Bijon Watson

GRAMMY® Award-winning trumpeter Bijon Watson’s recording, live, and touring credits are vast and the short list includes: Natalie Cole, Michael Bublé, Kurt Elling, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Stevie Wonder, Rosemary Clooney, Nancy Wilson and Joe Williams. Bijon plays lead trumpet for the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, John Daversa Progressive Big Band, and John Beasley’s Monkestra. When a jazz big band or orchestra needs a lead trumpeter, Bijon gets the call. In 2022, as co-leader with Steven Feifke, Bijon can be heard not only on lead trumpet but as a featured soloist with their GRAMMY® Award-winning Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra for Best Jazz Big Band Album.

On television, Bijon has performed on episodes of American Idol, The Voice, and The Tonight Show, as well as Grammy Awards shows, The BET Music Awards and Dancing With The Stars. His film appearances include appearing in the award-winning film La La Land and recording on several soundtracks with studios such as Paramount, Fox, and Disney, including Epic, Despicable Me 2 and The Secret Life of Pets.

​As a classically trained musician, Bijon has had the opportunity to perform as a guest with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony. A dedicated educator, Bijon is a sought-after clinician who gives master classes and clinics to colleges, and high schools throughout the United States, and Europe. Bijon rejoins The Jazz Cruise as an All-Star and essential member of Anita’s Big Band.

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