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Kevin Goss

Music is all

About Me

I started playing the saxophone when I was 11 years old, and had my first paying gig when I was 15...with TINY TIM. I became infatuated with jazz when I joined the school jazz band in grade 8. I switched to baritone sax and soon discovered Gerry Mulligan, Pepper Adams, and Ronnie Cuber. Later on, I discovered Nick Brignola and realized that it was possible to play all of the woodwinds equally well. While in school, I free-lanced and co-led my own band. I studied jazz at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and spent 10 years as a freelance musician in Halifax, Nova Scotia before relocating to Toronto in 1997. Since then I have worked with some of Canada's finest musicians in a variety of genres. As a saxophonist, I pride myself on my stylistic flexibility. I have worked in multiple settings, bringing a personal flavor to all of the projects I take on. I am equally comfortable on all saxophones, but I have a particular affinity for the baritone and tenor saxes. The timbre and tonal range of the baritone opens it to multiple possibilities.

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because I get to play something fresh every time instead of recreating the same thing I was first exposed to jazz in grade 7 when I began playing saxophone. I met Nick Brignola, Gary Smulyan, Randy Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, and many other greats. The best show I ever attended was the Detroit Jazz Festival The first jazz record I bought was Gerry Mulligan's Tentet My advice to new listeners: Jazz is like food - you can't like or dislike everything, so try new things and decide what you like. Then you can branch out from there. I love the freedom that comes from improvising, as well as the mental challenge of creating something both beautiful and logical.