Introducing the band

On Trumpet: Steve Nelson

Steve

Steve plays trumpet and flugelhorn with the group. He studied several years with Michael Walk, who was then with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra (currently with the Saint Louis Symphony). In addition to playing with the Retro Swing 7, he currently he plays in the Sonora Winds, a wind ensemble headed by Dr. John Snavely, a long-time member of the Tucson Symphony, and is the lead trumpet in the Rhythm Gang, a big band headed by John Arrison and associated with the Tucson Concert Band. He is also a member of the International Trumpet Guild.

Steve Nelson plays trumpet and flugelhorn. His musical development began with playing cornet, then trumpet in middle school in Oklahoma and trumpet and guitar in high school in California. In college he focused on science and, in 1976, received a PhD in Ecology from the University of California at Davis. He was a faculty member of the University of Guam Marine Laboratory from 1977 to 1997 and is currently a Research Scientist at the University of Arizona. He arrived in Tucson in 1997 and became involved with the local music scene and studied trumpet for 3 years with Michael Walk of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the International Trumpet Guild and currently, also, plays with the Sonora Winds and with the Rhythm Gang (big band).