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Ron Wilkins

New York City based musician Ron Wilkins has been performing on tenor and bass trombones, euphonium, tuba, bass trumpet and vocals for over forty years. He has performed at the highest levels touring around the world with his own groups as well as premiere artists. Ron is a member of the Birdland Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, and runs his own New York City big band alongside trombonist Rebecca Patterson which features their writing and includes some of New York City's premiere musicians.

Ron’s uncanny musicianship has led him to perform in many diverse musical genres. He has performed with artists such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Lena Horne, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Dizzy Gilespie, The Count Basie Orchestra, Mingus Big Band, The Temptations, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis, Eddie Daniels, Randy Brecker, Wycliffe Gordon, and groups such as The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Jimmy Heath Big Band, Arturo O' Farrill and his Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and Small Group, Chris Potter Big Band, Ed Palermo Big Band, Affinity Brass Quintet, Uptown Brass Quintet, Livio Almeida Brazilian Dectet, Memo Acevedo's Building Bridges Band, San Antonio Brass, Capitol of Texas Brass Quintet, San Antonio Symphony and Festival Orchestra, Austin Symphony and Austin Pops, Mid-Texas Symphony, Victoria Symphony, Temple Symphony, and the Flint Symphony where he was twice guest artist for their summer pops concert series.

Ron has performed with many theatrical productions including The Big Apple Circus, Ringling Brothers, touring Broadway shows, including "Frozen", "West Side Story", "Wicked", "The Lion King", Showboat", "The Producers", "Kinky Boots", "Book Of Mormon", "Shuffle Along" "Motown", and many others. He is currently a sub on the Broadway shows Wicked and Frozen.

He was a featured artist on bass and tenor trombones at the International Trombone Festival in 2002 at the University of North Texas.

Ron is a veteran of the USAF Band of the West at Lackland AFB in San Antonio.

Ron also has an extensive background as an educator. He has performed as a guest artist at from the elementary to university levels, jazz festivals, and has maintained his own private studio for decades. He has held positions at several colleges including the University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Incarnate Ward, Texas State University, Texas Lutheran University, Northwest Vista College, St. Mary’s University, teaching low brass, jazz studies, and vocals.

Ron has two cds as a leader, "A Tribute To The Masters" (2000) and "The Bundee Brothers Bone Band" (2005) with former Ringling Brothers lead trombonist, Bill Gibson. As of October 2012, he was featured on a live recording with the Frank Wilkins trio (Boston, MA) at the Fishmonger Café in Cape Cod, MA. Ron currently maintains his own private teaching studio and works with the New York Jazz Academy.

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Album Review

Eyal Vilner Big Band: The Jam!

Read "The Jam!" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Simply leading a big band in 2022 is cause for celebration. Leading a big band as sharp and talented as Eyal Vilner's New York- based ensemble is cause for far more than that. Vilner, an Israeli-born composer, arranger and woodwind specialist, formed the band in 2008, one year after arriving in New York City. He has been busy since then shaping its identity and refining its style, and his persistence pays off big-time on the band's second album, The Jam! ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Lester Young & Ron Wilkins

Read "Lester Young & Ron Wilkins" reviewed by Joe Dimino


Our 732nd hour of Neon Jazz arrives right before Christmas and is the penultimate for 2021. The most fitting musician for this episode is the mighty veteran trombonist Ron Wilkins. He survived a nasty bout with COVID and reigned on the top of the charts with a wonderful new album Trombcalist. He's the resounding testament to the strength of music in these modern 2021 times. We also hear new tunes from Helen Sung, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Lorraine Feather, Roland Tempelaar and ...

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Ray Blue: Work

Read "Work" reviewed by Edward Blanco


New York-based and bred, tenor saxophonist Ray Blue is no novice but a veteran player who has not received the accolades he so deserves. Perhaps after laying down and documenting an incredible volume of music on Work, the spotlight will shine a little brighter on this unheralded player. A composer and educator, as well as one of the most in-demand musicians in New York, Blue is a soulful performer, a full-throated sax man with a fluid and lyrical style which ...

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