JP Balmat

A Mission Bay High School alumni, Balmat performed all four years of high school and was appointed student band leader his sophomore year under the direction of Rey Vinole.   After graduating in 2002, Balmat attended San Diego State University where he graduated with honors receiving a bachelor’s degree in Music Education.  With the support and dedication of Mission Bay High School community and staff, the music program was resurrected after a two year hiatus with Balmat as their new music director. After seventeen years, Balmat was grown the program from three ensembles to now seven different ensembles, educating over 200 music students in jazz, strings, band and choir! In 2023 he was instrumental in founding and managing the very first San Diego Unified District Honor Jazz Ensemble directed by Francisco Torres.

Jean-Paul is an accomplished educator, performer, composer and arranger.  As a professional saxophonist, he performs regularly in San Diego. He is artistic director of the Euphoria Brass Band and his recordings and compositions have been nominated for San Diego Music Awards the past six years.  In 2019 and 2020 Euphoria Brass Band won the San Diego Music Award for “Best Jazz.” Most recently he has performed with New Orleans trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith (Tonight Show Band) and GRAMMY award winning and nominated musicians Oscar Hernandez, Francisco Torres (Poncho Sanchez, Gordon Goodwin) and Javier Cabanillas (Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Cabanijazz Project).  Through his career he has had the honor of opening for Dr. John, Trombone Shorty, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Cowboy Mouth, Rebirth Brass Band, Funky Meters, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Honey Island Swamp Band, Rosie Ledet, California Honeydrops, Red Baraat, Chali 2na, and Rusted Root, among others.