Paul Tafoya is a talented trumpeter, composer, and bandleader with a decade of professional experience in the music industry. He developed a passion for music in his pre-teen years, later being awarded "Marine Musician of The Year" in the MARFORPAC band in the Marine Corps, where he honed his skills while travelling abroad performing. After his time in the military, Paul attended college and studied with some of the most renowned musicians in the industry, including Lew Soloff, Jeremy Pelt, Ralph Alessi, Ingrid Jensen, Jon-Erik Kellso, and more. 

  

Throughout his career, Paul has performed recorded with a wide range of Grammy and Emmy winners and nominees like Christian McBride, Katreese Barnes, George Nehme, Ulysses Owens Jr, Ronnie Garrett and Patricia Birch. 

  

Paul has lead bands in Hawaii, NYC, Florida, and the southeast, even leading at the 2016 Bern Jazz Festival.  

  

He has shared stages with Jon Batiste, Rich Perry, Alon Yavnai, Lakecia Benjamin, Eyal Vilner, Russell Hall, Wycliffe Gordon, James Francies, Matt Wilson, and Terrell Stafford. 

  

Recently, Paul relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, where he hit the ground running, working with local talent such as Somos LPT, Rasin Cakes Orchestra, Junco Royals, Mariachi Primera Costa, Zaza Flamenca, Alchematic, Ebony Payne English, Roosevelt Collier, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Ulysses Owens Jr, and Les DeMerle, longtime drummer for the Harry James orchestra. The trumpeter and bandleader has also began to dip his toes back into teaching as the adjunct brass instructor at Episcopal School of Jacksonville. 

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