William Franklin Hardman Jr. (April 6, 1933 – December 6, 1990) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player who mainly played hard bop. He was married to Roseline, and they had one daughter named Nadege.

Career

Hardman was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He worked with local musicians such as Bobby Few and Bob Cunningham. While in high school, he performed with Tadd Dameron. After graduating, he joined Tiny Bradshaw's band. His first recording was with Jackie McLean in 1956. Later, he played with Charles Mingus, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, and Lou Donaldson. He also led a group with Junior Cook. Hardman recorded as a leader, and his album Saying Something on the Savoy label received praise from jazz experts, though it was not widely known by the public. He had three separate periods with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers over three decades. Hardman was not part of the Jazz Messengers during their popular Blue Note recordings. Art Blakey sometimes let him play long solos without accompaniment. Hardman died in Paris, France, from a brain hemorrhage at the age of 57.

Playing style and legacy

Hardman was an exciting hard bop musician known for his fast and skilled playing, clear and precise notes, and a simple and direct style. Later, he began to include a more expressive and romantic style, similar to Clifford Brown, a direction he continued throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. He was considered one of the best hardbop musicians of his time, though he did not achieve the same level of widespread success as some of his peers, such as Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and Lee Morgan.

Discography

• 1961 – Saying Something (Savoy)
• 1978 – Home (Muse)
• 1980 – Focus (Muse)
• 1981 – Politely (Muse)
• 1989 – What's Up (SteepleChase)

• 1975 – Colors (Strata-East)

• Hard Bop (Columbia, 1956)
• Drum Suite (Columbia, 1957)
• Selections from Lerner and Loewe's… (Vik, 1957)
• A Night in Tunisia (Vik, 1957)
• Cu-Bop (Jubilee, 1957)
• Ritual: The Modern Jazz Messengers (Pacific Jazz, 1957)
• A Midnight Session with the Jazz Messengers (Elektra, 1957)
• Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk (Atlantic, 1957)
• Hard Drive (Bethlehem, 1957)
• Art Blakey Big Band (Bethlehem, 1957)
• Jazz Messengers '70 (Catalyst, 1970)
• Tough! (Cadet, 1966) – recorded in 1957
• Live! Vol. 1 (TRIP, 1974) – live recording in 1968
• Backgammon (Roulette, 1976)
• Originally (Columbia, 1982) – recorded in 1956

• Sunny Side Up (Blue Note, 1961) – recorded in 1960
• Possum Head (Argo, 1964)
• Musty Rusty (Cadet, 1965)
• Fried Buzzard (Cadet, 1970) – live recording in 1965

• Infant Eyes (Muse, 1979)
• Pleasant Afternoon (Muse, 1981)

• Crankin' (Mainstream, 1971)
• Smokin' (Mainstream, 1972)

• Jackie's Pal (Prestige, 1956)
• McLean's Scene (New Jazz, 1956)
• Jackie McLean & Co. (Prestige, 1957)

• Dave Bailey, 2 Feet in the Gutter (Epic, 1961)
• Walter Bishop Jr, Hot House (Muse, 1979)
• Junior Cook, Good Cookin' (Muse, 1979)
• Benny Golson, Pop + Jazz = Swing (Audio Fidelity, 1961) – also released as Just Jazz!
• Eddie Jefferson, Come Along with Me (Prestige, 1969)
• Ronnie Mathews, Legacy (Bee Hive, 1979)
• Jimmy McGriff, Movin' Upside the Blues (JAM, 1982)
• Charles Mingus, A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry (Bethlehem, 1957)
• Hank Mobley, Hank Mobley (album) (Blue Note, 1957)
• Houston Person, Wild Flower (Muse, 1977)
• Sonny Stitt, In Walked Sonny (Sonnet, 1975)
• Mickey Tucker, Sojourn (Xanadu, 1977)
• Steve Turre, Viewpoints and Vibrations (Stash, 1987)
• Mal Waldron, Mal/2 (Prestige, 1957)
• Reuben Wilson, The Sweet Life (Groove Merchant, 1973)
• Dodo Marmarosa, Dodo Marmarosa – The Chicago Sessions (1961-1962)[2 LP] (Argo Jazz, LP2, 1962-11-02)