Junior Mance, born Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. on October 10, 1928, in Evanston, Illinois, was a celebrated American jazz pianist, composer, and educator known for his bluesy style and contributions to the jazz genre. He began playing piano at the age of five, taught by his father, and took his first professional gig at ten. Mance attended Roosevelt College in Chicago but left to join Gene Ammons' band in 1947, marking the start of his recording career.

In 1949, Mance joined Lester Young's band, replacing Bud Powell, and later served in the U.S. Army, where he played in the 36th Army Band alongside Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. After his discharge in 1953, he became the house pianist at the Bee Hive Jazz Club in Chicago, backing legends like Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins.

Mance moved to New York in 1954, recording and touring with Dinah Washington. He joined Dizzy Gillespie's band in 1958, which he considered a career highlight. In 1961, he formed his own trio and released his first album as a leader. Over his career, he recorded over 30 albums as a leader and numerous others as a sideman.

In addition to his performance career, Mance was a dedicated educator, teaching at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York from 1988. He passed away on January 17, 2021, in New York City at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering jazz musician and beloved teacher.