The Capitol Bones

Founded in 1991, the Capitol Bones are the Premier jazz trombone ensemble in the Washington DC area. From the nation's capital comes a new voice. The Capitol Bones, Washington, DC's premiere jazz trombone ensemble, offers something exciting and new for jazz lovers everywhere, with an added treat for those treasured listeners who appreciate and seek out great trombone playing. Group founder and leader Matt Niess brought together the best jazz trombonists in DC, an area known for the depth of its trombone bench, to participate in a group dedicated to promoting not only great ensemble playing but the expansion of the repetoire of this unique medium. Since its inception in 1991 The Capitol Bones have played throughout the country to include performances at The International Trombone Workshop in Las Vegas-Nevada & Rochester- NY, jazz clubs, Universities and an annual appearance at The Eastern Trombone Workshop in Washington, DC. In addition to the standard arrangements The Capitol Bones have added several new works to the jazz trombone ensemble repetoire by such notables as Conrad Herwig, Mike Tomaro, Mark Taylor, Jim Roberts and Matt Niess.

Nicole Abissi

American Symphony Orchestra

Nicole Abissi is a professional trombonist and teacher living in New York City. She is Second Trombone of the historic American Symphony Orchestra, Principal Trombone and Mentor of the Montclair Orchestra, performs on Broadway and with professional orchestras around the world. Nicole is also an inventor. She has created an extension handle for the trombone called, Extendabone. As a short trombonist, she knew this is a tool that needs to be available for herself, and other students around the world. Nicole received her Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School under the instruction of Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombonist of the New York Philharmonic. She received her Master of Music Degree from Stony Brook University under the instruction of Michael Powell, Principal Trombonist of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and member of the world renowned American Brass Quintet. Nicole’s other teachers include Per Brevig, Warren Deck, Glenn Dodson, Ian Bousfield, and Thomas Riccobono.​ ​In September of 2007, she began the first of two seasons as a fellow the New World Symphony. While there, she had the opportunity to work with one of the premier conductors of our time, Michael Tilson Thomas. Nicole won her first professional position as the Second Trombonist of the Alabama Symphony for the 2009-2012 seasons. In September of 2012 she joined the Colorado Symphony as the acting Principal trombonist for the 2012-2013 season. In the same year, she also filled in as acting Principal Trombone in the Macon Symphony under the direction of Ward Stare. Nicole has also had the pleasure of performing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, and Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her performance experience, Nicole is a passionate teacher. Nicole is an instructor of trombone at Montclair State University in New Jersey as well as Mannes Prep. She has given clinics at many fine universities as well as music festivals, such as, Georgia State University, University of Alabama, Interlochen Arts Camp, Southeast Trombone Symposium, University of Kentucky, Jackson State University, and Youngstown State University. Her students have gone on to study trombone performance at such schools as The Juilliard School, Northwestern University, New England Conservatory and Lynn University. Nicole Abissi is an Antoine Courtois Sponsored Artist.

GySgt. Daniel Brady

The United States Marine Band, "President's Own"

Bass Trombonist Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Brady joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in June 2008. After graduating from Duncanville High School in Dallas, TX in 2005, he studied at Southern Methodist University. His principal teachers include John Kitzman, Joseph Alessi, Michael Mulcahy, and Blair Bollinger. Daniel is frequently a guest musician with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. Gunnery Sgt. Brady performs with the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the White House in the Washington D.C. area, as a frequent chamber musician, and across the country during the band’s annual concert tour. Some career highlights include performing for the inauguration of the 44th President Barack Obama in 2008, being a soloist on the Band’s 2012 National Tour, and performing in a trombone octet with colleagues from the Army Field Band at the 2018 International Trombone Festival in Iowa.

trombone

SSG Omar Dejesus

Palm Bay, FL

Group: The U.S. Army Concert Band

Joined the Band: 2016

Alum: Florida State University / Yale University

Originally from Palm Bay, Florida, SSG Omar Dejesus graduated from Florida State University in 2014. He won his position with the Ceremonial Band of Pershing’s Own one year after graduating Florida State and while pursuing his Masters Degree at Yale University. Dejesus went on to win the American Trombone Workshop National Solo Competition held by Pershing's Own just months before leaving for Basic Combat Training. He has been a multiple event competitor at the International Trombone Festival. He has also been tasked to be the newest ATW National Solo Competition Coordinator as of November 2017. Dejesus performs with multiple elements within the unit, including the Herald Trumpets and the Army Brass Quintet. His newest position in The US Army Concert Band will start by the end of the 2018. His teachers include John Drew and Scott Hartman.

