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Jonathan Greenberg
Jonathan Greenberg was born and grew up in New York City. He got a musical education from his father, David Greenberg, a composer/arranger, pianist and band leader who taught him all styles of music. Jon recorded with Jimmy Knepper, Kenny Washington, Drew Francis, Loren Schoenberg, Howard Hodge, Jay Leonhardt, Ronnie Bedford, Jerry Kale, Santo “Sonny” Russo and Don Hahn. Jon played trumpet in pit orchestras for Guys & Dolls, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof plus concerts at Carnegie Hall four times and Alice Tully Hall once before the age of 16.
At age 16, he moved to Virginia and played with The Ringling Bros/Barnum & Bailey Circus every time they came to Hampton and Norfolk, performed with the Temptations, O’Jays, Coasters, Drifters, Platters plus the Tidewater Jazz All-Stars which opened for Doc Severinsen at the Town Point Jazz Festival. He then produced an original Sonata when he was just 19 years old and recorded it with Joel Futterman and Russell Scarborough in 1979.
Since then, he played in London & Paris, got a music performance degree at VCU, was awarded the trumpet soloist of merit from Branford Marsalis, Tony Williams and Conte Condoli at the Notre Dame Jazz Festival, performed for the National Jazz Educators Association played concerts with Dr. Frank Foster, recorded with dozens of artists and directed Vinnie Knight’s big band, the Jazz Riders.
Jon worked and recorded with Steve Bassett's Mystic Soul Bubbas, played the 2008 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Festival with his newest group, The Jazz Warriors (which opened for Paquito DeRivera and Ramsey Lewis). In 2010 he performed with Gloria Gaynor plus worked for Martha Revees and the Vandellas in 2011 followed by Darlene Love plus Little Anthony and the Imperials. He joined the Central Virginia Jazz Orchestra (CVJO - which performs concerts and earned a Grammy nomination in 2013 for its James River Jazz CD).
The Chez Roué Orchette is a band with which he had played every Thursday night since 1990. There are fifteen years worth of digital recordings from these weekly events. Performance videos can be viewed on YouTube. Jon worked and recorded with The Chez Roué Orchette, CVJO, Skip & Skylark, The Band of Steve’s, Adrian Duke’s Project, Samson Trinh’s Upper East Side Big Band (Pollack Prize Winner), AttractionBand.com, Emme St James & Her Jazz Gentlemen, Cavalier Orchestra, the RVA Big Band plus River City Jazz Band and currently leads his own Jazz Warriors.
Awards
Pollack Prize Awarded by Richmond Magazine
Tags
Eric Goletz: A New Light
by Richard J Salvucci
Eric Goletz is a virtuoso trombonist who also writes and arranges. On first hearing, his core band may put some in mind of Chase, Bill Chase's high-flying group that featured both vocals and technically demanding trumpet. Goletz has something similar going on. The music opens with Prelude: Before the Light" and A New Light," with a stinging solo by guitarist Henry Heinitsch. Goletz, it may be observed, is the logical outcome of jazz-rock and funk meets brass ...
read moreEric Goletz: A New Light
by Jack Bowers
Trombonist Eric Goletz, an in-demand studio musician and sideman in New York City for three decades, released his first album as leader of his own ensemble in March 2021, and quickly followed with the second, A New Light, wherein his core octet is bolstered by three trumpets, half a dozen horns and a five-member string section. Among his more well-known teammates are trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Jim Ridl, keyboardist Allen Farnham and drummer Steve Johns. Goletz' musical ...
read morePrimary Instrument
Trumpet
Location
Richmond
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
First teacher in NYC was Jimmy Knepper's wife, Maxine Knepper followed by Harold Leiberman in NJ. Third teacher was Virginia Symphony Principal Trumpet, Steve Carlson followed by Richmond Symphony Principal Trumpet, Rolla Durham. Will coach students for auditions and recitals plus teach jazz improvisation.