John Blount

Greg and John Blount

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John was a standout trumpet player in the Columbia Tennessee Central High School Band program in the 1970's. Through his numerous hours of hard practice, achievements and perseverance he has been able to perform with some of the wolds top musicians and artists.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Milton Blount of Columbia, John studied music at Middle Tennessee State University where he was a memeber of the MTSU Band of Blue. He later attended Western Connecticut University where he studed with Jimmy Maxwell and Bob McCoy , prominent teachers in the New York Area. He also studied classical playing with John Aley and Ron Stinson, both very active in the Broadway theater and New York Orchestra scene.

John joined the U.S. Navy Music Program in 1984 and after attending the U.S. Navy School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia was assigned to the U.S. Navy Show Band South, stationed in New Orleans, Louisiana. In March 1990 John was selected to play with the U.S. Navy Commodores in Washington, D.C. For the next 15 years he played lead trumpet with the Commodores making numerous national tours and playing many of the biggest jazz festivals in the U.S. and Europe..

In 2004 John retired from active duty in the Navy to further his musical career. He is in high demand as a first trumpet player for the J.F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore, Maryland. John also works extensively with singer John Signorello, The Dave Tucker Big Band and the Gene Donati Orchestra.

As an educator he has conducted the All Regional High School Bands in Tennessee and Connecticut. He was conductor for RIver Hill High School's 2000 tour of Europe that included the montreaux Jazz Festival and the Jazz Festival at Vienne, France. He has a very active teaching practice in his studio in Baltimore, Maryland. He is also the trumpet instructor at the Waldorf School in Baltimore.

John has played with a host of performers including Doc Severinsen, Lou Rawls, Maureen McGovern, Natalie Cole, The Manhattan Transfer, Arturo Sandoval, Terry Gibbs, Randy Brecker, Milt Hinton, Frank Mantooth, Vincent DiMartino, Snooky Young, Marvin Stamm, Ernie Watts, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.

Further information about John can be found on his website, http://www.jmb-muisc.com