Gilbert Castellanos

Gilbert Castellanos is a renowned musician, composer, curator, educator and arranger, and one of the country’s top-call jazz trumpeters. Skilled with impressive dexterity and control, his clarity of expression moves listeners on a deeply emotional level with music that sounds effortless.

Castellanos was highlighted in Internationally acclaimed DownBeat Magazine’s 2009 feature “25 For The Future” as one of the nation’s most innovative jazz trumpeters. Established as one of the nation's most inventive improvisers, he can be seen around the world in stirring live performances as a member of the renowned Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and nationally as a band leader of his own groups. He toured extensively as a former member of the Anthony Wilson Nonet, Charles McPherson Quintet and Willie Jones III Quintet.

Castellanos was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, where his father performed as leader, singer and arranger of the popular cumbia band Gil Castellanos y Su Copacabana. His father's love for classical composers and big band jazz broadened young Gilbert's horizons from an early age, and he was encouraged to become a jazz musician.

After completing his formal music education at two of the nation’s renowned institutions, Berklee College of Music in Boston and Cal Arts in Los Angeles, Castellanos quickly rose to national attention as a member of the celebrated band Black/Note, with whom he recorded three albums: "L.A. Underground" (Red Records), "Jungle Music" (Columbia Records) and "Nothin' But the Swing" (Impulse Records). His recording career since Black/Note has seen Castellanos thrive as a player, bandleader, composer and arranger on three acclaimed albums: his soulful 1999 self-titled debut release "The Gilbert Castellanos Hammond B3 Quartet,” his eclectic second offering "Underground" (Seedling Records, 2006) and “The Federal Jazz Project” (Dobie Music, 2013).

Castellanos keeps busy as one of the most respected sidemen and soloists working today.

While seated beside Count Basie band veteran Snooky Young, Castellanos grew as an integral force in the success of this world famous touring and recording ensemble. According to Clayton, he appreciated how Castellanos "always finds new life and new energy to breathe into the notes I write and the grooves we play with him." The performing and recording credits keep growing: Castellanos has worked with internationally acclaimed artists Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Horace Silver, Christian McBride, Lewis Nash, Oscar Hernandez, Les McCann, Diana Krall, Willie Nelson, Michael Buble, and Natalie Cole, to name a few. In 2009, he played live for millions of listeners as a member of the supporting band on "American Idol."

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