Archie Shepp

Biography

Archie Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and raised in Philadelphia, where he began playing music with his father. He studied drama at Goddard College before joining avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor's band, later forming the New York Contemporary Five and collaborating with John Coltrane on Impulse! Records. Shepp has continued to perform and teach around the world, asserting his identity as an African American musician through a unique blend of jazz, blues, and spirituality.