Tom Harrell, a famous Jazz trumpeter, was born on June 16th, 1946 in Urbana Illinios. He started playing the trumpet at age 8 and by age 13 he had moved to the San Francisco Bay area and began to play with local bands. By 1969 he graduated from Stanford University with a degree in music composition. He instantly joined Kenton's Orchestra and toured with them all throughout 1969. After leaving them he played for many other bands including Woody Herman's Big Band, Azteca, Charlie Hayden's Liberation Orchestra and Phil Wood's Quintet. After leaving Phil Wood's Quintet he began to lead his own big bands and quintets. He was awarded "best jazz album of the year" by Entertainment Weekly, as well as a Grammy nomination for his album Time's Mirror.

Tom Harrell suffers from paranoid schizophrenia which profoundly effects his life offstage. During shows he often stands to one side away from the microphone, with his head bowed and his hands clutching his trumpet. He slowly advances to the microphone and raises his head to play but when he finishes he lowers his head and resumes his place off to the side. He takes antipsuchotic drugs to help his condition.


Schizophrenia is an extremely challenging disorder, making it hard to function with others. Many patients face hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking or flat emotions which could cause them to lose interest in life and withdraw from family, friends or social events. About one percent of the population will develop Schizophrenia and more than 2 million Americans suffer from it annually. Drug usage such as marijuana and cocaine can lead to a high increase in developing Schizophrenia.


http://www.geodon.com/s_Signs.asp
http://www.schizophrenia.com/family/sz.overview.htm