Gregg Gelb is a saxophonist, clarinetist, band leader, arranger, composer and educator. He is director of the Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble, founder and director of the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Society, and co-founder and player with the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra. He has many jazz groups that he founded and performs with regularly; his Jazz Trio or Quartet, La Fiesta Latin Jazz Band, the Second Line Stompers, and Gregg Gelb Swing Band. Besides always staying busy performing Gelb has always been a dedicated teacher who has constantly brought jazz and music education to people in NC since arriving here in 1979.
Highlights:
Gelb was given the Raleigh Medal of Arts in 2018.
In May, 2016 the Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble was selected to go to the finals in New York City in the national competition Jazz at Lincoln Center Essentially Ellington Festival and earned second place. They are the first and only group from North Carolina selected for this honor. Since then TYJE has been a finalist in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Gelb is a recipient of a Jazz Composers Award from the North Carolina Arts Council and four Regional Artist grants from the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Arts Council.
Gregg holds a DMA from UNC Greensboro, MM from UNC School of the Arts and BM from Berklee College of Music.
