Stratøs

Michigan native Stratøs is a saxophonist, composer, producer, and film photographer whose presence in the modern jazz scene is rapidly growing. His improvisational style is rooted heavily in the subtle melodicism of the cool jazz tradition and extends to the bold, complex nature of the electronic jazz scene. His compositions explore a combination of elements between jazz and other styles such as hip-hop, metal, electronica and classical. Stratøs is the three-time winner of the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award from 2019-2021. Additionally, he was awarded the ASCAP Foundation’s Johnny Mandel Prize as well as being selected as a National Sawdust New Works Commission Contest winner. The latter granted the composer the opportunity to write for the world renowned JACK Quartet.

In 2017, Stratøs began working with indie rock/R&B artist Charlie Burg. The saxophonist is featured on several of Burg’s works such as “Intentions” and “Lancaster Nights.”

Stratøs released his first album, "Planets," in 2021. The LP is entirely self-produced and features the likes of Alekos Syropoulos (Mac Miller, Anderson .Paak, Vulfpeck), 2019 JUNO award nominee Andrew Rathbun, John Hébert (Fred Hersch, Maria Schneider), and renowned saxophonist/composer/producer David Binney (Donny McCaslin, Knower). The album is the amalgamation of the producer’s diverse musical identities. Reaching from the visceral, distorted sounds and grooves of the death metal world to the serene soundscapes akin to Hayao Miyazaki film scores, "Planets" sought to connect a narrative throughline between these juxtaposing elements.

His latest project, "Hohenheim Suites," is a full length jazz-chamber album inspired by Hiromu Arakawa’s 2001 graphic novel Full Metal Alchemist. The album was co-produced by Rathbun and features a return from Hébert on upright bass. Joining them is 1997 Great American Jazz Piano Award winner Matthew Fries (Curtis Stigers, Joel Frahm, Terrell Stafford, Steve Wilson), and includes an appearance by the world renowned JACK Quartet. The album will be released independently May 6th, 2022.

Follow Stratøs as he is active on instagram and twitter @stratostones.

Awards

2021: Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. 2021: ASCAP Foundation's "Johnny Mandel Prize" winner. 2021: National Sawdust New Works Commission Contest winner. 2020: Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. 2019: Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award

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