Michael Pallas is a seasoned trombonist and composer based in New York City, known for his clear tone and melodic improvisation. Over the past decade, he has performed within various contexts of the African music diaspora, including mambo, hard bop, afrobeat, and hip-hop. Michael has performed with notable acts such as Abdullah Ibrahim, Antibalas, Tipica 73, Soul Science Lab, and The Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra. He holds a B.M. from the Jackie McLean Institute at The Hartt School of Music and an M.M. from New Jersey City University. In 2024 Michael released his debut full lenghth album, Gateway. 

As a musician with heritage in the Dominican Republic, Pallas emerged on the New York Salsa scene in late 2015 as a sideman appearing alongside notable musicians and artists such as Eddie Palmieri, Tito Rodriguez Jr., Victor Wail, Alex Matos, Tito Rojas, Luisito and Roberto Quintero, and Gilberto Pulpo Colon.

While the New York City Latin music scene embraces his talents enthusiastically, Michael has been honored to share the stage with premier jazz musicians as well, including, Abdullah Ibrahim, Al Foster, Rene McLean, Steve Davis, The George G Orchestra, and The Cotton Club Orchestra.

With the release of his debut album, Gateway, the Phoenix-raised, New York City-based trombonist, composer, and educator Michael Pallas looks to make his mark as a leader to be reckoned with.

A trombonist inspired by J.J. Johnson. Curtis Fuller, Steve Turre and Papo Vasquez, Pallas is a proud alumnus of the Jackie McLean Institute, founded by legendary alto saxophonist and educator Jackie McLean in Hartford, Connecticut.

While Pallas has been performing professionally for over 15 years, including stints with legendary jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, mambo big band leader Steve Oquendo, Afrobeat band Antibalas, hip-hop group Soul Science Lab and others, the trombonist was inspired to become a solo artist during the pandemic.

“I really had a lot of time just to reflect on where my career was at that point,” Pallas says, “and I felt like it was necessary for me to start moving in this direction of really seriously writing my own music, and eventually releasing my own record. So I began to compose tunes that dealt with themes and emotions that I and many artists were facing during the first two years of the decade.”