Don Collins

Trombonist Don Collins has based his career out of Philadelphia since 1986. He is the recipient of the 2014 Philadelphia Clef Club Jazz Award for trombone, and can frequently be heard performing with his own groups, as well as the Urban Guerilla Orchestra (or UGO for short, now entering its 25th year), the Cintron Band(since 1994, starting with the recording Musica Caliente featuring Michael Pedicin), Orquesta del Barrio( founding member 1989), The Edgar Joel and Anthony Colon Orchestra(since the mid 1990’s), Orquesta La Paz, and The City Rhythm Orchestra(since the early 90’s).

Don began his musical studies at age 7 on piano, then took up euphonium, and subsequently the trombone at the age of 9. His teachers have included Roger Smith, David Maser, James Bennett, Brian Bowman, George Starks, Steve Turre, and Glenn Dodson. Don was previously a lecturer in Jazz Trombone in The Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University.

Notable recent engagements have included the Dauphin County Jazz and Wine Festival, The Capital Jazz Festival, The Soul Train Cruise and the Exit 0 Jazz Festival.

Recent recordings include I Wanna Go Where UGO by the Urban Guerilla Orchestra, Edgardo Cintron’s "Bon Appetite", and "The Lost Sinatra-Basie” With Brandon Tomasello and the City Rhythm Orchestra.