ABOUT PAUL NELSON

Paul Nelson is an active trombonist in the Los Angeles area as well as music educator both privately and at Fusion Academy in Pasadena. Paul has appeared on dozens of indie, rock, and funk records as trombonist, bass trombonist and arranger for bands and orchestras around the Atlanta, Athens, Nashville and Los Angeles areas. In his time in Georgia, he managed and composed for Athens-based band Misnomer, an eclectic collective featuring seven horns performing original music in modern jazz and funk styles. For the 2018-19 school year, he directed the Los Angeles Youth Jazz Ensemble alongside pianist Marco Apicella. Additionally, Paul maintains a private studio of low brass musicians and aspiring music producers. He has shared the stage with bands and leaders such as Bob Mintzer, Patrice Rushen and Band of Horses as well as taken part in national and regional tours with Futurebirds and Misnomer. In 2020, Futurebirds album 'Teamwork,' a record which Paul arranged the horn arrangements, was nominated by Downbeat Magazine as one of the best albums of 2020 and mentioned by Rolling Stone Magazine for its 'psychedelia and twang.'  

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Most recently, Paul founded the Fenton-Nelson Big Band alongside close friend and bassist Tim Fenton. The duo composes and arranges original works for jazz orchestra featuring musicians from across the country in a large variety of styles. Their goal is to honor American traditions of big band and jazz music as well explore the cultural history of the US while presenting music that is unique and their own. 

EDUCATION

B.M. Music Theory

B.M. Music Performance

University of Georgia, c/o 2018

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M.M. Jazz Studies

University of Southern California, c/o 2020

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Teachers:

Jason Goldman, Professor at Univ. Southern California

Bob Mintzer, Professor at Univ. Southern California

Andy Martin, Professor at Univ. Southern California

Joshua Bynum, Professor at Univ. Georgia

Brian Hecht, Bass Trombone at Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

MUSIC LESSONS

Private music lessons with curricula tailored to the individual needs and goals of each student. Any ages welcome and have covered from beginning elementary and middle school students to adults playing as a hobby.

Topics covered include trombone, euphonium, and tuba fundamentals and performance among any genre, jazz improvisation, music theory, composition and arranging, ear training, and reading notated music.   

MUSICAL CREDITS

- Shea Diamond - 'Smile' - single released 2021 - trombone

- Independent film 'Magnolia Bloom' (2021) played at the Tribeca Film Festival and The American Pavilion at Cannes - bass trombone

- Misnomer - Mister Tie Dye EP (2017), Neighborhood (2018), Strength in Numbers (2020) - bass trombone, composer, arranger

- Futurebirds - Portico II (2017), Teamwork (2020) - trombone, bass trombone, arranger

- Angela O'Neill and the Outrageous 8 - Live at The Mixx (2019) - trombone

- The Orange Constant - Point of Reference (2017) - trombone, arranger

- Universal Sigh - Live at the Georgia Theater (2014), Atoms & Void (2016) - trombone, bass trombone, arranger

- Voodoo Visionary - Off the Ground (2017) - trombone

- Funk You - Apparitions (2016) - trombone

- Saturn Valley - On The Rings (2014) - trombone, arranger

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NOTABLE MENTIONS

A list of notable accolades and performances listed by year:

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2020

- Futurebirds's album 'Teamwork' listed in Downbeat Magazine's Top Albums of 2020 list

- Futurebirds's album 'Teamwork' mentioned in Rolling Stones Magazine

- w/ Knower and Thornton Jazz Orchestra, Los Angeles

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2019

- Bob Mintzer Big Band (feat. Ricky Peterson, Paul Peterson, Paul Jackson Jr., and Will Kennedy) @ Vibrato's, Los Angeles

- 'Tribute to Aretha Franklin' - USC Trustees event arranged and conducted by Patrice Rushen, Santa Barbara

- w/ Thornton Jazz Orchestra and New York Voices @ JEN Conference, Reno

- w/ Thornton Jazz Orchestra and Peter Erskine, Los Angeles

- w/ Thornton Jazz Orchestra - 2nd place @ Monterey NextGen Jazz Festival, college division, Monterey

- w/ Thornton Jazz Orchestra and Yellowjackets, Los Angeles

- w/ Thornton Jazz Orchestra and Vince Mendoza and Luciana Souza, Los Angeles

- w/ USC Concert Jazz Orchestra - Nat King Cole tribute, Los Angeles

- Live at The Mixx - live recording w/ Angela O'Neill and the Outrageous 8

- w/ Los Angeles Doctor's Symphony Orchestra: Schumann 1/ Dvořák In Nature's Realm, Culver City

- w/ Futurebirds @ Morccocan Lounge, Los Angeles

- w/ Ojai Pops Orchestra @ Libbey Bowl, Ojai

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2018

- w/ Thornton Jazz Orchestra and New York Voices @ Carson Television Center, Los Angeles

- w/ Los Angeles Youth Jazz Ensemble @ Univ. Southern California, Los Angeles

- The Orange Constant - Point of Reference release @ Georgia Theater, Athens

- w/ Misnomer @ Terminal West, Atlanta 

- w/ Misnomer @ Velvet Note, Alpharetta

- w/ Whitehall Jazz Collective @ Hendershot's, Athens

- w/ Misnomer @ Georgia Theater w/ Turkuaz, Athens

- Misnomer Neighborhood release show @ Hendershot's, Athens

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2017

- w/ Band of Horses @ Coca-Cola Roxy, Atlanta

- University of Georgia Opera - La Boheme - bass trombone

- Futurebirds - East Coast tour

- w/ Futurebirds @ Greeneville Zoo w/ The Revivalists

- Misnomer - Summer Neighborhood tour

- w/ Misnomer @ Georgia Theater, Athens

- Misnomer Mister Tie Dye EP Release @ Hendershot's, Athens

- w/ Walden @ Georgia Theater, Athens

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2016

- Partials - Southeast Summer Tour

- w/ Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls @ Georgia Theater, Athens

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2015

- Hodgson Wind Ensemble - Panamá Tour and Masterclasses 

- w/ Saturn Valley @ Geogia Theater, Athens

- w/ Universal Sigh @ Georgia Theater, Athens

- w/ Voodoo Visionary @ Aisle 5, Atlanta

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2014

- w/ Universal Sigh @ Georgia Theater, Athens