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Frank Basile
About Me
Frank Basile is one of New York’s busiest and most in-demand baritone saxophonists.
Since moving to New York in 2001, Basile has been heard with The Vanguard Jazz
Orchestra, The Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, The Jimmy Heath Big Band, The Bob
Mintzer Big Band, The Dave Holland Big Band, The Joe Lovano Nonet, Michael Bublé, The
Christian McBride Big Band, The Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, Pablo Mayor’s Folklore Urbano,
The Richie Vitale Quintet, The Fabien Mary Quintet, and Dennis Mackrell's Manhattan
Symphony Jazz Orchestra.
Born in Illinois in 1978 and raised in Nebraska, Frank Basile began his musical studies in
grade school. After four years on clarinet and alto saxophone, he made a permanent
switch to the baritone saxophone. Once in high school, Basile’s interest in jazz began to
grow and, with the help and encouragement of his parents, he sought out further
instruction on the ins and outs of this great music. Basile was soon playing in numerous
big bands and combos throughout the Omaha area. His senior year in high school, he won
the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra’s first annual Young Artist Competition.
Basile decided to continue studying music in college, and he enrolled at the University of
North Texas. While at UNT, Basile played in the world-renowned One O’clock Lab Band for
six consecutive semesters. In the 1999-2000 school year, Basile was named UNT’s
Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Jazz Studies. Basile was also a recipient of a
Downbeat Student Music Award in 2001 in the Jazz Instrumentalist category.
After graduating with honors and a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from UNT, Basile
moved to New York in the summer of 2001 as a selected member of the first Jazz Studies
program at the Juilliard School.
Basile has released 3 recordings as a leader: Thursday The 12th (2007), Pepper Adams
Complete Compositions Vol. 4. (2010), and Modern Inventions (2012). When not
appearing as a sideman, Basile can be heard with his quintet, which performs regularly
throughout the city.