John Bernard Gordon was an American jazz trombonist born on 30 May 1939, in New York City. He received musical training at the Juilliard School and began his professional career in the 1950s performing with musicians Buddy Johnson and Ray Draper. During the 1960s, Gordon performed with musicians Lionel Hampton and Lloyd Price before joining the ensembles of Clark Terry, Count Basie, and Frank Foster in the 1970s. He reached wider visibility as a soloist for the Howard McGhee ensemble and continued his collaboration with Hampton until 1989. Gordon reached professional recognition for his work as a session musician and performed in the pit orchestras for various Broadway musicals. He established the ensemble Trombones Incorporated with musician Fred Joiner, which he later led under the name Trombones Unlimited during the 1990s. His later professional career included participation in the ensemble Trombone Summit and performances with musicians Slide Hampton and Curtis Fuller. Gordon died on 27 November 2003.
