Paul Gavin - MNJC

Paul Gavin is the Artistic Director and Arranger of both the Gulf Coast Jazz Collective in Fort Myers, FL and the Lake Wales Jazz Connection in Lake Wales, FL. Paul leads both ensembles in concerts to exuberant crowds of jazz lovers. Concerts have featured arrangements of the music of Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Cannonball & Nat Adderley, Dave Brubeck, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Louis Armstrong and more.

He has played regularly with great musicians in the Tampa bay area including trumpet player James Suggs, singer Gloria West, and bassist Michael Ross. He also plays regularly in the Fort Myers area with guitarist Dan Heck, bassist Brandon Robertson, the Stardust Memories Big Band, and played regularly with the late great trumpet player Dan Miller.

In 2024 Paul had the pleasure of leading his band Mosaic at the Sarasota Jazz Festival, opening for Chucho Valdes, and will be performing at the festival again this year with organist Tony Monaco, saxophonist Eric Alexander, and trumpet player James Suggs.

After several years of supporting others’ musical projects Paul is now focusing on building his own. In addition to the Gulf Coast Jazz Collective and Lake Wales Jazz Connection, Paul leads two other bands. The Vanguard plays his original music, and Mosaic plays the music of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers.

Paul has received honors for his musicianship as well. In 2013 he was one of the inners of the VSA International Young Soloist Competition and flying out to Washington DC to play with members of the Airmen of Note at the Kennedy Center on the Millennium Stage. In the same year he also won the Downbeat Student award for a collaboration with flutist and composer Jose Valentino. Most recently Paul won a grant from the Young Artists Awards in Fort Myers, FL which will fund the creation of his debut album of his original music – to be recorded this year.

Paul has taught private lessons since 2009 and keeps a busy roster of students year-round. Since 2010 Paul has been the Percussion Instructor at Sickles High School, leading the marching band’s drumline and front ensemble to numerous superior ratings and a steady maturing in the mastery of percussion. He regularly visits area middle and high schools as a guest clinician to work with the percussion sections and jazz bands.

As a composer & arranger Paul has written and arranged music for his own bands since his college days. He is currently writing and arranging for four of his own bands, The Gulf Coast Jazz Collective, the Lake Wales Jazz Connection, The Vanguard and Mosaic.

Paul has a passion for encouraging other musicians in their careers and his YouTube channel focuses on giving practical career advice and a realistic view of the life of a professional musician.

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