Vincent Gardner

Vincent Gardner was born in Chicago in 1972 and was raised in Hampton, Virginia. After singing, playing piano, violin, saxophone, and French horn at an early age, he decided on the trombone at age 12. He attended Florida A&M University and the University of North Florida. He soon caught the ear of Mercer Ellington, who hired Gardner for his first professional job. After graduating from college, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, completed a world tour with Lauryn Hill in 2000, then joined the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Gardner has served as instructor at The Juilliard School, as visiting instructor at Florida State University and Michigan State University, and as adjunct instructor at The New School. He has contributed many arrangements to the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and other ensembles. In 2009 he was commissioned by Jazz at Lincoln Center to write “The Jesse B. Semple Suite,” a 60-minute suite inspired by the short stories of Langston Hughes. Gardner is featured on a number of notable recordings and has recorded five CDs as a leader for Steeplechase Records. He has performed with The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Bobby McFerrin, Harry Connick, Jr., The Saturday Night Live Band, Chaka Khan, A Tribe Called Quest, and many others.

Bradley Kerns

Professor of Trombone

Bradley Kerns joined the faculty at the University of Kentucky in the fall of 2011. As a soloist, chamber musician, and educator Brad has performed and taught across the globe at events such as the American Trombone Workshop, the Brass in Autumn Festival in St. Petersburg-Russia, the DIA T Festival in Recife-Brazil, the Great American Brass Band Festival, the International Trombone Festival, the Inner Mongolia Art College, the International Women's Brass Conference, the Jazz Education Network Conference, the Projecto Bone Festival in Sao Paulo-Brazil, the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Moscow Brass Days, the Taller de Trombone Festival in Panama, as well as multiple Brazilian Trombone Association Conferences. Brad has been involved in nearly thirty recording projects under multiple recording labels and has performed for programs such as the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), National Geographic, the BBC England, and WRFL Lexington. Professor Kerns received a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the University of Kentucky while studying with Dale Warren and a Master of Music Degree from Boston University while studying with Scott Hartman. Brad is an Edwards Instruments and Pickett Brass Performing Artist.

Martin McCain

Professor of Trombone, Texas State

Bass trombonist Martin McCain’s career spans an impressive range of musical genres. He is a four-time winner of the Global Music Awards and was featured as their “Emerging Artist” in Billboard magazine. A third-generation musician, Martin maintains a versatile performance schedule as a soloist, recording artist, chamber, orchestral, jazz/commercial musician and educator. With performances described as "solid and masterful," (International Trombone Association Journal) with a “warm and beautiful,” tone (Glissando Magazine). McCain’s international recital credits include concerts at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (Singapore), Mahidol University in (Thailand), the Zagreb Academy of Music in (Croatia), and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. His performances and arrangements have been broadcast on CKWR Toronto, Radio Television Hong Kong, and NPR's "Performance Today." As a soloist, Martin has performed with the Croatian Army Wind Band, United States Army Concert Band "Pershing's Own" and the United States Army Brass Quintet. He is a prizewinner in multiple competitions including the International Trombone Association's Donald Yaxley Solo Bass Trombone Competition, the Kai Winding Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition, in addition to the American Trombone Workshop's National Bass Trombone Solo Competition and Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition. As a recording artist, Martin has released three solo CDs, Trombone Czar: Russian Treasures Recorded Live! (2012), Shades (2014) and Trombone Czar: The Extended Version (2015). He can be heard on Summit Records, Naxos and numerous film and videogame soundtracks. As an orchestral musician, McCain is a member of the IRIS Orchestra and regularly performs with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, the San Antonio Symphony, and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. McCain is the leader of the award-winning jazz trombone ensemble, JazzBonez and a member of the Minor 4th Trombone Quartet and the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass. Martin regularly performs with his wife, pianist Artina McCain as the McCain Duo. As a jazz/commercial musician, he has performed with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Frank Sinatra Jr. Orchestra, Memphis Jazz Orchestra and several Broadway touring shows including Hello Dolly, the Lion King, Wicked, the Color Purple, and Motown. Martin is an Artist/Teacher of Trombone and the youngest faculty member to hold the rank of full professor at Texas State University. He held similar positions at Henderson State University and Huston-Tillotson University. Dr. McCain’s students have also been extremely successful in solo and ensemble competitions including those hosted by the International Trombone Association, the American Trombone Workshop, and the Big 12 Trombone Conference and are regular winners of the Texas State University concerto competition. In recognition of his teaching, Martin received the College Achievement Award in Teaching and the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in Teaching. His students have been accepted into some of the nation's most prestigious graduate programs such as the Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Yale University, Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. In addition to his duties at Texas State, Martin has spent summers on the faculty of the Austin Chamber Music Festival, the Interharmony International Music Festival (Italy), the PRIZM International Chamber Music Festival, the SliderAsia Music Festival (Hong Kong) and the English Brass Academy (Croatia). Martin McCain is a performing artist for S.E. Shires, Reunion Blues Gig Bags and plays on the "McCain" signature mouthpiece series manufactured by Pickett Brass. In his spare time, Martin is an avid BBQ pitmaster and sports enthusiast.

