Presenter
The 51st Annual International Trumpet Guild Conference
Lexington, KY (USA)
Elliott Bild
From Car Licks to Conversation: John Swana’s Approach to Jazz Language and Improvisation
Elliot Bild is a trumpeter, educator, bandleader, and composer. He earned his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree from Temple University.
An active performer on the Philadelphia and national jazz scenes, Elliot has appeared with Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band, Don Braden, Duane Eubanks, Tim Warfield Jr., Conrad Herwig, Randy Brecker, Norman David and The Eleventet, Zaccai & Luques Curtis, Byron Landham, Behn Gillece, Myron Walden, Mark Whitfield Jr., Pablo Batista, and many others. He has performed at renowned venues and festivals including the Kimmel Center, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, Smalls Jazz Club, Smoke Jazz Club, Exit Zero Jazz Festival, and the Litchfield Jazz Festival.
Elliot can be heard on recordings by Richard Hill, Mike Boone, Nick Krolak, Lucas Brown, Nick Lombardelli, Michael Hudson-Casanova, Skyler Hagner, V. Shayne Frederick, the South Philly Big Band, and the Peter Frank Orchestra featuring Lucas Beltran.
As a leader, Elliot released ISMS in 2020, an album of original compositions that received a 4½-star review from All About Jazz. In 2024, Elliot Bild & the Zone released their second album of original music, Sound Picture, produced by Tim Hagans. He is also the author of Car Licks, Volumes 1 & 2, featuring transcriptions of trumpeter John Swana.
In addition to performing, Elliot serves as an educator with the Philadelphia Orchestra School Ensemble Program, Gwynedd Mercy Academy, Philadelphia Music Alliance for Youth (PMAY), and the Litchfield Jazz Camp, and is an adjudicator for Cavalcade of Jazz.
John Swana
Co-Presenter
Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, John Swana took up Trumpet at the age of 11. He was drawn to jazz at the age of 17 after hearing Dizzy Gillespie, and the interest developed into a passion while he was in college. There he began transcribing the solos of Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, and Tom Harrell. At the age of 26, he also started playing the EVI (Electric Valve Instrument), an instrument he plays exclusively today.
Swana has performed and/or toured with the Mingus Big Band, and the Dave Holland Big Band. He has also played with well known jazz names such as Don Patterson, Shirley Scott, Mickey Roker, Stanley Turrentine, Harold Mabern, Cecil Payne, Johnny Coles, Ralph Peterson, Charles Fambrough, Bobby Watson, Craig Handy, Chris Potter, Stephen Scott, Tim Warfield, Eric Alexander, Sam Newsome, Brad Mehldau, Vincent Herring, Uri Caine, Tim Armacost, Peter Leitch, Peter Bernstein, Mark Turner, Jon Gordon, Donny McCaslin, Ravi Coltrane, Ralph Bowen, Greg Hutchinson, Ari Hoenig, Seamus Blake, and Robin Eubanks. He has also been heard with Freddie Hubbard, Phil Woods, Ronnie Cuber, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Clark Terry, Frank Foster, John Faddis, Slide Hampton, J.J. Johnson, Bob Minzer, and Charlie Persip.
John Swana can be heard on recordings with: Benny Golson, Grover Washington Jr., Chris Potter, Ralph Bowen, Donny McCaslin, John Patitucci, Eric Alexander, Charles Fambrough, Craig Handy, Tito Puente, Bill O’Connell, Lenny White, Ricky Sabastian, Eric Harland, Greg Hutchinson, Marlon Simon, Ed Simon, Dave Valentin, Café, Art Webb, Adam Holtzman, Ron Blake, Peter Bernstein, Carl Allen, Mulgrew Miller, Benny Green, Kenny Barron, Tim Warfield, Lewis Nash, Clarence Penn, Kevin Hays, Chris McBride, Uri Caine, Peter Leitch, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Ralph Peterson, Bobby Zankel, and Tom Harrell.
Tony DeSantis
Co-Presenter
Tony DeSantis earned his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from the University of the Arts and has been an active member of the Philadelphia music scene for more than forty years. Throughout his career, he has performed with the Woody Herman Orchestra, The Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Artie Shaw Orchestra, The Philly Pops, and The Glenn Miller Orchestra.
In addition, Tony has shared the stage with many of jazz’s most respected artists, including Slide Hampton, J.J. Johnson, Al Grey, Bill Watrous, Clark Terry, Jon Faddis, Richie Cole, Frank Foster, Stanley Turrentine, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Bob Mintzer, Joey DeFrancesco, Charles Earland, Trudy Pitts, Don Patterson, Natalie Cole, Terell Stafford, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, and Johnny Mathis.
Tony can be heard on recordings with Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Buddy DeFranco, Denis DiBlasio, John Swana, Larry McKenna, and Robben Ford.
He currently performs with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, The Eleventet, The Andrew Neu Big Band, City Rhythm Orchestra, Swingtopia, and Chico’s Vibe. In addition to his performing career, Tony serves on the faculties of Moravian University, Swarthmore College, and Widener University. He is also a frequent performer at Chris’ Jazz Cafe, appearing with many of the region’s leading jazz artists.
Tony DeSantis is a proud Soulo Mute Artist