Jeremy Pelt started playing trumpet in elementary school. Initially interested in classical music, he developed a taste for jazz in high school. Originally from California, he moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music. With his diploma in pocket, he went to New York City to start his career. Before long, he was given the opportunity to work with the Mingus Big Band, and to play with the jazz elite. Four years had passed since his arrival in New York when, in 2002, Pelt put out the album Profile. This first solo recording paved the way for a slew of other works, including Close to My Heart (2003) and Shock Value: Live at Smoke (2007). For The Talented Mr. Pelt (2011), the trumpeter and composer called on legendary producer Rudy Van Gelder.