Trio Grande is multi-national trio featuring UK saxophonist Will Vinson, Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman and US drummer Nate Wood.
Gilad Hekselman
One of the leading voices in jazz guitar., Gilad Hekselman arrived in New York in 2004. Within a few years this native Israeli was sharing stages with some of the greatest artists in the New York jazz scene including Chris Potter, Fred Hersch, Ari Hoenig, Esperanza Spalding, Jeff Ballard, Gretchen Parlato, Tigran Hamasyan and Becca Stevens among many others.
In May 2019, Hekselman featured his quartet at the legendary NYC venue The Village Vanguard. He has also been playing all other major jazz clubs in New York City, including the Blue Note, The Jazz Standard, Dizzy’s Club and Smalls. He is constantly touring world-wide and has played most noteworthy jazz festivals and venues including Montreux, North Sea, Montreal & SFJazz.
Hekselman has released 10 critically acclaimed records as a band-leader, many of which have made it into “best of the year” lists on New York Times, Downbeat Magazine, All About Jazz and other publications. Gilad is the recipient of several prestigious awards and recognitions. In 2017, he placed first in the Rising Star category of Downbeat Magazine. That same year, he won the 7 Virtual Jazz Club international competition 2017.
Born in Israel in 1983, Gilad studied classical piano from age 6 and began studying guitar at the age of 9. From age 12 to 14 he performed regularly with the band of a weekly children’s television show. He attended the prestigious Thelma Yellin School of Arts, graduating with excellence from the jazz department at age 18. Gilad received the America-Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarship for studies abroad to attend The New School in New York, where he completed his BFA in performing arts in 2008.
Will Vinson
Originally from London, alto saxophonist/composer Will Vinson has made his career in New York City and the world. Since his arrival in NYC, he has appeared and/or recorded with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ari Hoenig, Jonathan Kreisberg, Marcus Gilmore, Chris Potter, Kurt Elling, Lage Lund, Aaron Parks, and many others.
Will is a member of a number of leading ensembles, including pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba’s Quartet, Ari Hoenig’s Punk Bop and Nonet, Miguel Zenon’s Identities Orchestra, and his own groups featuring, among others, Lage Lund, Jeff Ballard, Aaron Parks, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Shai Maestro and Mike Moreno. In 2012, along with bassist Orlando le Fleming and guitarist Lund, he formed the critically acclaimed OWL Trio.
Will has an international reputation as a leader and sideman. All About Jazz New York describes Will as playing “with a relentless force”, while Time Out London calls Will an “exciting young altoist with a lethal approach to writing and soloing”.
Will has released six CDs as a leader/composer and has appeared with his own group and as a sideman in the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Australia and Japan. His musical experience has not been limited to Jazz. Will is a member of Rufus Wainwright’s band, which toured for 10 months in 2007/8. He has also performed, arranged and/ or recorded with Sufjan Stevens, Sean Lennon, Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton and Harper Simon.
Will’s saxophone playing is executed with incredible power and dramatic sensitivity and is characterized by his imposing sound and technique; influenced by saxophonists from Cannonball to Chris Potter, he nevertheless brings his own unique approach to every performance. Will’s writing, and the playing of his colleagues, combines a great respect for the century-long jazz tradition with explorations into the rhythmic, harmonic and melodic realms of contemporary forms.
Nate Wood
Grammy-nominated Nate Wood is a drummer/multi-instrumentalist and mastering engineer based in New York.
In his one-man band fOUR, he plays drums, analogue synths, bass and guitar along with vocals – at the same time, with no pre-recorded backing tracks, overdubs or click track.
A number of viral videos have been released on YouTube and Facebook, with some of the clips topping one million views. fOUR’s first full-length record X.IT was released in 2018, followed by a performance on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert in January 2019. Since then, Wood has been touring around the globe with fOUR, most recently opening for Snarky Puppy in support of their new record. fOUR’s second record, Step Aside, was released via GroundUPmusic in April 2023.
Nate is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated quintet Kneebody, which released its first album in 2005. He has performed or recorded with many notable artists including Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders, Dave Grohl, Brian May and Roger Taylor (Queen), Chris Squire (Yes), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Chaka Khan, Wayne Krantz, Billy Childs, Tigran Hamasyan and Sting among many others.