Jehanbakhsh (John) Jasavala

Biography

Jehanbakhsh (John) Jasavala holds music degrees from University of Michigan, (M.M.), York University (B.F.A), a Diploma in Jazz Studies from Humber College, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Windsor. Jehanbakhsh has an active life as a performer, teacher, clinician, administrator and adjudicator.

He has held the position of Principal Trombone with both the Windsor and Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestras, and has performed as a freelance musician with several orchestras in Ontario and Michigan, including Orchestra London, and The Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Jehanbakhsh is the founding member and leader of The Umbrella Brass Quintet and Musica Quinta, Faculty Brass Quintet at Western whose members include Shawn Spicer, and Aaron Hodgson, Trumpets; Ron George, Horn; Brent Adams, Tuba. The Umbrella Brass Quintet has been broadcast by the CBC on “Music Around Us” and “Disc Drive”. Jehanbakhsh can be heard on CD with The University of Western Ontario Convocation Brass, the Ted Blackbourn Big Band and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (Amy Beech Symphony).

Jehanbakhsh has also been active as an instructor at Eastern Music Camp in Newfoundland and Interprovincial Music Camp in Ontario as well as MusiCamp Alberta. Jehanbakhsh is an active adjudicator and clinician in both jazz and instrumental music including several appearances at festivals including the Brandon Jazz Festival, Vancouver Jazz Festival, Corner Brook Music Festival, Windsor/Grand Falls, St. John’s NL, London Music Festival and Grey County Music Festival. Until relocating to Toronto in 2005, he was the Instructor of Trombone at the University of Windsor, taught chamber music courses and was the Director of the University of Windsor Jazz Ensemble. At Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Jehanbakhsh was the low brass instructor and Director of the Lakehead Jazz Ensemble. In addition to teaching jazz pedagogy to non-jazz majors, Jehanbakhsh was the Director of the University of Toronto 7 ‘O Clock Big Band (non-jazz majors) from 2005 to 2010.

Jehanbakhsh is currently an award winning lecturer, chamber ensembles coach and instructor of trombone at Western, Don Wright Faculty of Music, and the University of Toronto. Jehanbakhsh was the recipient of the University of Western Ontario Student Society Teaching Award in 2002 and in 2003, the recipient of the Meritorious Service Award for Part–time Faculty at the University of Windsor. Jehanbakhsh has twice been nominated for teaching awards at the University of Toronto in 2014 and 2015.