Results for "Saxophone"

Larry Smith

Peter Brainin

Alex Weiss

Born: January 5, 1971

Alex began playing the alto saxophone when he was twelve years old. At the age of fifteen, he began performing with The John Payne Saxophone Choir through his first teacher, Duncan Martin, at the Tam O'Shanter in Harvard square Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Alex went on to study music at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and in 1995, Alex relocated to San Francisco and began performing with local groups like One Nation Underground, The Unknown Giants, and The Dutch Falcone Orchestra.

During this time Alex studied with Roberto DeHaven, minister and musician for the Saint John's Orthodox church, also known as the John Coltrane church. In 1996, Alex took the first alto chair in the Glen Spearman/Marco Ineidi Creative Music Orchestra and recorded with such luminaries as Wadada Leo Smith, Bertram Turetsky, and Jackson Krall. At this time, Alex began doubling on tenor saxophone and formed his first quartet under his own name. This group included DeHaven on saxophones, Ben Pfeuffer on bass and Paul Spina on drums. In 1997 the group recorded its first album, Make Your Own Lightning.

Mars Williams

Born: 1955

Mars Williams is one of the finest saxophone players of his generation whose eclecticism has become a trademark. "In many ways he has succeeded in redefining what versatility means to the modern saxophone player," said John Zorn in 1983. Williams' subsequent forays would keep on proving him right. From his days with the Waitresses and Psychedelic Furs to Hal Russell's NRG Ensemble and various collaborations with Ken Vandermark to his success with acid jazz Liquid Soul, Williams has indeed covered a lot of ground. Mars Williams was born in Chicago in 1955 and his father used to play the trumpet. Fond of Benny Goodman and Dixieland, he encouraged his son to pick up the clarinet at age 10, an instrument he would stick to through high-school and college. He would, however, switch to the saxophone (alto first) after realizing that clarinet would not allow him to play the music he had a real interest in. Dissatisfied with college education which would inexorably lead him to a music teacher career, he decided to head for Woodstock and the Creative Music Workshop run by Karl Berger and where he met Roscoe Mitchell and studied with Don Cherry, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Anthony Braxton. Students in his class included Marilyn Crispell, Peter Apfelbaum and Ton Cora, among others. Once his training completed, he moved to Colorado for an introspective period. During his almost two-year stay, he only hooked up with trumpeter Hugh Ragin and saxophonist Spider Middleman who would end up following Williams when he decided to go back to Chicago. There, his next major encounter would be in the person of Hal Russell. Playing with top-40 bands and Hal Russell - with whom he formed the NRG Ensemble - was Williams' musical spectrum during what ended up to be a short intermission in his hometown. Then, Middleman left for Los Angeles and Williams returned to Woodstock with the help of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts while remaining in touch with Russell. The two of them recorded Eftsoons in 1981 that Nessa Records released three years later. While in Woodstock, Williams joined the Swollen Monkeys with Ralph Carney (Tom Waits) and Kramer (Shimmy-disc honcho) among others. The short-lived outfit recorded a full-length album and an EP before disbanding in 1981. At that point, Williams had moved to New York. There, a career- defining moment occurred when he joined the Waitresses instead of being hired by Michael Mantler for the Carla Bley Band. Wiliams played an important part in defining the sound of the period; a new -wave where the saxophone has a new role in music harmonics and brings atonality to the fore. A full-time member of the new-wave outfit until they disbanded in 1984, Williams also branched out to some of the many opportunities New York had to offer, playing with John Zorn, Bill Laswell, Elliott Sharp and even Australian maverick Daevid Allen. In 1984, Mars Williams was asked to replace Gary Windo in the Psychedelic Furs for their Australian tour. This short stint turned out to be a full-time position. Meanwhile, Williams continued to further his activities in the realm of rock though collaborations with Billy