Bob McChesney

LA Studio and Jazz Trombonist

Bob McChesney was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and began playing the trombone in the fourth grade as part of his public school music program. He has since evolved into a world-renowned trombone soloist and an authority on trombone pedagogy. Bob McChesney's trademark as a trombonist is the beauty of his sound, a lightening-fast technique, and his emotional connection to the music. With complete mastery of the instrument and extensive knowledge of jazz harmony, McChesney has distinguished himself as one of the pre-eminent soloists in the world, not only in the realm of jazz and improvisation, but as an interpreter of the most difficult and highly technical Classical repertoire, as well. Primarily self-taught, at a young age, Bob discovered a unique way of articulating on the slide trombone, called "doodle tonguing". He has since authored what is considered to be the definitive treatise on the subject, called, "Doodle Studies and Etudes". The method book has been critically acclaimed and endorsed by trombonists and music educators all over the world. A resident of Los Angeles, Bob is a fixture in the recording studios, where he has enjoyed a long career with studio orchestras scoring hundreds of films and television shows. He can also be heard on CDs for Barbra Streisand, Shakira, Michael Buble', Natalie Cole, Rod Stewart, Chicago, Michael Bolton, and the following Grammy-winning CDs: "Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company", Diana Krall's "When I Look in Your Eyes", and most recently, Arturo Sandoval's "Dear Diz", where he was a featured soloist. Legendary composer and conductor Lalo Schifrin exclaimed, "Bob McChesney is a virtuoso and has the gift to bring us the joy of music at the highest level." A pre-eminent jazz educator and clinician, Bob has been a welcomed guest artist all over the US and Canada. Bob has been featured twice with his Quartet at the International Association of Jazz Educators convention, and The International Trombone Festival, where he has spoken and performed for audiences as large as 5000 in attendance of his demonstrations, workshops and performances. Bob is thrilled to have worked with legendary composer and entertainer Steve Allen before his death in 2000. McChesney and Allen co-produced what would be the last CD from Allen's prolific songbook, resulting in the highly acclaimed and perennial favorite on Top Ten Jazz CD Lists, "No Laughing Matter - The Bob McChesney Quartet plays Steve Allen".

Peter Moore

Principal Trombone, London Symphony Orchestra

Peter Moore came to national attention in 2008 at the age of twelve when he became the youngest ever winner of the BBC Young Musician. Alongside his performing career, he is Professor of Trombone at the Royal Academy of Music. As a soloist, Peter has appeared with the LSO, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBCNOW, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Ulster Orchestra, Lucerne Symphony and Polish Chamber Orchestra. He is featured frequently on BBC Radio 3 and was a New Generation Artist between 2015 and 2017. He has given multiple performances at Wigmore Hall. World premieres by Francisco Coll, Roxanna Panufnik, Dani Howard and the UK premiere of James Macmillan’s Trombone Concerto signify Peter’s desire to bring the trombone to the forefront of contemporary music. Peter is a Getzen International Artist and performs on the 4147IB trombone.

