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Don Collins

Trombonist Don Collins has based his career out of Philadelphia since 1986. He is the recipient of the 2014 Philadelphia Clef Club Jazz Award for trombone, and can frequently be heard performing with his own groups, as well as the Urban Guerilla Orchestra (or UGO for short, now entering its 15th year), the Cintron Band(since 1994, starting with the recording Musica Caliente featuring Michael Pedicin), Orquesta del Barrio( founding member 1989), Edgar Joel Orchestra and Anthony Colon Orchestra(both since the mid 1990’s), and the April 2017 premier performance of the Louis Taylor Big Band at the Clef Club.

Notable engagements include, Philadelphia’s 2016 July 4th Welcome America Festival, where UGO performed with the Intruders, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and the O’Jays; Sheryl Lee Ralph's Divas Simply Singing! at the Dell East, to benefit HIV/AIDS awareness; the Legends of Salsa Concert at the Levoy Theatre (Millville, NJ); the 10th annual Capital Jazz Supercruise with UGO, The 40th Anniversary Performance of the Brass of Peace in Alexandria, VA (founding member); the 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jazz Vespers Concert in York, PA under the direction of Jeff Stabley; 1st Fridays "Jazz in the City" concert at the Strand Theater (York ,PA) with Jeff Stabley, James Collins and Ellington Orchestra bassist Hassan Shakur; the first official performance of the Fathers and Sons Quartet ,with vocalist Rhenda Fearrington at the Milton Theatre (Milton, DE); and the 5th Annual Soul Train Cruise performing with UGO, Melba Moore, Cherrelle, The Sounds of Blackness, The Intruders and Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes.

Don began his musical studies at age 7 on piano, then took up euphonium, and subsequently the trombone at the age of 9. His teachers have included Roger Smith, David Mazer, James Bennett, Brian Bowman, George Starks, Steve Turre, and Glenn Dodson. Don was previously a lecturer in Jazz Trombone in The Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University. Throughout his career, Don has had the privilege of performing with a host of diverse artists including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis, The Temptations, The Spinners, The Four Tops, The Chi- Lites, Cuba Gooding, Sr., Major Harris, The Delfonics, James Moody, Stanley Clarke, Jimmy Heath, Steve Wilson, Bootsie Barnes, Terell Stafford, John Walsh, Michael Stuart, Nino Segarra, Hector Tricoche, Tim Warfield, Joey Defrancesco, Trudy Pitts, Peabo Bryson, Patti Austin, Diane Shuur, Tom Browne, Evelyn “Champagne” King, and The Dells. Previous venues have included the Bahamas Jazz Festival, The Capital Jazz Festival, The Cape May Jazz Festival, The Exit 0 Jazz Festival, The South Jersey Jazz Society Performance Series, The Smithville Jazz Festival, The Willingboro Jazz Festival, The Apollo Theater, The Academy of Music, The Kimmel Center, the Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall.

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Grace&Mercy: Tamika...

Unknown label
2016

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Unisoul Records & Productions
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Decca Music Group
2008

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Bun Z Music &records LLC
2008

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Back in the Day

Universal International
2005

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