Altin Sencalar

Altin Sencalar is a California-born, Texas-raised, New York-based trombonist, composer, and educator. A Yamaha Performing Artist and Posi-Tone Records artist, Sencalar is both a commanding bandleader and a sought-after sideman.

His wide-ranging résumé includes performances with jazz luminaries such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Rodney Whitaker, David Sanborn, and Michael Bublé, as well as Motown legends the Temptations and the Four Tops. Drawing on his Mexican and Turkish heritage, Sencalar infuses contemporary jazz with folkloric traditions from both cultures. The result is a sound that is deeply personal, sharply focused, and globally resonant.

The International Trombone Association Journal praised Sencalar for his “brilliance in sound with crystal-clear articulations and impressive control of the wide possibilities of the instrument.” All About Jazz described his tone as “full-bodied, weighty, and expansive,” adding that “Sencalar’s improvisations are rich in detail, balancing in-the-moment discoveries and adherence to the demands of the material.” In a four-star review of his 2025 album Unleashed, DownBeat’s Ted Panken called him “a crushingly strong player, whether gobbling changes at high velocities or portraying emotional vulnerability.”

Born in 1994 in Fremont, California, and raised in Temple, Texas, Sencalar picked up the trombone at age 11. He began his studies at Texas State University, where he studied euphonium and trombone under Austin jazz stalwart Freddie Mendoza. Though initially more focused on euphonium, a bootleg recording of Maynard Ferguson sparked a turning point — at 16, he committed fully to trombone. Early mentors included trombonist Elliott Mason and trumpeter Marcus Printup.

In 2014, Sencalar transferred to the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Andre Hayward — lead trombonist with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He toured internationally as a soloist with the University of Texas Jazz Orchestra, performing at the Montreux and North Sea jazz festivals, and the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.

During his time in Austin, Sencalar became embedded in the city’s demanding gig culture, performing as many as five nights a week. He led his own groups and earned accolades in major competitions — including the American Trombone Workshop, the National Jazz Trombone Ensemble Competition, and the International Jazz Trombone Competition.Later that year, he met acclaimed trombonist Michael Dease, who invited him to audition for Michigan State University. Accepted into the program, Sencalar soon became Dease’s teaching assistant — a pivotal step into the professional jazz world. He went on to perform with Christian McBride’s big band and tour with the official lineups of the Temptations and the Four Tops.

Sencalar released his debut, Introducing Altin Sencalar, in 2017. He followed with Realization (2020), co-led with tubist Chris Glassman; Reconnected (2021), a chordless trio session; and Live at Monks Jazz EP (2022), a self-released concert document featuring trumpeter Dr. Adrian Ruiz, saxophonists Gene Centeno, Elias Haslanger, and Eric Hargett, pianist Damian Garcia, bassist Daniel Foose, and drummer Adam Jackson.

At a crossroads between accepting a tenure-track position in Texas or moving to New York, Sencalar chose the latter. Within hours of signing his lease, he got the call to tour with Michael Bublé — joining a horn section composed largely of fellow Michigan State alumni. After seven months on the road, he signed with Posi-Tone Records and released his label debut, In Good Standing (2023), featuring saxophonist Diego Rivera, multi-reedist Patrick Cornelius, pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston.

Several of those players returned for his follow-up, Discover the Present (2024), joined by trombonist Michael Dease, alto and soprano saxophonist Markus Howell, trumpeter Anthony Hervey, bassist Raul Reyes Bueno, and percussionist Pete Rodríguez. His DownBeat-hailed 2025 release, Unleashed, featured a fresh cast: tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Greg Tardy, multi-reedist Bruce Williams, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, Kozlov on bass, and E.J. Strickland on drums.

At the top of his thirties, Sencalar is now a new parent, a devoted dog lover, and an artist driven by vision and conviction — constantly moving forward in music and in life. “Consistency, awareness, and intention,” he says. “That’s what I live my life by in everything that I do.”

Awards

2025 Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Trombonist