Home » Jazz Musicians » Zoe Obadia
Zoe Obadia
Zoe Obadia is a saxophonist, composer, and teacher based in New York City. Originally from New Jersey, she started playing the saxophone at age nine and became immersed in a community of great jazz musicians and educators in her area.
She moved to New York in 2014 to begin her studies at the Juilliard School, where she learned from Ron Blake, Kenny Washington, Dan Block and others, earning an undergraduate and masters degree. She has since performed in New York City as a leader and sideman at venues such as Dizzy’s, Mezzrow, Birdland, and Jazz at Lincoln Center, and has had the opportunity to play with Wynton Marsalis, the Mingus Big Band, Dave Stryker, Diane Schuur, and others. In 2021, she appeared on pianist Dabin Ryu’s debut album, “Wall”. Zoe also has a passion for teaching and is currently a private instructor at Virtu.Academy and Fordham University.
Tags
Thembi Dunjana: God Bless iKapa. God Bless Mzantsi.

by Dan Bilawsky
In January of 2024, Ropeadope announced a partnership and co-directed initiative with City of Gold Arts dubbed AfricArise--a new imprint intent on promoting music from the titular continent, with a specific focus on South African artists. Showcasing musicians at once rooted in their heritage and boldly branching out into today's knowns and unknowns, the label quickly established its vision. April saw its inaugural releases, with two singular saxophonist-led albums--Steve Dyer's Enhlizweni: song stories from my heartland (AfricArise, 2024) and McCoy ...
Continue ReadingMeet Saxophonist Zoe Obadia

by Sanford Josephson
In April 2019, alto saxophonist Zoe Obadia sat in with the Bill Charlap Trio to play Dave Brubeck's Time Out" at International Jazz Day. I was definitely very nervous to sit in with such an established and refined trio," she said," but I had fun and felt very supported on stage and off." Said Charlap: She is a natural talent with a beautiful sound." Obadia, who will turn 26 this month, grew up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, ...
Continue ReadingPhotos
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson