Jon picked up the alto saxophone in 4th grade and piano shortly thereafter, but didn't become serious about music until high school. At this time Jon began playing gigs in suburban Chicago, where he grew up, and quickly found himself playing different kinds of music. He then attended DePaul University in the heart of the city to continue his music education, obtaining a Music Business degree with a minor in Journalism in 2000. During these formative years, Jon performed with notable jazz musicians John Abercrombie and Tom Harrell, pop superstars Richard Marx and the Pointer Sisters, and up-and-coming crooner Michael Buble. Jon recorded many albums as a sideman during this developmental time in his musical growth. These recordings span the gamut as far as musical styles go, and include everything from traditional big band recordings to orchestral settings, Brazilian dance music to avant-garde jazz, and backing up singers to backing up hard rock bands.
In the fall of 2001, Jon moved to New York City to attend the Manhattan School of Music and study with one of his idols, Dick Oatts. After receiving his Master's Degree there in 2003, Jon was invited to play lead alto for the recently-formed jazz program at the Juilliard school, and received an Artist Diploma there in 2005. Since that time, Jon has been performing in and around New York City, and has toured through the continental United States, Europe, Costa Rica, Japan, and Taiwan.
Jon has been fortunate enough to be recognized in Downbeat's Student Music Awards for both performance (2004) and composition (2006), and was a participant in the 2003 Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles, the 2006 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program in Washington, D.C., as well as the Steans Institute for Jazz in 2008. Since his relocation to New York, Jon has performed and/or recorded with Billy Joel, Wynton Marsalis, Davie Liebman, Bright Eyes, Wycliffe Gordon, Rufus Reid, Deborah Gibson, Lou Reed, Ron Sexsmith, and Tommy Iago. Jon has also performed modern classical works of Dmitri Tymoczko and Remigijus Merkelys, has worked with the Pascal Rioult Dance Company, and has toured with Chicago the Musical.
As a leader, Jon recently formed Outright!, a quintet dedicated to honoring the jazz tradition by using the different styles found under its umbrella and joining them all through group and free improvisation. Outright!'s first album was recorded in spring 2007 at Systems Two Studios in Brooklyn, and has just been released on the Innova label. He also has an additive duo project with drummer Mike Pride, as well as a trio dedicated to the joy, humor, and flowing ideas of Sonny Rollins. Jon also runs an 80s cover band because he wants to.
As a sideman, Jon works in several forward-thinking groups, including Matt Grason's Motel Project (featuring Washingon, D.C.'s most daring freestyle beat poets), the free improvising RIDD Quartet (Clean Feed Records), the Jostein Gulbrandsen Quartet (Fresh Sound New Talent), Jon Lundbom's Big Five Chord, and Moppa Elliott's terrorist bebop band Mostly Other People Do the Killing (Hot Cup). The latter has been garnering rave reviews and interviews in JazzTimes, Downbeat, and Playboy magazines.
Jon also is an active teacher and clinician. He currently teaches private lessons and ensembles at Lagond Music School in Elmsford, NY, as well as for the Middle School Jazz Academy at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has run masterclasses in the United States, England, Scotland, Japan, and Costa Rica.
