Clifford Thornton, born September 6, 1939 and died November 25, 1989 in New York City. He was an American free-jazz trumpeter and trombonist. He was born in Philadelphia, 1939. He studied with Donald Byrd, the trumpeter, in the mid-1950s. He also worked with Ray Draper, the tuba player. Thornton left the army to move to New York City. He was a part of many avant-garde jazz groups and appeared as a sideman for notable artists like Sun Ra or Sam Rivers. 1967’s Freedom was his first album.