Although little known, Don Sleet was a gifted hard bop/post-bop trumpeter who had an attractive, smooth tone along the lines of Kenny Dorham and Art Farmer. Dorham was a strong influence on Sleet's playing, and certain aspects of Miles Davis' lyricism had a major impact on him as well. But Sleet had a bigger tone than Davis; he favored a medium tone that was bigger than Davis and Chet Baker but not as big as the Fats Navarro/Clifford Brown school of trumpeting.

Donald Clayborn Sleet was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on November 27, 1938 but moved to San Diego when he was 10, where he grew up and studied both jazz and classical. His father headed a school system music department, and Don started studying with him, took piano lessons for four years, continued on trumpet. Sleet played classical for three years with San Diego Symphony, although jazz was his main focus. At 16, in Hollywood, had ex-Kenton trumpeter Buddy Childers as his mentor for a year. In addition, he investigated harmony and theory over a five-year period with Daniel Lewis in San Diego and Shorty Rogers in Los Angeles. There he met vibist Terry Gibbs (who hired him to play in the trumpet section of his big band).

Don’s playing experience included five big-band years, divided between the San Diego State College Jazz Band and Terry Gibbs, three years with the San Diego Symphony; and his own small group for three years. His band won the Easter Week Jazz Festival at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach on successive years (1956-57)

He also played for a time with Stan Kenton's orchestra, and was the youngest player in the band at the time. Later he played at Jazz City in Los Angeles opposite such stars as Billie Holiday and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.

In 1960, he spent a few months with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, one of L.A.'s top jazz outfits at the time. The following year, Sleet had a chance to record as a leader when, at 22, he recorded 'All Members' for Jazzland. Produced in New York by Orrin Keepnews, the album finds Sleet joined by an impressive East Coast cast that includes Jimmy Heath on tenor saxophone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Ron Carter on upright bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums.

Don Sleet also played with Shelly Manne at Shelly's Manne-Hole in Los Angeles, and being part of a 1964 recording for Capitol of an enjoyable jazz version of "My Fair Lady" with Shelly Manne, Irene Kral and Jack Sheldon.

But despite getting the chance to work with such heavyweights on his first album, Sleet never enjoyed the recognition he should have. All Members turned out to be his only release; Sleet never recorded a second album.

Health problems kept him out of the music mainstream. He died of Lymphoma in 1986 at the age of 47.

—Alex Henderson, All Music Guide / Jan Evensmo, solographer (April, 2013)
With valuable help by David Sleet