Results for "Saxophone"

Javon Jackson

Born: June 16, 1965

Javon Jackson was born in Carthage, Missouri and raised in Denver, Colorado. Music captivated the young Javon who was exposed to some of the greatest musicians in jazz through his parents' record collection. Gene Ammons and Ahmad Jamal were early favorites. As he matured, Javon soon became captivated by the work of Sonny Stitt. Stitt, known for his prowess on both the alto and tenor saxophone, was considered one of Charlie Parker's most avid disciples early in his career but later developed a distinctive voice of his own. Like so many other horn players today, Stitt's music inspired Javon to pick up his first saxophone, an alto, at a young age. More musical discoveries followed: Rollins, Henderson, Coltrane

Sherman Irby

Born: March 24, 1968

Born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Sherman began playing music at the age of 12, almost immediately recognizing that it was his life’s calling. During high school he had the opportunity to play and record with Gospel immortal James Cleveland. After completing high school in 1986, Sherman attended Clark Atlanta University, graduating with a B.A. in Music Education. After college, he joined Atlanta-based piano legend Johnny O’Neal’s quintet for a time before moving to New York City in 1994. After moving to New York, Sherman quickly connected with the fertile and vital scene at Smalls Jazz Club, where he was a regular until 1997

Christopher Hollyday

Born: January 3, 1970

Christopher Hollyday began performing publicly in 1983 in the Boston area at age thirteen as a member of his brother Richard’s quintet. In 1988 Hollyday headlined a week at the historic Village Vanguard in New York City. Hollyday toured with Maynard Ferguson as a featured soloist in the trumpeter’s “60th Birthday Big Band”, and recording the “Big Bop Nouveau” album. From 1989 through 1993, Hollyday toured with his own quartet visiting every Western European country, Brazil, Canada, and most of the United States. During this period Hollyday made four recordings for RCA records

Red Holloway

Born: May 31, 1927

James W "Red" Holloway was born in Helena, Arkansas on May 31, 1927 to a mother who played piano and a father who played violin. At the age of five, he and his mother moved to Chicago, where he graduated from DuSable High School and attended the Conservatory of Music. During grade school, Red played banjo and harmonica in school bands. His first musical instrument, a tenor sax, was given to him by his stepfather when he was twelve years old. During high school, he was in the DuSable big band, where he sat next to fellow classmate and reedman Johnny Griffin. By age sixteen, and while still in school, he was hired for his first professional engagement by bassist Gene Wright, who later went on to become a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet

Warren Hill

Born: April 15, 1966

Warren Hill is not only one of the most gifted performers and “off the hook” showmen in the jazz world, but he is also a talented and innovative creator of new and different ways to present his music and connect with his fans in this ever changing world of music. After the release of his first CD in 1991, he was picked up by Natalie Cole as the opening act on her 40 city "Unforgettable Tour". Since then he has released 9 CD's with numerous Number 1 hits on the Contemporary and Smooth Jazz Charts, as well as being recognized by a diverse list of awards, including Berklee College's Distinguished Alumnus, 1995 NAC songwriter of the year from SESAC, 2002 Juno Nomination for Contemporary Jazz Album, 2003 Canadian Smooth Jazz Artist of the year and 2005/2006 Canadian Wind Instrumentalist of the year. But simply playing music at the highest possible level of the industry was not enough for Hill

Vincent Herring

Born: November 19, 1964

Vincent Herring is a saxophone virtuoso with a uniquely intense and vigorous musical voice. He is considered one of the premier saxophonists of his generation. Vincent first toured Europe and the United States with Lionel Hampton’s big band in the early 1980’s. As he developed his musicianship working with Nat Adderley, a partnership blossomed that continued for nine years. Along the way he worked and/or recorded with Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Hayes, Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver Quintet, Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition, Larry Coryell, Steve Turre, The Mingus Big Band, Kenny Barron, Nancy Wilson, Dr

Tubby Hayes

Born: January 30, 1935

Tubby (Edward Brian) Hayes was one of Britain's finest tenor sax players, Jazz musicians and composers. He co-led the successful Jazz Couriers with Ronnie Scott from 1957 to 1959. He led several distinguished quartets and was the first British contemporary to appear at regular intervals in the USA. One of his most distinguished quartets came in the late 1950's, a group which included Terry Shannon, Jeff Clyne, Phil Seaman or Bill Eyden. Another in the 1960's included Ron Mathewson, Tony Levin and Mike Pyne. Hayes who was arguably the most prodigiously talented jazz multi-instrumentalist the British Isles has ever produced

Antonio Hart

Active since: September 30, 1968

When Antonio Hart was in ninth grade, the music and art programs were cut out of the public schools. Antonio was devastated because the one thing that made school interesting was taken away from him. Hart had a friend that attended the then new Baltimore School for the Performing Arts, and somehow got Antonio an audition. Most of the students that attended this school had been playing music all of their lives and had private instruction. This did not stop Antonio because he knew this would be the place for him. The night before the audition, Antonio spent hours on the phone with his friend learning a song from one of his music books

Bill Harris

Bill Harris began his musical training on the clarinet at the age of nine in the small Boston suburb of Topsfield, Massachusetts. He began to get serious about music around the age of 17, at which point he also began playing the saxophone and flute. Sure that this was the career he wanted to pursue, he enrolled at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, to receive a Bachelor of Music degree as a clarinet major. During his freshman year of college Bill heard the Woody Herman Band with its unusual saxophone section of three tenors and one baritone, and knew at that moment that sax was to be his instrument. After a year off from school to concentrate on playing the sax, he completed his college studies and moved to New York City where he studied privately with Bob Mintzer of the Yellowjackets

Eddie Harris

Born: October 20, 1934

Eddie had always wanted to play the saxophone simply because he admired its design and the way it looked. But in order to play saxophone for Captain Dyette, the aspiring musician had to plat the clarinet. He took private clarinet and saxophone lessons for many years. As his playing improved, Eddie began his saxophone career playing with all types of bands. Captain Dyette retired in his mid-sixties and passed away in his mid-seventies. In the late 50's Eddie was drafted into the Army. While in the Army, he took an audition test for the Army band which included reading music, ear training, written phrases and command of the chosen instrument, Eddie scored a 98 out of 100. This score was so high that he was recommended to join the symphony orchestra in Germany.