JJ Johnson Competition winner earns Rath prize

There was joy for St Louis, Missouri-born trombonist Miles Cole recently, as he triumphed in the JJ Johnson Jazz Trombone Competition – earning a very special prize in the process.

Miles, 20, is a jazz trombonist and composer studying at Michigan State University under the direction of Professors Rodney Whitaker and Michael Dease, and won the JJ Johnson Competition during the recent International Trombone Festival in Riga, Latvia.

Reflecting on his competition success, Miles said: “Winning the JJ Johnson Jazz Trombone Competition was truly a dream come true for me. Growing up, simply attending the International Trombone Festival felt like a dream that was somewhat out of reach.

“Throughout high school, I never even considered applying for any of the competitions, but once I arrived at Michigan State, I was encouraged to take that leap. Year after year, I viewed the winners announced online, and the times I looked through the list of past winners, I never imagined my name would one day be among them. Looking back at my younger self, I am incredibly proud of how far I have come, and I am excited to see where this journey leads next.”

Miles has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the Vail Jazz Festival with the Vail Jazz All-Stars, and Jazz at Lincoln Center with Michigan State’s Jazz Orchestra 1 competing in the National Collegiate Jazz Competition.

More recently, he has also won the American Trombone Workshop National Solo Jazz Competition.

For his victory in the JJ Johnston Competition, Miles will receive a Rath Custom trombone.

 He continued: “I am super thrilled about the Rath prize. Rath Trombones are very widely respected, have a great reputation among the trombone community and I have had the chance to play several of them over the years at conventions and exhibit booths.

“Every time I pick up a Rath and try it out, I am always impressed by the craftsmanship, and the sound and response have both always been things that stood out to me about Rath instruments. It’s pretty surreal to finally be getting one of my own.”

Congratulations, Miles, from the Rath team!