Mike Wofford

Who is Mike Wofford?

Mike Wofford is a jazz pianist born February 28, 1938 in San Antonio, Texas, raised in San Diego, California.

He is best known as an accompanist to and music director for singers Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and others. That stated, he was known in the jazz community going back to the 1960s for the albums Strawberry Wine and Summer Night. He settled in Los Angeles and performed with Shorty Rogers, Teddy Edwards, Bud Shank, Red Norvo, Chet Baker, Joe Pass, Quincy Jones, Oliver Nelson, Shelly Manne and Zoot Sims, among many others. In the 1970s he toured Europe with Manne and Lee Konitz, in the 1980s Japan with Manne, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Japan and Brazil with Benny Carter. Resettling in San Diego, he performed with Kenny Burrell, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Charlie Haden, Slide Hampton, Clifford Jordan, Ray Brown, Charles McPherson and others.

He also took part in much non jazz session work, including John Lennon's 1975 release, Rock 'n' Roll, and in 1973, briefly toured with former Byrds frontman Roger McGuinn.

On August 13, 2012 Wofford was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 22nd Annual San Diego Music Awards