Peter Ecklund

Best-known as the cornetist with Marty Grosz's Orphan Newsboys, Peter Ecklund has always been attracted to pre-swing-era jazz. A superior ensemble player whose crisp solos are a delight, Ecklund graduated from Yale in 1967 and worked with a wide variety of musicians, including Gregg Allman, Maria Muldaur, Leon Redbone, and Paul Butterfield. He helped form the Galvanized Jazz Band shortly after graduating from Yale and toured with singer Paula Lockheart, but also played with rock bands and did a lot of freelancing in the 1970s and early '80s. Most importantly, Ecklund began subbing in Vince Giordano's Nighthawks and became a permanent member and co-leader of the Orphan Newsboys (a perfect outlet for his talents) when it was formed in 1988. Also a fine whistler, Ecklund has played with the who's who of trad jazz and mainstream at jazz parties and festivals, leading recording dates for Stomp Off and Arbors.