Dion Tucker is an accomplished trombonist, composer, and music educator with an oeuvre that defies genre. Boston-born and Miami-bred, Dion moved to New York in 1998 to study at The New School under the tutelage of pioneering trombonists Benny Powell and Steve Turre, among others.
In 2001, he had the privilege of touring with the rock band Matchbox 20 and was lead trombonist in The Duke Ellington Orchestra from 2003 until 2013. Since 2007, Dion has been a member of The Harry Connick, Jr. Big Band and has had the unique opportunity to perform with Harry for President Barack Obama at the 2012 Governors Ball, as lead trombonist in the 2011 Broadway revival of “On A Clear Day,” and as the trombonist in the 2018 stage adaptation of the Academy Award winning film, “The Sting,” performed at the historic Paper Mill Playhouse. More recently Dion served as the lead trombonist in Connick’s original Broadway show “A Celebration of Cole Porter,” featuring the music of the great American composer Cole Porter.
As an educator, Dion has taught in over 20 New York City public schools through the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People program. He also served as a clinician at the Snipes Academy of Arts and Design for hundreds of students, focusing on musical styles such as New Orleans jazz and Be-bop. In July of 2020, Dion took his love of teaching to the internet and created his own online teaching platform “The Chops Shop.” The Chops Shop is a platform where strategies are provided for brass players to avoid embouchure misuse and overuse, and to share techniques with musicians to help them to perform more efficiently and execute music more confidently. He is currently the Director of the New Jersey Youth Symphony Jazz program.
Throughout his career, Dion has shared the stage with many jazz, soul and gospel greats including Ray Charles, The Count Basie Band, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis, Aretha Franklin, The Maria Schneider Orchestra, John Hendricks, The Lionel Hampton Band, Frank Foster’s Loud Minority Big Band, American Symphony Orchestra with pianist Marcus Roberts, Clark Terry & the Young Titans of Jazz, Joey De-Francesco, Catherine Russell, Christian McBride, The Rufus Reid Big Band and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra where he is currently a member.
Dion’s many television appearances comprise of ceremonies such as the 2013 Kennedy Center Honor Awards honoring blues great Buddy Guy and rock legends Led Zepplin, and the 2009 Mark Twain Prize; day-time television programs The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, LIVE with Kelly and Michael, The Today Show and Good Morning America; late-night programs such as The David Letterman Show, The Tonight Show, and The Jimmy Fallon Show; music programs American Idol, Australian Idol; and the 2008 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans, where he had the pleasure of playing with piano legends Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Art and Ivan Neville, Ellis Marsalis, and Davell Crawford. From 2016 to 2018, Dion was a band member on the Daytime Emmy Award winning talk show, HARRY, performing with Michael McDonald, Gladys Knight, Gloria Estefan, Sheila E., and many others.
Among his other accomplishments: Dion was a featured artist at the 2010 and 2016-2021 North Carolina Jazz Festival, performed with the Lincoln Center All-Star Band for the Tony-nominated Broadway “After Midnight,” and served as composer for his band Oddlogik’s album Modern Authenticity.