From richly introspective ballads to simmering grooves and upbeat reinterpretations of the classics, this up and coming saxophonist playfully explores the panorama of jazz. His rich sound pays tribute to such diverse masters as Ben Webster, John Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine, and Joe Henderson.
Born July 16, 1967 and raised in New York City, Anton Schwartz began playing clarinet when he was twelve and switched to the saxophone at age fourteen. He was fascinated by jazz and soon hooked up with two jazz masters as teachers, first Warne Marsh and then Eddie Daniels, who were struck by his musical ability. While in high school he formed a group with Peter Bernstein and Larry Goldings, and had occasion to perform with jazz legends Woody Herman and Lionel Hampton. Hampton singled out Schwartz after hearing him play solo, exclaiming, "Hey, that tenor sax player has a great tone. Do you think he'd like to play a ballad with me?" Schwartz wound up playing "Stella by Starlight" with one of his musical heroes.
But Schwartz put aside a musical career to pursue academics. An undergrad at Harvard University, he continued to play music, holding the first tenor sax chair in the Harvard Jazz Band after Don Braden and before Joshua Redman--but he focussed his energies on his studies. In 1989 he earned a B.A. in Mathematics and Philosophy, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and went to Stanford University on a National Science Foundation fellowship to pursue doctoral research in Artificial Intelligence. There he earned his masters degree, published papers and spoke at conferences. He also played first tenor sax in the Stanford Jazz Band. In 1995, Schwartz decided to rekindle his musical pursuits on a large scale. His talents quickly gained recognition in the San Francisco Bay Area, and he has put his academic interests on "permanent hold." He composes and performs jazz, leading his own group at the area's major jazz venues and working as a sideman with such talents as Dmitri Matheny, Kitty Margolis and Mark Levine. His own group has gotten consistent raves from the press; their gigs have been selected as "pick of the week" by editors of the Bay Area's major newspapers including the SF Chronicle Datebook, SF Examiner Magazine, Express, Metro, San Jose Mercury News, and Palo Alto Weekly.
In March of 1997 Schwartz teamed up with the renowned young organist Larry Goldings and Bay Area legends Bruce Foreman and Eddie Marshall for a concert at The Palace in Sunnyvale, which was broadcast on the popular Northern California radio show, See's Sunday Night Suites. In 1997 he was also featured as an "Emerging Artist" by the San Jose Jazz Society, and his group performed extensively at jazz festivals, clubs, and concerts throughout the Bay Area. Hearing Schwartz play in April, 1997, sax legend Illinois Jacquet told him, "You play the tenor sax like it's meant to be played."
Schwartz's saxophone playing was featured on the sound track of Kevin Spacey's 1996 Miramax film, Albino Alligator, starring Matt Dillon and Faye Dunaway. He has been a faculty member of the Stanford Jazz Workshop since 1994, and coaches beginning and advanced jazz combos at Stanford University throughout the year. Schwartz's debut album, When Music Calls (AntonJazz AJ-1001), released in May of 1998, features his working group of pianist Paul Nagel, bassist John Shifflett, drummer Jason Lewis, plus percussionist Josh Jones. Co-produced by Bud Spangler, the CD includes eight inspired orginals by
Schwartz plus Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When" and "Paradoxy," a twist on Sonny Rollins' "Doxy." Down Beat's Dan Ouellette describes When Music Calls as "a straightahead collection of captivating melodies... that swing with graceful elegance, effervesce with spirited vigor and romance with soulful emotion." He concludes, "Indeed, the music has beckoned and Schwartz has answered the call, documenting on disc the first chapter of what promises to be a vital career."
More information about Schwartz and "When Music Calls" is available on the extensive website at www.antonjazz.com
