Terry Gibbs studied a wide array of percussion instruments in his youth but settled on the vibraphone, working with leaders such as Tommy Dorsey, Chubby Jackson, and Buddy Rich. In the late-1940s he achieved international prominence thanks to a two-year spell with Woody Herman followed by a brief period as a member of Benny Goodman’s sextet. In the late-'50s, he formed a big band, which he led at the prestigious Monterey Jazz Festival in 1961. Gibbs’s big bands became a notable annual event in Los Angeles, featuring many well-known players who clearly enjoyed taking time out from the studios to play jazz. In the early-'80s Gibbs teamed up with Buddy De Franco for a series of highly acclaimed albums.