Jonathan Moritz

Tenor and soprano saxophonist Jonathan Moritz was born in Iran and raised in California where he received his B.A. in music performance from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in 2000. He began his studies at the Brussels Royal Conservatory of music in Belgium in 1995 and studied there 3 years.

He has released several recordings under his name including the Jonathan Moritz Trio CD, Xanadu, released in 2000 under J.A.S. records with bassist Lindsey Horner and drummer Lieven Venken. Two recordings have been made with gutarist/composer Dan Marcus in a group called the Marcus/Moritz Quartet. The first was released in 1999 called Center of the World, and their second recording, Brussels Sessions, was recorded after a two week European tour in 2000. Since then the Trio Caveat was formed and the album, An All Too Brief Silence Which Speaks Untold Volumes was released in 2004.His jazz quartet co-led with Mike Pride, Evil Eye, released live at Hogar and The UP recorded their EP this year.

Presently, Jonathan is involved in several groups extending from minimalist improvisational treatments of past and present sounds with Trio Caveat and the UP, original compositions for electrified jazz quartet with Amalgam, acoustic quartet Evil Eye as well as other contributions as a side man. He has also started the Prospect Series, a monthly concert series featuring some of New York’s most innovative improvisers.

He is currently teaching at P.S. 215 as director of the elementary concert band as well as studying for a masters degree in music education.