Erik Jekabson

Bay Area trumpeter/composer Erik Jekabson is a thoughtfully cerebral performer known for his sophisticated jazz chops and stylistically varied work. Since emerging in the 1990s in San Francisco, Jekabson has balanced his time between performing and teaching, holding positions at the California Jazz Conservatory, Los Medanos College, and Diablo Valley College. While post-bop jazz is his forte, albums like 2012's Anti-Mass, 2017's Erik Jekabson Sextet, and 2018's The Falling Dream, with his big band the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, are anything but predictable, showcasing forays into Latin rhythms, funk, and chamber string music. An equally adventurous, cross-pollinated vibe marks his work with the collective Daggerboard, especially the group's collaborations with bassist Henry "The Skipper" Franklin: 2022's Daggerboard and the Skipper and 2024's Escapement. With 2025's Breakthrough, Jekabson further illuminated his broad jazz and classical orchestral leanings.