Ron Wilkins – Jazz at The Other Side

New York City based musician Ron Wilkins has been performing on tenor and bass trombones, euphonium, tuba, bass trumpet and vocals for over forty years. He has performed at the highest levels touring around the world with his own groups as well as premiere artists. Ron is a member of the  Birdland Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, and runs his own New York City big band alongside trombonist Rebecca Patterson which features their writing and includes some of New York City’s premiere musicians.

Ron has performed with many top-tier artists and musicians,  including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Lena Horne, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Dizzy Gilespie, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis, Eddie Daniels, Randy Brecker, Wycliffe Gordon, The Count Basie Orchestra, Mingus Big Band,  The 8-bit Big Band, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Jimmy Heath Big Band, Arturo O’ Farrill and his Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and Afro-Cuban Band, Chris Potter Big Band, Ed Palermo Big Band, Affinity Brass Quintet, Uptown Brass Quintet, Livio Almeida Brazilian Dectet, Memo Acevedo’s Building Bridges Band, San Antonio Brass, Capitol of Texas Brass Quintet, San Antonio Symphony and Festival Orchestra, Austin Symphony and Austin Pops, Mid-Texas Symphony, Victoria Symphony, Temple Symphony, and the Flint Symphony where he was twice guest artist for their summer pops concert series in summer 2003.

He also has extensive Broadway experience and most recently was bass trombonist on the Broadway revival of  Gypsy starring 6X Tony Award winning actress Audra McDonald. Ron was also trombonist for the Broadway revival of  Funny Girl ( starring Lea Michele ), and  subbing on the Broadway shows Wicked, Motown, Shuffle Along, Frozen, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He has also played with The Big Apple Circus, Ringling Brothers, and numerous touring Broadway shows including  West Side Story, The Lion King, Showboat, The Producers, Kinky Boots, Book Of Mormon, and others.

He was a featured artist at the 2025 American Trombone Workshop in Ft. Meyer, VA, performing the world premiere on The Roncerto ( written for bass trombone, voice, piano, and concert band ) by Ethan Gurwitz ( https://www.ethangurwitz.com ). In 2018, Ron performed at the Bass Trombone Open in Rotterdam, NL, and in 2002 was a guest artist at the International Trombone Festival held at the University of North Texas.

Ron also has an extensive background as an educator. He has performed as a guest artist at from the elementary to university levels, jazz festivals, and has maintained his own private studio for decades. He has held positions at several colleges including the University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Incarnate Ward, Texas State University, Texas Lutheran University, Northwest Vista College, St. Mary’s University, teaching low brass, jazz studies, and vocals.

Ron has four cds as a leader, including the The Roncerto ( 2024 ), Trombocalist (2021), A Tribute To The Masters (2000), and The Bundee Brothers Bone Band”(2005) with former Ringling Brothers lead trombonist, Bill Gibson. Ron currently maintains his own private teaching studio and remains a sought after clinician. He is a veteran of the USAF Band of the West at Lackland AFB in San Antonio.

Ron is an S. E. Shires trombone artist and plays Greg Black Mouthpieces.

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