SSG Felix Padilla

Bass Trombone

Felix Padilla has served as the Bass Trombonist of the U.S. Army West Point Band and New Haven Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and 2023 respectively. He has also had the honor of performing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and Boston Pops Orchestra. Felix has performed under the baton of world renowned conductors such as Franz Welser-Möst, Leonard Slatkin, Keith Lockhart, Juanjo Mena, Alasdair Neale, Hugh Wolff and David Loebel. Felix has been a featured soloist with the West Point Band and Columbus State University Trombone Ensemble. Felix can be heard as a soloist on Columbus State University Trombone Ensemble’s album Full Tilt. He also performed on James Markey’s album Psychedelia. Felix was awarded a brand new bass trombone as winner of the 2018 Southeast Trombone Symposium's S.E. Shires Solo Competition. Furthermore, he achieved the runner-up position in the Orchestral Excerpts Competition during the same event. Further accolades include being a finalist in the 2019 International Trombone Association's Edward Kleinhammer Competition and the 2017 American Trombone Workshop's Bass Trombone Division II Competition. Felix earned his Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with James Markey. He studied under Dr. Bradley Palmer while studying for his Bachelor of Music at Columbus State University. Other musical mentors have included Toby Oft, Steve Lange, Norman Bolter, Mike Roylance, and Joseph Vascik. Felix finds great joy in passing on music to the next generation and has a studio of dedicated students. Felix first fell in love with music and the captivating sound of the trombone listening to Willie Colon, a famous Puerto Rican trombonist, on his father’s Latin music radio station. Felix started playing the trombone at the age of 9 in his childhood town of Long Beach, NY. He continued exploring his musical passion after moving to Orlando, FL, studying both classical and jazz music. Outside of music, Felix loves spending time in nature with his wife and baking pizza.

Hillary Simms

Hailing from Torbay, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Hillary Simms is the newest trombonist and first female member of the acclaimed American Brass Quintet. With her appointment to the ABQ, Hillary also joins the faculty at The Juilliard School and the Aspen Music Festival and School. Named as one of Canada’s top 30 classical musicians under 30, Hillary is no stranger to the stage. Hillary has performed with several ensembles throughout North America including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with whom she recently joined on their 3-week tour of Europe under the baton of Maestro Riccardo Muti, January 2024. Hillary has also performed with the New York Philharmonic, Vancouver Symphony, National Arts Center Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining ABQ, she was a guest artist with Seraph Brass, and is a founding member of the Canadian Trombone Quartet and Saltwater Brass Quintet. Hillary can be heard playing lead trombone on the album Then is Now with Jens Lindemann and the Canadian All-Star Jazz Band as well as her 2020 solo performance of the Tomasi concerto with the National Arts Center Orchestra on Youtube. Hillary has won the American Trombone Workshop Division II Solo Competition, and the American Trombone Workshop Quartet Competition with two separate groups. She serves on the artistic committee for the Canadian Women’s Brass Collective, and was previously on faculty at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Hillary holds degrees from McGill University, Yale University, and the Glenn Gould School; she is currently pursuing a DMA at Northwestern University. Hillary is a proud artist for Thein Brass.

