Saunders Jones, Jr
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, raised in Birmingham Alabama, BS from UGA, Redcoat Band and Jazz Ensemble four years; MD degree from MCG,
Residency at MCG in Orthopedic Surgery, involved in local Big Band there as well as rock and roll bands, Fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery and Asst Professor @UAB playing sax during all of this. Orthopedic Surgeon by training, a Jazz player since the 4th grade, Dr Jones is now retired from private practice as an orthopedic and hand surgeon and is playing around north Georgia. He is a member of multiple Jazz and Jazz Rock and big bands as well as combos.
Has Played with: UGA Redcoat Band, UGA Jazz Ensemble, AV Node and the Valves of Houston, Flashback, Augusta Big Band, Played with “Whisperin’” Bill Anderson, James Brown, Francine Reed, The Sentimental Journey Orchestra, Atlanta Swing Orchestra ,GPC Jazz Ensemble, Frankie Avalon, The Velvet Note, The Usual Suspects Big Band of Atlanta, Peachtree Jazz Edition, Big Band Contractors, Toni Byrd and her big band, The ATLANTA BRASS CATS, Multiple Churches to include 1st Baptist Church of Cartersville, Liberty Square Church of God and Sam Jones Methodist church. Musical Director of EJS Big Band and the Original Douglas Cameron Orchestra. More recently, toured Berlin with a Combo in 2015, and Portugal in 2016 and 2017, Prague and Berlin in 2019.
Discography: 5 CD’s with the EJS as section and solo player, 3 CDs with Big Band Contractors as solo and section player , Sax on several contemporary rock albums with Donnie Hammonds and others and clarinet and sax on Rosemary Clooney, Elvis Presley, and Tony Bennett remake albums.
Instrument(s): saxophones (all) and clarinet/flute. Musical Director of the Etowah Jazz Society and the Big Band Contractors big band and has produced over 7 big band CD's not including his solo works.
Awards
Atlanta Brass Cats awarded: Best Dance Band in Atlanta, Best Rock Band in Atlanta
Gear
Yamaha 82Z unlaq or Mark 6 Tenor RPC hard rubber with baffle MK VI Alto RPC HR with Baffle Series III soprano Meyer HR Bari Selmer MK VI RPC HR with baffle More recently, have switched to a King Super 20 Silversonic tenor. Still use the z for rock stuff. Also, still use RPC mp.
Tags
Fabulous sounding modern, Count Basie-like Big Band with a very interesting set of tunes!