About Jimmy Ponder

Jimmy Ponder (born May 10, 1946 - died September 16, 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was an American jazz guitarist. Ponder started playing guitar at age 14, and was heavily influenced by Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell. He began playing with Charles Earland at 17, and in the following years played with Lou Donaldson, Houston Person, Donald Byrd, Stanley Turrentine, and Jimmy McGriff. He moved to Philadelphia and later New York City in the 1970s, and recorded extensively as a leader for a number of jazz labels. Since the late 1980s Jimmy has frequently returned to his hometown to perform with his popular trio alongside two of Pittsburgh's other Jazz greats; Roger Humphries and Gene Ludwig. Ponder's most commercially successful releases were his 1978 Muse Records set All Things Beautiful (U.S. Billboard Jazz Albums #38) and 2000's Ain't Misbehavin', for HighNote (U.S. Jazz #16). As leader Soul Crib (Choice Records, 1969) with Charles Earland While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Cadet Records, 1973) Illusions (Impulse! Records, 1976) White Room (Impulse, 1978) All Things Beautiful (LRC, 1978) So Many Stars (Milestone Records, 1983) Mean Streets:No Bridges (Muse Records, 1987) Jump (Muse, 1988) Come On Down (Muse, 1990) Soul Eyes (Muse, 1991) To Reach a Dream (Muse, 1991) Something to Ponder (Muse, 1994) James Street (HighNote Records, 1997) Steel City Soul (32 Jazz, 1998) Guitar Christmas (HighNote, 1998) Ain't Misbehavin' (HighNote, 2000) Thumbs Up (HighNote, 2001) Alone (HighNote, 2003) What's New (HighNote, 2005) Live at the Other End (Explore Records, 2007) Jimmy Ponder: Sonny Lester Collection (LRC, 2007) As sideman With Rusty Bryant Wild Fire (Prestige, 1971) With Donald Byrd Fancy Free, (Blue Note, 1970) With Andrew Hill Grass Roots (Blue Note, 1968 [2000]) With Willis Jackson In the Alley (Muse, 1976) With Jack McDuff The Fourth Dimension (Cadet, 1974) With John Patton That Certain Feeling (Blue Note, 1968) With Shirley Scott Superstition (Cadet, 1973) With Stanley Turrentine Common Touch (Blue Note, 1968) - with Shirley Scott