(Jesse ) (b Barnet, England, Sept 29, 1941). English trombonist. He first played piano, but at the age of 17 changed to trombone; after studying economics (BS 1965) he attended the London College of Music (1965–7). From 1963 he was a member of Mike Westbrook’s orchestra, with which he continued to play until 1984. He worked for six months with Buddy Rich’s orchestra (1969–70) and performed in a quartet with Paul Rutherford, Evan Parker, and Derek Bailey at a festival in Frankfurt am Main (1970). In June 1970 he became a founding member of Chris MacGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath, with which he recorded in 1971–2. Griffiths performed and recorded as a member of various groups led by John Surman (1968–73) and as a sideman in Stan Tracey’s octet and orchestra (1976–7, 1983, 1992). During the 1970s he led his own groups, which included Alan Skidmore, John Marshall, and Tony Levin, and played in John Warren’s big band, as well as with John Dankworth (from ...