Bio
Originally from New York’s Hudson Valley region, Boston and New York-based trombonist, composer and improviser Jim Connolly crafts music where the goal is to invite listeners, performers, and improvisers to craft their own narrative in unique sonic worlds. His work blends the expressive lineage of jazz with a modern, exploratory sensibility that embraces both acoustic and electronic worlds.
Jim holds a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music, where he studied with Ayn Inserto and Greg Hopkins, and a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory, studying with Frank Carlberg, Ken Schaphorst, Anna Webber, and Kalia Vandever. While at Berklee, he received the Duke Ellington Award and the Charles Mingus Award for Jazz Composition.
His piece Marble Halls earned Honorable Mention at the 2025 Jazz Education Network’s Young Composers Showcase, and in 2026 he was selected as a JEN Young Composers Showcase selectee for his work Teigh I Bhfolach sa Choill.
Before his academic pursuits, Jim served five years in the United States Marine Corps Band, performing as a bass trombone instrumentalist and Assistant Enlisted Conductor with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, an experience that honed his musical discipline, leadership, and versatility across a wide range of performance contexts.
A thoughtful and adaptable composer, Jim writes for ensembles ranging from intimate string quartets to expansive large jazz orchestras. He leads his own Big Band, the Jim Connolly Jazz Orchestra, as well as his quartet, both of which serve as creative laboratories for his original compositions and arrangements. His writing balances intricate ensemble textures with space for improvisation, creating music that is equally compelling to perform and to hear.
In addition to his ensemble work, Jim is active as a solo trombone and electronics performer. Using extended techniques, looping, and real-time processing, he builds immersive sonic environments that merge acoustic resonance with ambient and experimental electronic textures. This body of work showcases his interest in narrative, atmosphere, and the boundary-pushing potential of improvisation.
Through all his projects, Jim strives to sculpt musical landscapes that invite audiences, collaborators, and improvisers alike to discover their own narratives within the sound.