Brandon W. Mejia

Brandon W. Mejia is a Newark, New Jersey-born saxophonist whose musical voice draws from jazz, R&B, Afro-Caribbean music, and the sounds of his Salvadoran and Ecuadorian heritage. A graduate of Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, where he studied Jazz Performance, Mejia approaches improvisation as both a continuation of tradition and a space for personal and cultural expression.

Growing up in Newark, a city with a deep jazz history, Mejia developed a strong connection to the music’s legacy while drawing inspiration from artists such as Charlie Parker, Roy Hargrove, and musicians across contemporary R&B and Latin music. His playing reflects an interest in blending jazz language with groove, melody, and the rhythmic traditions of the African and Latin American diasporas.

Mejia has performed throughout New Jersey in a variety of settings as a soloist, ensemble musician, and featured performer. His work has included appearances at venues such as Mainstage in New Brunswick, where he served as an opening and post-intermission soloist while also taking on the musical role of timekeeper within the performance.

Beyond the stage, Mejia’s work has included music education, arts leadership, production, and community engagement. He has taught and mentored young musicians through programs including Jazz House Kids and Rutgers initiatives, with a particular interest in creating meaningful pathways into music for students from historically underrepresented communities.

As an artist, Mejia continues to develop a sound rooted in jazz while exploring the connections between improvisation, R&B, Afro-Caribbean traditions, música latina, and the musical cultures of Latin America. His broader creative vision centers on honoring the history that shaped him while building a musical identity that feels distinctly his own.

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