Wilbur Harden
Wilbur Harden (December 31, 1924, in Birmingham, Alabama – June 10, 1969, in New York City) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. Harden is best remembered for his recordings with saxophonists Yusef Lateef and John Coltrane, and with trombonist Curtis Fuller. One of the earliest jazz trumpeters to double on flugelhorn, he began his career with Roy Brown (recording R&B in 1950) and Ivory Joe Hunter, before moving to Detroit in 1957 to play with Yusef Lateef's quintet.
Wilbur Harden
- Name
- Wilbur Harden
- Born
- 31 December 1924
- Birthplace
- Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
- Died
- 10 June 1969
- Place of death
- New York City, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Musician
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- jazz
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Documentary summary
Wilbur Harden (December 31, 1924, in Birmingham, Alabama – June 10, 1969, in New York City) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. Harden is best remembered for his recordings with saxophonists Yusef Lateef and John Coltrane, and with trombonist Curtis Fuller. One of the earliest jazz trumpeters to double on flugelhorn, he began his career with Roy Brown (recording R&B in 1950) and Ivory Joe Hunter, before moving to Detroit in 1957 to play with Yusef Lateef's quintet.
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Wilbur Harden (1924–1969) was a composer, music arranger and musician, among other activities, of American nationality. The composer was born in Birmingham and died in New York City. The work spans jazz.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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Authority files
wikidata · Q350837 · wikipedia · Wilbur Harden
In this article
Biography
Biography
His music career ended in 1960 due to health problems. He is a 1991 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Wilbur Harden • Birth Name — Wilbur Harden • Born — 31 December 1924 • Birthplace — Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. • Died — 10 June 1969 • Place of death — New York City, U.S. • Instrument — * Trumpet • flugelhorn • Genre — * Hard bop • post-bop • Occupation — * Musician • composer • Years Active — 1950s–1960 • Label — * Savoy • Prestige • New Jazz • Past Member Of — * John Coltrane • Yusef Lateef • Curtis Fuller
As leader
As leader
• 1958: The King and I (Savoy) • 1958: Mainstream 1958 (Savoy) • 1958: Jazz Way Out (Savoy) • 1958: Tanganyika Strut (Savoy) Compilations • 1958: Dial Africa: The Savoy Sessions (Savoy, 1977) • 1958: Gold Coast (Savoy, 1977) • 1958: Countdown: The Savoy Sessions (Savoy, 1978) • 1958: The Complete Savoy Sessions (Savoy, 1999) • 1958: The Complete Mainstream 1958 Sessions (Savoy, 2009)
As sideman
As sideman
With John Coltrane • Stardust (Prestige, 1958 [1963]) • Standard Coltrane (Prestige, 1958 [1962]) • The Master (Prestige, 1958 [1970]) • Bahia (Prestige, 1958 [1965]) With Curtis Fuller • Images of Curtis Fuller (Savoy, 1960) With Yusef Lateef • Jazz and the Sounds of Nature (Savoy, 1957 [1958]) • Prayer to the East (Savoy, 1957) • The Sounds of Yusef (Prestige, 1957 [1958]) • Other Sounds (New Jazz, 1957 [1959]) • Cry! – Tender (New Jazz, 1957 [1960])
Identity
Identity
Wilbur Harden is recorded with the occupation music arranger. Recorded with the occupation jazz musician. Classed in the genre jazz. Recorded as trumpeter, composer, music arranger and musician.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1969
Wilbur Harden died at New York City.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Birmingham.
Birth place
New York City.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Wilbur Harden”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q350837: Wilbur Harden
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
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References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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