Buffalo New York native, Dr. John Hasselback III has established himself as an award winning lyrical trumpet soloist and composer. Hasselback’s colorful sound is thoroughly informed by the lineage of jazz trumpet tradition, combining the sounds of yesterday with the sounds of tomorrow.
While attending The Eastman School of Music on a Doctoral Fellowship, The Conservatory of Music at Purchase College on a graduate talent scholarship and The Hartt School of Music’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz on a full-tuition scholarship, Hasselback was privileged to be mentored under the tutelage of master trumpeters including Freddie Hendrix, Jon Faddis, and Clay Jenkins.
Hasselback maintains a regular performing schedule winning top positions in the prestigious “Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program of 2016”, earning recognition as “Buffalo’s Jazz Rising Star of 2017”, and The Hartford Jazz Society’s “Emerging Jazz Artist of 2018”. Hasselback is also a recipient of the 2019 Pathways to Jazz Grant. His 2021 debut album release “Entrance” has also received top 20 airplay on US and European radio charts and earned many accolades for his performance and mighty pen.
Hasselback has performed or recorded with Grammy award winning artists and notable musicians including Joe Lovano, Steve Davis, Kenny Washington, Donald Harrison, Nat Reeves, Eric McPherson, Rene McLean, Ronnie Burrage, Jonathan Barber, Freddie Hendrix, David Gibson, Ken Peplowski, Taber Gable, Pete Malinverni, Wayne Escoffery, Rick Germanson, Luques Curtis, Billy Pierce, Steve Nelson, Doug Weiss, Jon Faddis, and NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath. He has also performed at notable venues including The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center Dizzy’s Club, The Apollo Music Cafe, The Side Door Jazz Club, The Northwest Jazz Festival, The Albright Knox Summer Jazz Stage, The Handel Performing Arts Center, The Purchase Performing Arts Center, The White Plains Jazz Festival, The Hartford Jazz Cruise, and The John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts.
As an educator, Hasselback has served as Instructor of Jazz Trumpet at Syracuse University and Instructor of Jazz Theory and Improvisation at The Eastman School of Music. He currently can be found inspiring students at The Oberlin Conservatory as The James R. 58’ and Susan Neumann Postdoctoral Fellow in Jazz History, and in clinics across the United States.
John Hasselback III performs proudly as a Schilke Trumpet endorsing artist.
