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Melissa Gardiner (born May 1, 1986, in Malone, New York) is an American jazz trombonist.

Melissa Gardiner began music on piano at age 8 and a year later began playing trombone in her elementary school. As a child, she played piano and trombone at her church. Gardiner began her college career at the University of Michigan as classical trombone major and switched degrees, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies in 2008. She was a student of David Jackson and Dennis Wilson while at the University of Michigan

In 2005, Gardiner studied with Curtis Fuller at the Skidmore Jazz Institute, and the following year was a winner of the prestigious International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) Sisters in Jazz Competition. As a result of winning this competition, Gardiner was coached and mentored by Geri Allen and Allison Miler. In 2006, Gardiner was a member of the the Disneyland All-American College Band.

Her professional career launched in 2007 with Carnival Cruise Lines. Under the tutelage of Steve Turre, Gardiner completed a Master of Music in Jazz at Julliard. After graduation, she returned to Syracuse where she is the jazz trombone instructor at both Syracuse University and Cornell.

Gardiner's jazz organ trio, MG3 released its first album, Transitions, in 2011. She is also a member of The Blacklites, the CNY Jazz Orchestra, and other groups in Rochester and Syracuse. Her stage credits include Aretha Franklin, Geri Allen, Steve Turre, Gerald Wilson, Wycliffe, and Patti Austin.

She formed Second Line Syracuse, a brass band, in 2015. This group has given spontaneous parades and has worked with the Dirty Dozen Brass Bands.