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Tristan Voitcu

About Me

Tristan Voitcu is a New Jersey based Jazz Saxophonist currently attending Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, where he is studying with Ralph Bowen. Tristan began studying the saxophone at age 14, with a wide variety of influences, including Gustav Holst, Sigurd Rascher, Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, and especially Ronnie Cuber. At age 16, he began studying with Saxophonist and Historian Paul Cohen, with whom he developed a love for contemporary, improvised, and avant-garde music. During Highschool, he attended the West Milford Jazz Academy, where he studied with Ronnie Cuber and Jim Saltzman. During his first semester at college, he performed the Philip Glass Concerto for Saxophone Quartet with the Scarlet Quartet and Rutgers Symphonic Winds. He auditioned and won the Rutgers Chamber music concert 5 times, both with the Scarlet Quartet, and with his Avant-Garde Duo. During his time at Mason Gross, he has also performed with the Rutgers Wind Ensemble, Rutgers Symphonic Winds, Rutgers Lab Band, Rutgers Jazz Ensemble, Mingus Ensemble, Avant Garde Ensemble, and the Jazz Afro-World Ensemble. He as studied with Abraham Burton, Robby Ameen, Victor Lewis, Anthony Branker, Conrad Herwig, Paul Cohen, Kraig Williams, Todd Nichols, and Ronnie Cuber. Today he is an active performer of popular music in north and central Jersey with the VTX Collective, the Rock in Soul Band, and the Cope Aesthetic. As a band leader he performs regularly at the Tavern on George Street and Friends Cafe. As a sideman, he is a regular member of the Justin Farquhar Jazz orchestra, taking the Baritone sax seat, and has performed with the Mathuin Smith Jazz Orchestra, Sam Wilson Quartet and Logan Bogdan Quartet. He also was a sideman on Hip Hop artist Doitall’s album “Alma”. His newest project and passion is the “Mingus Legacy Collective” co-led by drummer Logan Bogdan, a group of young musicians dedicated learning and authentically performing the music of Charles Mingus in a small ensemble setting.

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My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz through the music of Eric Dolphy. Coming from a heavy love of concert band, and a start as a bass clarinetist, Dolphy bridged my love of concert band music to the world of Avant Garde jazz, leading to my discovery and love of the great Charles Mingus.

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