Dan Wilkins Sextet
- Friday, August 15, 2025 @ 7:30 pm · get tickets
Dan Wilkins – tenor and alto saxophones
Chris Rogers – trumpet and flugelhorn
Griffin Woodard – bass clarinet
Jon Ballantyne – piano
Adrian Moring – bass
Bill Goodwin – drums
Join us for an unforgettable evening of soulful melodies and dynamic rhythms with The Dan Wilkins’ Sextet at Jazz Upstairs! Renowned for their inventive arrangements and high-energy performances, this exceptional ensemble will immerse you in the rich world of jazz with a unique blend of original compositions and exciting improvisation. The group creates a truly captivating experience that will resonate with both seasoned jazz lovers and newcomers alike. Don’t miss this chance to witness a night of musical brilliance and creativity that will leave you inspired!
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Lehigh Valley saxophonist, composer and educator, Dan Wilkins brings his multigenerational sextet to the Miller Symphony Hall stage, presenting music from their 2024 album ‘Moonglow’, released on Deer Head Records, featuring a personal imaginative touch on music from the Great American Songbook as well as jazz favorites.
The group has been performing as a quartet or quintet at venues such as Smalls Jazz Club in NYC, the COTA Festival, Musikfest, the Deer Head Inn, the Lafayette Bar, iLafayette College, and the Kennet Flash Jazz Fest. They are delighted to feature their full ensemble for this special event.
The sextet features prominently the great drummer Bill Goodwin, well known for his 40 plus year career performing with Phil Woods, as well as Gary Burton, Lee Konitz, Charles Lloyd, Tom Waits, and George Shearing, among many others.
Pianist Jon Ballantyne who performs regularly with Goodwin and his trio in NYC, was also a member of acclaimed saxophonist, Joe Henderson’s internationally-touring band. Ballantyne also performed with the recently departed drum legend Roy Haynes, pianist Paul Bley, as well as drummer Billy Hart.
Trumpeter Chris Rogers’s career started at 19 years old, performing with Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band for five years. Rogers would later release his album Voyage Home to critical acclaim featuring Grammy nominated saxophonists Michael Brecker and Ted Nash.
Bassist Adrian Moring found his start learning from his father, acclaimed bassist Bill Moring. Moring has performed alongside Mulgrew Miller, Phil Woods, Billy Hart, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Wilkins and Moring share a nearly 20 year musical friendship, first studying together at NJPAC’s ‘Jazz for Teens’ program.
Bass Clarinetist Griffin Woodard, the youngest member of the band, is a rising star and local musician from the Lehigh Valley – a graduate of the Lehigh Valley Charter Arts School and Oberlin School of Music. Woodard performs regularly with bassist Gene Perla, and recently joined Wilkins quartet as a featured guest at Smalls Jazz Club.
Dan Wilkins also performs regularly with his father, pianist Skip Wilkins, recently touring in Berlin and around the Czech Republic. They have released four albums together with a fifth on the way. Wilkins last performed at Miller Symphony Hall in 2021 featuring his original music Horizons Quartet with bassist Gene Perla, drummer Byron Landham and pianist James Collins. Wilkins teaches jazz saxophone at Kutztown University, Lafayette College, and Muhlenberg College.