Bio

“One of the new jazz greats on the scene” – Jamie Robash, Divide and Conquer

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New Orleans based drummer Jon Sheckler is becoming a unique voice in the modern jazz scene.  After winning numerous awards while attending high school in suburban Seattle, Jon attended the University of Northern Colorado and continued to excel, being named an Outstanding Musician at the 2010 UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival and winning the 2009 UNC Jazz Composers Contest among other achievements.  While at home, Jon was never idol and was nominated as a Rising Star at the 2010 Inside/Out Jazz awards presented by Lucid Jazz Lounge, while leading his trio at notable local venues such as Tula’s Jazz Club, Egan’s Ballard Jam House, Lucid Jazz Lounge and the Seamonster Lounge.  Additionally, Doug Haire’s Sonarchy Radio twice featured Jon as one the area’s leading jazz artists in 2009 and 2013. 

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While living in Brooklyn, Jon continued where he left off by being a constant presence in the New York music scene.  His trio has been featured multiple times at ShapeShiter Lab, Club Bonafide, NuBlu, Williamsburg Music Center, and Rockwood Music Hall among others.  In 2017, his trio was in residence at Caffe Vivaldi in Greenwich Village.  He has been sidemen to Al Rowe, James Robbins, James Weidman, Larry Corban, Steve Denny, Clay Jenkins, Darrius Wilrich, Fima Chupatkin and Reuel Lubag among others. 

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His new album, Cityscapes, has drawn critical praise across the board.  All About Jazz chose two tracks from the record for Downloads of the Day while Michael Ferber called it "excellent album with a distinct sound" while singling out Jon for his "impressive and very dynamic" playing.  Cityscapes was named as a top album of the month in September 2018 by Divide and Conquer and said that “Cityscapes offers you the chance to hear some truly original compositions…” Chris Barber at Jazz Views called the record "immediately accessible and engaging," citing the “strong rhythmic textures” of Jon’s writing and playing. Dick Metcalf went further, giving the album a 5/5 at Contemporary Jazz Fusion while saying that the trio is “totally ‘with’ each other, particularly on this stunning piece of jazz!  I’ve no doubt your ears will be just as amazed as mine were!”

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In addition to his work as a jazz musician, Jon keeps busy as an in demand drummer for all genres.  He has played with Ryan and Annalyse, Marshal White and the Regiment, Monquez Pippins, Sharina Louise, Lotus Berry, Sons of Cloda and Robert Whaley.  He also co-leads Linden St. Connection with singer/co-writer Caitlin Bement.  Furthermore, Jon has begun to work behind the glass, acting as a producer for Monquez Pippins, Sean Britt, Linden St. Connection and Jordan Ziskin’s debut album Crazy Child.  In 2018, the Hartford Jazz Society nominated Jon an emerging artist.  In 2021, Jon was awarded a Student Music Award by DownBeat Magazine for Outstanding Original Composition and was named the ASCAP Louis Armstrong Scholar.  In 2022, Jon won the UNO Svenson Jazz Composition Contest.  Since moving to New Orleans, Jon has played with Grammy-winning saxophonist Brent Rose (New Orleans Nightcrawlers) and Grammy-nominated pianist Andrui Yanovski (Cha Wa).

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Jon has a BM – Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado and a Masters of Music degree from the University of New Orleans.  Jon has studied with Jim White, John Riley, Grey Barrier, Johnny Vidacovich, and Ricky Sebastian.