Phil Sunkel

Phil Sunkel (November 26, 1925—February 27, 2023) was an American Jazz trumpeter, flugelhorn player, composer, and arranger of swing and cool jazz.

Phil Sunkel was born Philip Charles Sunkel, Jr. in Zanesville, Ohio, on November 26, 1925.

Sunkel began playing cornet at age fourteen and later learned to play the trumpet. When he was 18, he served in the US Army during the Second World War and played trumpet in the army band overseas. After returning home, he studied music at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati College on the G.I. Bill, focusing on trumpet, flugelhorn, and cornet.

After playing with local Ohio bands, Sunkel moved to New York City and worked and recorded with many famed jazz musicians, including Claude Thornhill, Charlie Barnet, Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Tony Fruscella, Gerry Mulligan, Gil Evans, Tito Rodriguez, Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, and Eddie Sauter-Bill FineganOrchestra.

In 1956, Creed Taylor produced Sunkel's first album Every Morning I Listen to…(ABC-Paramount Records).

In October 1957, his compositions were recorded by Gerry Mulligan and Bob Brookmeyer for the album Jazz Concerto Grosso (ABC-Paramount Records, 1958). Other musicians on the album were John Wilson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Nick Travis, Al Stewart, Don Stratton (trumpet); Frank Rehak (trombone); Eddie Bert (bass trombone); Don Butterfield (tuba); Dick Meldonian (alto saxophone); Cliff Hoff, Bill Slapin, Jim Reider (tenor saxophone); Gene Allen (baritone saxophone); Milt Hinton, Wendell Marshall (bass); and Harold Granowsky, Osie Johnson (drums). After this engagement, he was a member of the Gerry Mulligan & The Concert Jazz Band.

In the 1960s, Sunkel worked on saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis's album Afro Jaws, sharing the stage with Larry Gales (bass); Ben Riley (drums); Lloyd Mayers (piano); and Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, John Bello (trumpet). The following year, his trumpet was heard on Gil Evans' album Out of the Cool, alongside Eddie Caine, Ray Beckenstein (alto saxophone, flute, piccolo flute); Ron Carter (bass); Tony Studd(bass trombone); Bob Tricarico (bassoon, flute, piccolo flute); Ray Crawford (guitar); Charlie Persip, Elvin Jones (percussion); Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone); Jimmy Knepper, Keg Johnson (trombone); Johnny Coles (trumpet); and Bill Barber (tuba).

Sunkel was the trumpet player on the Merv Griffin Show in the early 1960s. He played with the Playboy Club Orchestra for 7 years and also played for Broadway musicals and at various resorts.

In the 1980s, Sunkel worked with Dick Meldonian.

Sunkel was married to Sue.

Sunkel died at a nursing home in Queens, New York, on February 27, 2023, at age 97.

John Jörgensen, Erik Wiedemann: Jazz dictionary (1967)

• Phil Sunkel's Jazz Band: Every Morning I Listen to Phil Sunkel's Jazz Band (ABC-Paramount/Fresh Sound Records, 1956) with Dick Meldonian, George Syran
• Dick Meldonian: Plays Gene Roland Music (Circle, 1981)
• Gerry Mulligan: Mullenium (Columbia, 1946–57); Plays Phil Sunkel's Jazz Concerto Grosso (1958)

• John Jörgensen, Erik Wiedemann: Jazzlexikon. München, Mosaik, 1967