private teacher, Carl McVickers.

His early musical influences were Harry James, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, and Kenny Dorham.

In 1956/57, Aarons played locally in Pittsburgh, worked with Yusef Lateef. Later in that decade, he played with Barry Harris in Detroit, Michigan. 

After a period playing with jazz organist Wild Bill Davis, he moved to New York and was with Count Basie's orchestra, occasionally getting solos. He played with Basic's orchestra from 1961 to 1969.

In 1969, at the urging of producer Quincy Jones, he left Basie to settle in Los Angeles, where he was a part of a television show called The Music Scene.

He became a busy studio musician, often working with Quincy Jones and Henry Mancini, appearing on freelance recordings with various celebrated jazz legends including, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and saxophonist Gene Ammons. He has since played with saxophonist Buddy Collette, the Juggernaut, and the Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra, and has also been involved with the Los Angeles Jazz Society, an organization founded by his late wife, Terri Merrill-Aarons.

He was also a contributor to jazz fusion, playing on School Days with Stanley Clarke, and appears with Snooky Young on the classic 1976 album Bobby Bland and B. B. King Together Again...Live.

As leader

• Al Aarons & the L.A. Jazz Caravan (LOSA, 1996?)

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

• Free Again (Prestige, 1971)

With Count Basie

• The Legend (Roulette, 1961)
• Back with Basie (Roulette, 1962)
• Basie in Sweden (Roulette, 1962)
• On My Way & Shoutin' Again! (Verve, 1962)
• This Time by Basie! (Reprise, 1963)
• More Hits of the 50's and 60's (Verve, 1963)
• Pop Goes the Basie (Reprise, 1965)
• Basie Meets Bond (United Artists, 1966)
• Live at the Sands (Before Frank) (Reprise, 1966 [1998])
• Sinatra at the Sands (Reprise, 1966) with Frank Sinatra
• Basie's Beatle Bag (Verve, 1966)
• Broadway Basie's...Way (Command, 1966)
• Hollywood...Basie's Way (Command, 1967)
• Basie's Beat (Verve, 1967)
• Basie's in the Bag (Brunswick, 1967)
• The Happiest Millionaire (Coliseum, 1967)
• Half a Sixpence (Dot, 1967)
• The Board of Directors (Dot, 1967) with The Mills Brothers
• Manufacturers of Soul (Brunswick, 1968) with Jackie Wilson
• The Board of Directors Annual Report (Dot, 1968) with The Mills Brothers
• Basie Straight Ahead (Dot, 1968)
• How About This (Paramount, 1968) with Kay Starr
• Standing Ovation (Dot, 1969)

With Brass Fever

• Time Is Running Out (Impulse!, 1976)

With Kenny Burrell

• Both Feet on the Ground (Fantasy, 1973)

With Frank Capp

• Live at the Century Plaza (Concord, 1972)

With Buddy Collette

• Blockbuster (RGB, 1973)
• Jazz for Thousand Oaks (UFO-Bass, 1996)

With Ella Fitzgerald

• Ella and Basie! (Verve, 1963)

With Benny Golson

• Killer Joe (Columbia, 1977)

With Eddie Harris

• How Can You Live Like That? (Atlantic, 1976)

With Gene Harris

• Nexus (1975)

With Milt Jackson

• Memphis Jackson (Impulse!, 1969)

With Carmen McRae

• Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976)

With Zoot Sims with the Benny Carter Orchestra

• Passion Flower: Zoot Sims Plays Duke Ellington (1979) - Hollywood, CA, August 14, 1979

With Frank Wess

• Southern Comfort (Prestige, 1962)

With Gerald Wilson

• Calafia (Trend, 1985)