(niel, bryan lynch, ron miles, terrance blanchard)

   Niel Levonius is a long time resident of the Bay Area and has been performing on the trumpet since age 11. Highlights have included playing the lead trumpet chair for a Summer 2004 tour of Europe with trumpet legend Jon Faddis and a Summer 2000 tour of Europe with Louie Bellson the legendary drummer from the Duke Ellington and Woody Herman Orchestras.  He has been seen at some of the biggest jazz festivals in the world, including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, The North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Netherlands, Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, Vienne Jazz Festival in Vienne, France and the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France. When he is not touring or recording, Niel can be found in one of the many performing arts venues in the San Francisco Bay Area playing fiery Salsa, hard hitting funk, swinging Jazz, or in the "pit" of local theaters playing Broadway type shows.

Recently, Niel played on the 10 month San Francisco run of "The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Dean & Joey", a Broadway type show celebrating the infamous Rat Pack at the Marines Memorial Theatre and the West Coast premier of the Broadway show "Love, Janis", the life story of Janis Joplin.

Niel has performed or recorded with Jon Faddis, Gladys Knight, Louie Bellson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E., Patti LaBelle, BB King, Bray, Sandy Hackett, The Dells, The Lettermen, Giacomo Gates, Marvin Stamm, Billy Higgins, Bobby Hutcherson, George Graham, Wycliffe Gordon, Mark Applebaum, Fil Lorenz and the Collective West Jazz Orchestra, Orquesta Kache, Julio Bravo Orquesta, Franco Brothers, Tito Garcia, Heart and Soul, Harold Jones and the Boss Men, Peaches & Herb, The Floaters, Joe Bataan, G.Q., and the Rudy Salvini Jazz Orchestra.