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About

At 24 years old, New York City based trombonist, bass trombonist, tubist, educator, and composer Jacob Melsha is one of the finest young forces on the scene today.


Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Jacob enjoyed performing in local venues like Jazz at the Bistro and Powell Symphony Hall with groups such as the Jazz St. Louis Big Band, the St. Louis Philharmonic, the Gateway Festival Orchestra, the Funky Butt Brass Band, Dave Grelle’s Playadors, and with his own small groups.  As a student at Kirkwood High School, he participated in the 2017 Grammy Band, Jazz Band of America, and All-National Jazz Ensemble. The product of two music educator parents, Jacob is thankful for his supportive musical family.


Since moving to New York in 2017 to pursue his Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School, Jacob has enjoyed working throughout the city in a variety of ensembles, bringing music to venues like Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Smalls, Blue Note, The Village Vanguard, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, Cellar Dog, Ginny’s Supper Club, The Django, and more.  He’s had the pleasure of playing with The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Victor Goines, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Frank Lacy’s Tromboniverse, Wycliffe Gordon, Benny Benack, Adam Neely, Ben Vereen, the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, and his own small ensembles, to name a few.  Outside of jazz, Jacob plays and tours frequently with rock ensembles like Aberdeen and the NYChillharmonic and has enjoyed recording on film and television soundtracks on Netflix and Apple TV, playing with the Jonas Brothers on Broadway, and recording for Dove Cameron's 2022 AMAs performance as Best New Artist.


Jacob has traveled the world, playing at festivals and clubs in both hemispheres.  He’s toured with Davina and the Vagabonds, performing at the Vail Jazz Festival, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the Victoria Island Blues Bash, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Seattle’s Jazz Alley, and Chris’ Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia.  In 2019 he joined the Tazelaar-Moseholm Superband at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. Prior to that, Jacob traveled with Juilliard Jazz ensembles to play in São Paulo, Brazil at the Ilhabela In Jazz Festival, as well as the 2019 Jazz Education Network Convention in Reno, NV.  Jacob has performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at festivals including The Montreal, Ottawa, Saratoga, and Hamptons Jazz Festivals, Tanglewood, Ravinia, and Lincoln Center’s Restart Stages Festival in 2021.


Jacob is thankful for his many musical mentors, including his parents Jeff and Martha, Gary Lipsutz, Jonathan Reycraft, Wayne Coniglio, Jason Jackson, Frank Kimbrough, Elliot Mason, and Wynton Marsalis.  He graduated with his Master’s in Jazz Studies from The Juilliard School in 2022 and currently freelances in New York, New York.


Jacob has played on a custom BAC (Best American Craftsmen) trombone since 2019.
 

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