Giveton Gelin
At age 10, Gelin taught himself to play the trumpet simply by emulating his favorite records. After years of self-tutelage, Adrian D’Aguilar, bass player, began to mentor him; thereby, providing him the tools to play jazz. In 2017, the Nassau-born trumpeter would study with Dr. Eddie Henderson at the Oberlin Conservatory. The same year, he received recognition at the Young Arts Foundation and Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program. Thereafter, he continued his studies at the Juilliard School --- graduated June 2021.
Within the span of three years, Gelin has played with pioneers of the NY jazz scene such as Curtis Lundy, Bobby Watson, Roy Hargrove, Sullivan Fortner, Wynton Marsalis, Ben Wolfe, and Jon Batiste. Additionally, the 22-year-old trumpeter has received tutelage from some of the world’s greatest including Wynton Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Ralph Peterson, and is the protege of the late Roy Hargrove.
In 2020, the Bahamas-native released his debut, True Design, receiving warm reviews and critical mention from Jazziz, WBGO, and more; not to mention, he was awarded the 2020 LetterOne Rising Star Jazz Award, and ASCAP's Herb Alpert Award. Ultimately, Gelin's artistic vision is to pay tribute to his ancestors, and unify others by incorporating universal human experiences into sound. Through his quintet, the young trumpeter brings forth a new narrative to jazz music.