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Jon-Erik Kellso
Jon-Erik Kellso plays melodic, swinging jazz trumpet with an emphasis on ensemble interplay.
About Me
Trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso started playing
professionally in and around Detroit,
Michigan, where he was born in 1964. Jon
began early, playing in a big band at age
11, in the International Youth Symphony
at age 13, and in a concert alongside
cornetist Wild Bill Davison at age 17.
Kellso played with a wide variety of
groups there, including the J.C. Heard
Orchestra.
In '88 Jon-Erik joined James Dapogny's
Chicago Jazz Band with whom he made
appearances throughout North America,
concertized on PBS TV, and recorded
extensively.
Since moving to New York City in 1989 to
join Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, Jon has
enjoyed performing and recording with
the likes of Catherine Russell, Ralph
Sutton, Dan Barrett, Howard Alden, Marty
Grosz, Milt Hinton, Bob Haggart, Dick
Hyman, Kat Edmondson, Leon Redbone,
Levon Helm, Wynton Marsalis, Ken
Peplowski, Wycliffe Gordon, Bob Wilbur,
and Kenny Davern.
Notable engagements include playing a
week at Dizzy's Club at Jazz at Lincoln
Center with Wynton Marsalis celebrating
Louis Armstrong's Hot 5s and 7s,
teaching master classes all over the
world, and leading The EarRegulars at the
Detroit Jazz Fest, the Moab Music Fest,
and the Bohemia Ragtime and Jazz Fest in
Hungary.
At home in New York City Kellso has been
leading The EarRegulars at the historic
Ear Inn on Sunday nights since 2007. On
Mondays and Tuesdays Jon plays with
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks at
Birdland, just off of Times Square. Aside
from these steadies, Jon can also be seen
performing at all the great NYC venues,
including Dizzy's, Café Ornithology, and
Mezzrow.
Jon-Erik can be heard on many television
and movie soundtracks, including “Ghost
World,” “The Aviator,” “The Good
Shepherd,” “Revolutionary Road,”
”Mildred Pierce,” “Bessie,” “Don’t Worry
Darling,” “Kill Your Darlings,” and “The
Joker,” mostly with Vince Giordano's
Nighthawks. He was on screen as well as
on the soundtracks for “Revolutionary
Road,” “Boardwalk Empire” (for which
they won a Grammy),“The Marvelous Mrs.
Maisel,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Jon is on well over 150 albums, and has
recorded several times as a bandleader.
He made three albums as leader of The
EarRegulars, including the critically
acclaimed “Live at the Ear Inn,” on
Arbors Records, from 2023.
