Competition Winner

“....the best playing I've heard since Carl Fontana!”.... Bill Watrous

Portland, Oregon-based John Moak  has performed internationally with his own groups, as a guest artist, sideman and clinician.   He has performed at the New Orleans, Jacksonville, Newport, Portland, Vancouver, Montreaux and North Sea Jazz Festivals, the International Trombone Festival, the IAJE Convention, and on the NBC Today Show and VH1 Jazz television shows.  John  has performed with numerous artists, including:

Jazz

Big Bands

Popular

Dave Brubeck

Louie Bellson

Aretha Franklin

Clark Terry

Ray Anthony

Johnny Mathis

Louie Bellson

Jimmy Dorsey

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

Pete Christlieb

Les Elgart

The Four Tops

Nat Adderly

Larry Elgart

The Temptations

Randy Brecker

US Army Jazz Ambassadors

Robert Goulet

Diane Schurr

Portland Jazz Orchestra

Shirly Jones

 Ella Fitzgerald

Oregon Jazz Orchestra

Toni Tennille

Branford Marsalis

Lily Wilde Orchestra

Della Reese

Slide Hampton

Gordon Lee

Martha Ray

Doc Severinsen

Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble

Marie Osmond

Jack Sheldon

Peter Duchin

Mitzi Gaynor

Herbie Mann

Craig Turley

Glen Campbell

Rosemary Clooney

Edmond Jazz Orchestra

Bebe Neuwirth

James Moody

UCO Jazz LAB

Bob Newhart

John Faddis

UNF Big Band

Jimmy Webb

Byron Stripling

Oklahoma City Jazz Orchestra

Hal Linden

Ken Peplowski

River City Swing

Al Green

BIO:  John Moak was born and raised in Oklahoma.  Paul Brewer, his trombone teacher and  Ray “Red” Norman, an alumnus of the Claude Thornhill and Charlie Barnett Bands, inspired John to begin playing jazz at age 12.  By age 15, he was a featured soloist with his outstanding high school band that shared concert stages with the Count Basie, Buddy Rich  and Woody Herman bands.

While attending the University of Central Oklahoma he recorded commercial jingles and albums in local studios and sharpened his jazz playing in  the Oklahoma City Jazz Orchestra and  local small groups.

After graduation, John taught at the University of North Florida and was featured soloist on trombone and baritone horn with the St. Johns River City Band.  John became so busy leading his own band, playing, and teaching that he refused tempting touring opportunities with the Woody Herman and Maynard Ferguson Bands.

John is currently a featured soloist with the Portland Jazz Orchestra, Oregon Jazz Orchestra, Steve Cannon Blowhard Big Band, Gordon Lee Big Band, Lily Wilde Orchestra, Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, Bridgetown Sextet and many small groups.