Dennis Mitcheltree
Dennis Mitcheltree is back on the jazz scene. Instead of NYC, the scene is in Los Angeles. Moving from NYC to LA in 2007 to raise his children, Mitcheltree’s 5th recording as a leader, Nevermind The Circus, his first since 2006, has just been released.
“I wanted to put the focus on raising my children. My goal in life is to bring as much beauty into the world as I can. Focusing on the kids, and the beauty that they could add to the world would be the biggest contribution I could make. Now that they’re getting older and don’t need my input as much, I'm being given the opportunity to focus on myself a bit again. Being a full time Dad is amazing - my kids have taught me more than I could ever teach them. They’ve shown me more about how to be a good human being than I could learn at any other endeavor - and it shows in the music.”
In 2017 Mitcheltree was given the opportunity to establish a residency with his trio at Trip Santa Monica, opening for the Julian Coryell/Andy Sanesi group, eventually taking over the headliner time slot. “I played with Julian and Andy quite a bit for those gigs and I was grateful to have the chance to bring in my group to perform the compositions I’d been writing as the kids were growing up...their presence in my life has really influenced the way I compose.”
That residency allowed Mitcheltree to work on his new compositions, culminating in the 2021 release of Nevermind The Circus. The release features these compositions recorded with long-time NYC band members of his trio, Jesse Crawford and Bill McClellan. “I’ve been performing with incredible LA musicians in my trio – Benjamin Shepherd and Dan Schnelle, or Edwin Livingston and Steve Hass – but doing the recording with Bill and Jesse while they were in LA doing a few gigs with me just felt right.”
While Mitcheltree did take time out of his career to raise his children, he didn’t stop playing completely. He practiced constantly to stay on top of the horn, performing and recording as a sideman with LA bandleaders Bill Holman and Ron Jones, saxophonists Pete Christlieb and Doug Webb, brass players Carl Saunders and Scott Whitfield along with rhythm section players Joe Labarbera, John Clayton, Christian Jacob and Bruce Forman. He’s also gigged and recorded as a sideman in the Midwest along with short tours with his group on the East Coast and in Europe.
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"Inside you'll find discipline, history, and a whole lot of heart."John Barrett, JazzUSA.com
" ...Mitcheltree's performance was a triumph..." Chuck Berg, Topeka Capital- Journal
"He is a master storyteller with the tenor sax..." Jared Donze, Iowa City Icon
"...the saxophonist is aggressively adventurous and most expressive...Mitcheltree evokes hearty tones from his instrument as he masterfully interweaves unexpected lines to create fascinating sound tapestries at any tempo." Nancy Ann Lee, Jazz Times
Primary Instrument
Saxophone, tenor
Location
Los Angeles
Credentials/Background
25 years as a teacher/clinician worldwide...Saxophone & woodwinds, any instrument for jazz improvisation/composition lessons, a New York City resident for 20 years, now based in the Los Angeles area. Video lessons also available via Skype. Available hours vary, contact [email protected] or 213-373-4729 for latest info. $85/hour lesson, discounts for weekly lessons paid by the month in advance. Berklee College of Music Magna Cum Laude graduate, Professional Performance Major, 1987. Studied with Joe Viola, Joe Lovano, Billy Pierce, George Garzone, Ralph Lalama and Jim McNeely.
Clinic/Workshop Information
Joe Lovano
saxophoneSonny Rollins
band/orchestraSonny Stitt
saxophoneMichael Brecker
saxophone, tenorJohn Coltrane
saxophoneJohnny Griffin
saxophone, tenorJoe Henderson
saxophoneCharles Mingus
bass, acousticThelonious Monk
pianoPhotos
Concert Schedule
Album Discography
Recount
From: Nevermind The CircusBy Dennis Mitcheltree
Mosinee Mayhem
From: UnionBy Dennis Mitcheltree