Trumpeter Nathan Eklund leads an active schedule as a professional trumpeter and jazz educator. He played lead trumpet and was a featured soloist on the Dafnis Prieto Big Band’s 2018 Grammy-winning album Back To The Sunset. Nathan studied Jazz Performance under the tutelage of Joe Magnarelli, Scott Wendholt, Dave Rogers, and Bud Burridge. He has released five albums as a leader and has recorded as a sideman with numerous artists including Phil Woods, Dafnis Prieto, Roseanna Vitro, and Spyro Gyra. Nathan has also performed with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Mingus Big Band, Roy Hargrove Big Band, Christian McBride Big Band, Phil Woods Festival Orchestra, Ron Carter’s Great Big Band, among others. As an educator, Nathan is an adjunct professor at New Jersey City University, Montclair State University, and Newark Academy and he also teaches privately. He is also the Coordinator of Big Bands at Montclair, NJ’s Jazz House Kids program, directing their nationally renowned Jazz House Big Band.