Biography

Like many musicians before him, John was born into a musical family. Both his mother and father are accomplished pianists. John’s musical journey began on piano at age 5. He fell in love with the trumpet at at 10 and later learned to play drums at age 12.

John graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a B.A. in Music Education. He later won a scholarship enabling him to join San Diego State University’s internationally acclaimed jazz program where he earned his Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance. John was recently accepted into the D.M.A. program at the University of Southern California and has been awarded a musical merit scholarship. He will obtain a Doctorate in Jazz Performance so that he can pursue a tenured professorship.

John performs frequently with his own group, the New Standard Jazz Trio and is often contracted as a freelance trumpeter in Southern California. John has performed as a featured soloist with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra. Other groups with which he has performed include the Westwind Brass and the Skeleton Key Jazz Orchestra. As an active part of the San Diego music community, he can be seen performing frequently in both Jazz and Classical venues. John recently played Principal Trumpet for the production of Guys and Dolls by the San Diego Musical Theatre.

John plays Monette trumpets and mouthpieces exclusively.