Growing up in the bustling suburbs of New York City trumpeter/composer/producer Jon Lijoi has been immersed in music since a very young age. Beginning as a classical trumpeter Jon found his way to Nashville, TN where he attended Vanderbilt University. At Vanderbilt Jon was a stalwart in the Blair Big Band and a huge proponent of the jazz program at the Blair School of Music. Along with his mentor Billy Adair he helped strengthen and build the program even after attending the school. One of his greatest achievements was being, awarded the Blair School of Music Award for Excellence in Jazz Performance 2006 as well as receiving an Award as Outstanding Soloist for his performance on the piece “Legacy” written by Jim Williamson, director of the Nashville Jazz Orchestra. Outside of school Jon truly began expanding his roots as a musician. In Nashville Jon played a diverse array of musical styles from Big Band to Salsa to Hip Hop Funk and everything in between. A few of the groups Jon played in were The Nashville Jazz Orchestra, the Establishment Big Band, and the Verbena Court Strut Band, sharing bills with such artists as The Roots, Count Bass D and KC and the Sunshine Band. In 2008 Jon moved back to New York, and he is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance at New York University. Since getting back to New York Jon has had the opportunity to play at many of New York’s finest venues, such as The Blue Note Jazz Club and The Rockefeller Center Gardens. He’s played with world-class artists such as Wayne Krantz, Brian Lynch and Lenny Pickett. In addition Jon traveled with Lenny and the NYU Jazz Orchestra to Abu Dhabi this past February to play for the opening of NYU Abu Dhabi. Jon also played lead with the big band this past June in a tour of Florence, Italy with special guest Wayne Krantz. Most recently Jon was chosen to take part on Kenny Werner’s newest recording, “No Beginning, No End,” a masterpiece for concert winds, which is scheduled to come out later this year on the Half Note Label.