Steve Turre

One of the world’s preeminent jazz innovators, trombonist and seashellist Steve Turre, has consistently won both the Readers’ and Critics’ polls in JazzTimes, Downbeat, and Jazziz for Best Trombone and for Best Miscellaneous Instrumentalist (shells). Turre was born to Mexican-American parents and grew up in the San Francisco Bay area where he absorbed daily doses of mariachi, blues and jazz. While attending Sacramento State University, he joined the Escovedo Brothers salsa band, which began his career-long involvement with that genre. In 1972 Steve Turre’s career picked up momentum when Ray Charles hired him to go on tour. A year later Turre’s mentor Woody Shaw brought him into Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. After his tenure with Blakey, Turre went on to work with a diverse list of musicians from the jazz, Latin, and pop worlds, including Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, J.J. Johnson, Herbie Hancock, Lester Bowie, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Van Morrison, Pharoah Sanders, Horace Silver, Max Roach, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The latter introduced hum to the seashell as an instrument. Soon after that, while touring in Mexico City with Woody Shaw, Turre’s relatives informed him that his ancestors similarly played the shells. Since then, Turre has incorporated seashells into his diverse musical style. In addition to performing as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band since 1984, Turre leads several different ensembles. Sanctified Shells utilizes the seashell in a larger context, transforming his horn section into a “shell choir”. Turre’s Spring 1999 Verve release, Lotus Flower, showcases his Sextet With Strings. The recording explores many great standards and original compositions arranged by Turre for a unique instrumentation of trombone and shells, violin, cello, piano, bass and drums. Turre’s quartet and quintet provide a setting based in tradition and stretching the limits conceptually and stylistically. In the Summer of 2000, Telarc released In The Spur of the Moment. This recording features Steve with three different quartets, each with a different and distinct master pianist: Ray Charles, Chucho Valdes, and Stephen Scott. Turre’s self-titled Verve release pioneers a unique artistic vision, drawing upon jazz, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian sources. This innovative recording also features Cassandra Wilson, Randy Brecker, Graciela, Mongo Santamaria and J.J. Johnson. Previously Turre recorded Right There and Rhythm Within, featuring Herbie Hancock, Jon Faddis, Pharoah Sanders, and Sanctified Shells, on Verve’s subsidiary label, Antilles. Steve Turre continually evolves as a musician and arranger. He has a strong command of all musical genres and when it comes to his distinct brand of jazz, he always keeps one foot in the past and one in the future.

Harry Watters

Washington DC Jazz Trombonist

Jazz Trombonist Harry Watters travels nationally and internationally as a Jupiter Artist. His numerous Summit Records releases include the popular Love Songs and the three critically acclaimed Brothers discs with trumpeter Ken Watters. After graduation from the University of North Texas, Harry spent four years touring and recording with the renowned Dukes of Dixieland. While working at night on Bourbon Street, a sleep-deprived Watters attended the University of New Orleans by day, serving as the graduate assistant to Professor Ellis Marsalis. Watters has performed with Doc Severinsen, Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Erich Kunzel, Kevin Mahogany, Wycliffe Gordon, Lou Rawls, Maureen McGovern, Bill Watrous, Carl Fontana, Jiggs Whiggam, James Moody, Peter Erskine, Conrad Herwig, John Fedchock and the Boston Brass. In addition, Harry has appeared as a featured soloist with the Syracuse Symphony, the Baton Rouge Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Tulsa Pops, the West Virginia Symphony, the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band, the Janacek Philharmonic, the Moldovan Festival Orchestra and the U.S. Army Orchestra. Harry is constantly in demand as a Jupiter Artist and Clinician. He has presented his "Power Practicing" seminar at the American Band College, the Jazz Education Network National Conference, the Association of Concert Bands' National Convention, the University of North Texas, New Mexico State University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Tennessee, East Carolina State University, Texas Christian University, Baker University, the University of Central Florida, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of New Orleans, Louisiana State University, the University of Montana, Utah State University, Kent State University and in high schools throughout the United States. Harry is married to violist and keyboardist Holly Watters of the U.S. Army Strings. They reside in Alexandria, Virginia with their three children Harry V, Katherine the 1st & Lady Caroline.

MUCS Colin Wise

Principal Trombone

Senior Chief Musician Colin Wise, originally from Hampshire, Illinois, joined the U.S. Navy Band in 2007. Before joining, he earned a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music with a double major in trombone performance and jazz and contemporary media. Following his studies at Eastman, he completed a Master of Music degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. His principal teachers have included Mark Bettcher, Jay Friedman, Mark Kellogg, Joey Sellers, Per Brevig, John Marcellus, and David Waters. A versatile performer with a wide breadth of experience, Colin has played with ensembles across jazz, classical, pop, and Latin idioms. He has played with numerous orchestras throughout the country, including those in Washington DC, Baltimore, Rochester, Buffalo, Houston, and San Antonio. An active educator as well, he has served on the faculty at Gettysburg College and George Washington University.