Jay graduated from Mansfield University in 1993. He studied jazz improvisation for one year with Dr. Michael Galloway and jazz arranging one semester. For four years, he was the featured soloist and trombonist of the Mansfield University Jazz Band. They performed at the PMEA and MENC and were third at the Villanova Jazz Festival 1994. Jay performed with Bob Mintzer, a jazz saxophonist, at the Mansfield University Jazz Festival. He also performed with Neil Slater, a Mansfield alumni, who was the director of One O’clock Lab Band, at the University of North Texas. Jay was awarded a scholarship in 1999 to study at Berklee College of Music. Jay performed with the college jazz band from 1999 to 2001. He also played in the pit orchestra at Penns Valley High School for 2002-2004. Jay was also a member of the Bald Eagle High School’s Singing On Stages productions of Dream Girls (2006), Oliver in 2007, Apple Tree and Barnum (2009), Oliver and Hairspray (2010), Chicago in 2011, Merrily we Roll Along (2012), Urinetown and Scrooge (2013), and Annie (2014). From 2004 to 2007, he was the Valley Jazz Orchestra’s trombonist. He also played trombone with Jazz Innate from 2003 to 2005, as an octet. Jay was also the Keystone Society of Swing Big Band’s Lead Trombonist from 2001 to 2006. He is a member of the Trombone Chowder trombone quartet and Slide Zone rhythm section jazz band. Hexagon is a jazz sextet that plays original music. He currently plays in a group of keyboard, trombone, bass, and drums. They have played Lewisburg Live and South Hills Business School’s Summer Concert Series. Zeropoint is his big band. He plays the solo trombone. A smaller group of him includes a trio of trombones, organ and drums. They have performed at The Butler Fall Festival. A duo consisting of trombone, guitar, or trombone with keyboard or trombone plus bass is called swing-nova. This group has performed throughout the region, including in many nursing homes and assisted living communities across Maryland and Pennsylvania. Jay also has the honor of performing with Catherine Dupuis, pianist Russ Kassoff and Jay Anderson, Jay Finck, Jay Leonhart, Jay Leonhart, Jay Leonhart, Jay Anderson, Jay Finck, and Jay Leonhart, as well as drummers Tim Horner, Dennis Mackrel, at the Jazz PA Festival, 2005-2010.
