Originally from Largo, Florida, Jonathan Powell picked up the trumpet at the age of eleven, never to look back. Inspired by the great jazz trumpeters Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard and Miles Davis, Jonathan moved to New York City at the age of 19 to emerge himself in the rich jazz scene of the “Big Apple”. Though jazz was his first and greatest love, he soon began incorporating elements of Latin music, north Indian classical music, Drum'n'Bass, hip hop, death metal and 20th century classical music into his original compositions. These influences are heard and felt on his band Nu Sangha’s debut album Transcend, released in 2010, as well as Beacons of Light, released with Truth Revolution Records in 2015.
As a freelance trumpet player Jonathan has shared the stage and recording studio with world renownd musicians and artists like Eddie Palmieri, DJ Premier, Miguel Zenon, Henry Cole, Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bob Mintzer, The WDR Big Band, JT Taylor (Kool & the Gang), La Excelencia, Sam Rivers, The Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra, Q-Tip, Andy Milne, Gary Thomas, Lenny White, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Reggie Workman, Just Blaze, CL Smooth, Slick Rick and Snoop Dogg to name a few. Known to be a versatile trumpet player with ease in many different musical styles, Jonathan has earned a name for himself on the Latin music scene in New York City by winning The Latin Jazz Corner's Best Latin Jazz Trumpet Player of 2009, becoming Eddie Palmieri’s first call trumpet player since 2013 and helping Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra to bring home GRAMMY wins in 2014 and 2015.
