John Howell, Director of the Mount Vernon Swing Band, plays lead alto saxophone in the group. John was an award-winning musician at Edison High School and played in the Duke University Wind Symphony for seven years while attending the University and Law School.

While at Duke, John organized and directed the Duke Stage Band, later renamed the Duke Jazz Ensemble. In organizing the group, John reignited Duke’s rich student-run big-band tradition that had lapsed a few years before he arrived on campus.

Before joining the Mount Vernon Swing Band in 1997, John played in a number of other local jazz ensemble/big bands.