by Scott YanowSomewhat forgotten in the United States, Jon Eardley has long been active in Europe. He began playing trumpet when he was 11. After working in an Air Force band (1946-1949), he played locally (1950-1953) and then worked in New York with Phil Woods (1954). Eardley gained some visibility playing on and off with Gerry Mulligans quartet and sextet (1954-1957) and is still best-known for that association today. After working back in Pennsylvania for several years, the cool-toned bopper moved to Belgium in 1963 and in 1969, relocated to Germany to play in a radio orchestra. Eardley can be heard at his best on three Spotlite albums, all from 1977.