Dr. Javier Nero

Javier Nero

New York

Dr. Javier Nero is a jazz trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator whose musicianship is already receiving significant recognition. Dr. Nero has won first place in 4 international jazz solo competitions including the 2011 International Trombone Association’s Carl Fontana. Competition, the ITA’s 2013 JJ Johnson Competition, the 2014 American Trombone Workshop National Jazz Solo Competition, and the 2015 Texas State Trombone Symposium Jazz Trombone Competition. Dr. Nero was also 1 of 3 finalists nationwide selected to compete in the 2018 Curtis Fuller Jazz Trombone Competition in Detroit, Michigan. Currently based in New York City, Javier is busy as both a sideman and bandleader in the greater New York City area. He performs regularly with the New Alchemy Jazz Orchestra, The Robert Edwards Big Band, Steven Feifke Big Band, Eyal Vilner Big Band, and the Revisionists. Javier also leads two of his own ensembles “The Javier Nero Septet” and “The Javier Nero Jazz Orchestra. Both ensembles perform all original compositions and arrangements. Before relocating back to NYC, Dr. Nero collaborated and recorded with multiple Grammy award- winning musicians in Miami and the greater South Florida area including Brian Lynch John Daversa, and Shelly Berg. Dr. Nero also performed with many local staples in the Miami jazz community such as Martin Bejerano, Errol Rackipov, Felipe Lamoglia, Tal Cohen, and Jean Caze. Nero has also held the lead trombone position in the award-winning Frost Concert Jazz Band at the University of Miami. His classical training and versatility have enabled him to perform in various styles and genres alike, ranging from small jazz combos, to symphony orchestras. Most recently Dr. Nero held the trombone position on the Off-Broadway production of “The Secret Life of Bees”. Nero has also been a regular member of the award winning Haitian band “KLASS” which tours the US, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, and France. Dr. Nero’s compositions and arrangements have also earned various awards and accolades including Downbeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards, participation in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program, and the Banff Centre’s international workshop in jazz and creative music. Nero’s composition “Tesseract” for jazz orchestra was the winner of the 2018 Ithaca College Composer Contest which featured drummer Matt Wilson, and his composition “Kemet” was an honorable mention in 2019 Ithaca College Jazz Composition Contest, which featured Jazz at Lincoln Center’s lead trombonist, Vincent Gardner. Multiple Grammy award-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch calls Nero’s compositions: “modern, sophisticated yet accessible, pleasing the player and listener alike”. He has also written compositions and arrangements that were performed by the Frost Symphony Orchestra, the Concert Jazz Band, Studio Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Vocal 1, Extensions, The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and many more. Nero currently holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Juilliard School, a Master of Music from University of Miami in Studio/Jazz Writing, and graduated in May, 2017 with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a cognate (minor) in classical trombone performance at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami.