Sam Blakeslee | Trombone
Originally from Columbus, OH, Sam Blakeslee is a New York City based, award-winning trombonist and composer. Since his arrival in NYC in August 2017, he has performed at iconic jazz clubs such as The 55 Bar, Smalls, Birdland, The Jazz Gallery, Zinc Bar, and the Blue Note. He can also be found performing and/or recording regularly with top-tier large ensembles such as the top-tier ensembles like the Dan Pugach Nonet, Terraza Big Band, Manuel Valera’s New Cuban Express Big Band, Big Heart Machine, New Alchemy Jazz Orchestra, Emilio Solla’s Tango Jazz Orchestra, and New York Afro-Bop Alliance Big Band. Sam is an endorsing artist for Best American Craftsman (B.A.C.) trombones, as well as an endorsing artist for Denis Wick Mouthpieces and Mutes.
As a bandleader, Sam has released two albums independently, Sam Blakeslee Quintet – Selective Coverage (2017) and Sam Blakeslee Large Group – Live at Blu Jazz (2018). Selective Coverage received glowing critical acclaim from several jazz publications, including a 4-star rating from All About Jazz. As an active composer for large ensembles, Sam is currently a member of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop in NYC under the direction of Andy Farber and Alan Ferber. In 2018, he was the recipient of the David Baker Prize in Composition from Ravinia Steans Music Institute and was also a 2020 COVID-19 Commission Grant recipient from International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers. His next, genre-spanning chamber project Sam Blakeslee & Wistful Thinking – The Long Middle featuring Chris Coles (alto saxophone), Brandon Coleman (guitar), and Matt Wiles (bass) will be released on Outside In Music in July 2021.
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