Mark Ponzo holds the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music with the Performer’s Certificate. Dr. Ponzo is the Professor of Trumpet at Northern Illinois University, where he joined the faculty in 1990. His principle teachers include John Hagstrom, Barbara Butler, Charles Schlueter, George Coble, and Richard Jones. He performs with the New Sousa Band and has been a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Mexico City Philharmonic, and Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. Mark is a regular substitute with the Elgin Symphony and Chicago Brass Quintet and has performed with the Music of the Baroque, Illinois Chamber Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, Illinois Philharmonic, Millar Brass, Light Opera Works, as well as numerous local orchestras.

Created and recorded in New Orleans, Gumbo Christmas combines your favorite holiday tunes with a little swing, a little cha cha, a little funk, a lot of jazz, and that one-of-a-kind, tasty flavor of New Orleans and the Ramblers.