Introducing Saxophonist Jacob Chung

 Growing up in Toronto, Jacob Chung was introduced to jazz by his grandfather. "He had a record player," Chung recalled, "and he had Dave Brubeck's Time Out album. He also liked Duke Ellington and Ben Webster."

Chung was playing classical piano when he entered middle school, "and they started giving you wind instruments. I was into baseball, and I had a few concussions and tore the meniscus in my knee, so I had to quit sports for a while. All of a sudden, I had this time on my hands, and I took up the saxophone. I picked up the saxophone at about 15 or 16. It was like an obsession. I couldn't stop."

It helped that Toronto's Humber College had a weekend program offering instruction to high school students by several of its jazz faculty members: saxophonists Luis Deniz and Kirk MacDonald and guitarist Lorne Lofsky. Later, while majoring in music at the University of Toronto, Chung gigged at such local spots as The Rex and the Jazz Bistro. In 2022, he moved to New York City to attend the Jazz Arts program at the Manhattan School of Music from which he received his Master of Music degree.

At MSM, Chung studied with alto saxophonist Vincent Herring who introduced him to saxophonist Cory Weeds, Founder of the Cellar Music Group independent jazz label. His first Cellar album, The Sage, was released in 2024, and it featured Herring, drummer Joe Farnsworth, pianist Tyler Henderson, and bassist Caleb Tobocman. Reviewing it for All About Jazz,Jack Bowers wrote that, "Chung is a rising star whose light promises to become even brighter and more decisive as his mastery and assurance evolve. With The Sage, he proves that he is not only on the right track but has a running start... Chung is a splendid composer and arranger, and every number on The Sage is admirable and worth hearing." 

The album was named one of the best Canadian jazz recordings of 2024 by the Ottawa Citizen's Peter Hum, and Chung was named an "Outstanding Soloist" in DownBeat Magazine's 2024 Student Music edition.

The 26-year-old Chung released his second Cellar album, Live at Frankies Jazz Club, last year. He was joined by Henderson, Tobocman, and drummer Hank Allen-Barfield. Reviewing it for Jersey Jazz, Joe Lang wrote that, "It is a pleasure to hear a young tenor saxophonist whose influences reach back beyond the seemingly all-pervasive effect that John Coltrane has upon so many players currently on the scene. Jacob Chung is one who has obviously listened to many of the pre-Coltrane masters... Keep an eye out for opportunities to catch a Chung gig, as he is now based in New York City."

While at MSM, Chung also attended tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart's Tribeca Jazz Institute, a program that focuses on private instruction and mentorship. According to Stewart, Chung "is a fantastic young player. He came to the Tribeca Jazz Institute already playing at a very high level, and we were able to help him in a couple of areas that pushed him up to the next level. Jacob's playing over the last few years has really taken off, mainly because he's a combination of talent, hard work, and humility. I also have a soft spot for Jacob because he's a fellow Canuck, and we're both from the same part of Toronto."

During his time at the Tribeca Jazz Institute, Chung had the opportunity to work with the late clarinetist/tenor saxophonist Ken Peplowski. "He invited me out to come play with him at the Oregon Coast Jazz Party. He was so supportive and left a remarkable impact on my musicianship as well as on my peers."

Chung's early teachers at Humber College have followed his career and are enthusiastic about his success. "I feel extremely proud and pleased to see the saxophonist that Jacob has become," said Deniz. "I can say, without hesitation, that Jacob Chung has become one of the greatest tenor saxophonists to come out of Canada in recent years. Keep an eye out for this great player as I'm sure he'll continue to make waves."

Added MacDonald: "Jacob Chung is an exceptional young saxophonist with a deep understanding of the tenor saxophone tradition and the jazz canon. It has been a pleasure to watch Jacob's rapid development and artistic growth and to hear him continue to evolve as a musician."

Chung's saxophone hero of the past is Charlie Parker. "I try to listen to him every day," he said. "It keeps me healthy." As for current saxophonists, "It's Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart, and Chris Byars. Those are my favorite saxophone players right now."

This month will be a busy one for Chung. He will be releasing the single—Tadd Dameron's classic bebop tune, "Jahbero"—for his next Cellar album, A Secret Place. He'll also be performing in the Sonny Rollins Colossus on September 10 at Dizzy's Club with pianist Luther Allison and tenor saxophonists Chris Lewis, Melissa Aldana, and Jerry Weldon. He'll be playing in the late-night time slot during Dizzy's Coltrane Centennial Celebration from September 22-27. And, in October, there will be a weekend engagement at Smalls.

As he looks back at his early days playing saxophone in middle school, Chung believes "that kind of grit you develop in sports when you're playing on a team—it's really useful as a musician." He also remembers one of the best pieces of advice he received from Vincent Herring. "He told me my only responsibility in this music is to play the saxophone the way I want to hear it played."