Idol, Ministry, Billy Squire and Power Station (with the late Robert Palmer) until he decided to call it quits, the rock n' roll lifestyle and New York's fast pace having taken a toll on him. Once again, Mars Williams headed back to Chicago where he immediately renewed his partnership with Hal Russell and joined the NRG Ensemble. The special chemistry that bound Williams and Russell allowed the NRG Ensemble to reach the peak of its powers, which culminated with a record deal with ECM ("The Finnish/Swiss Tour" and "The Hal Russell Story.") During his tenure with Russell's band, Williams played as a sideman in various bands around the city. This is also the time Williams started to focus more on his writing. The passing of Hal Russell in 1992 would leave a void in Williams's life, but true to his words, Williams pursued the NRG Ensemble with the addition of Ken Vandermark. This was to be the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration between the two reed players. At that time, Williams entered one of his most creative periods trying to establish a new scene in Chicago and launching several concurrent projects: Slam, Cinghiale, Witches and Devils (the last two including Vandermark). He also became an original member of the Vandermark 5 in 1996 and of the Peter Brötzmann Chicago Octet (then Tentet.) Meanwhile, Williams pursued other musical interests with Ministry and Die Warsaw but also with his own bands, successively The Action Figures, Act of God and, more importantly, Liquid Soul, a group that originated from weekly jam sessions at the Double Door in Chicago. Liquid Soul pioneered the acid jazz movement. With their punchy horns, hot and aggressive grooves and solos, they also defined the acid jazz sound of the Midwest. Created in 1993 with guitarist Tommy Klein and DJ De La Peña, the acid jazz combo would enjoy great success touring heavily worldwide, performing at President Clinton's second inauguration, opening for Sting at Madison Square Garden and Central Park, introducing the acid jazz sound to major jazz festivals such as Newport and obtaining a Grammy nomination (Best Contemporary Jazz Album category) in 2000 for their third album, "Here's the Deal." After a fourth album, Williams took a sabbatical from Liquid Soul in early 2003, then reformed the band in 2005 and released the new CD "One-Two Punch" for Telarc records in May 2006. Williams has since remained active, writing a lot of new material for his new projects. XMARSX is a hard-edged combo featuring Wayne Kramer (ex-MC5), Greg Suran (Goo Goo Dolls), David Suycott (Stabbing Westward), Fred Lonberg-Holm (Witches and Devils), and Kent Kessler (Vandermark 5, Witches and Devils, Brötzmann Chicago Tentet, etc.). Atavistic released their self- titled album in 2002. He has also formed "Mushroom Massive," a project derived from Liquid Soul but incorporating more improvisational and trance-like elements. The band currently includes DJ Cappo, Tommy Klein, David Suycott and Kent Kessler. Most recently, The Moers Festival in Germany picked Williams as their featured artist for its 2004 edition. Williams presented a new version of Liquid Soul (Tommy Klein, DJ The Dirty MF, DJ Logic, among others,) XMARSX, and the ambitious and ground-breaking "Soul Sonic Circus," an ambitious combination of free-improvised music and circus. The project features The Midnight Circus, a Chicago-based company that focuses on aerial acrobatics and incorporates theatrical elements in its performances, and an all-star band including Wayne Kramer, Greg Suran, Hamid Drake, Michael Zerang, Rob Wasserman, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Jim Baker, Hugh Ragin, DJ Logic and, of course, ringmaster Williams.

Dave Schiff

Born: July 8, 1953

Dave Schiff, a 20 year veteran of the Navy Band Jazz Ensemble “The Commodores”, is a powerful and versatile woodwind jazz instrumentalist who has traveled the world working with top entertainers and jazz legends such as Thad Jones, Mel Lewis Orchestra, Don Menza, and Dizzy Gillespie. Smooth jazz, straight ahead, funk... you name it... Dave can play it. His expertise on all woodwinds has given him the opportunity to back great acts all over the country, including performers such as Barry Manilow, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra Jr., Natalie Cole, and many more. When Dave is not on tour, he usually finds himself in the Theatres in the Philadelphia area playing Broadway shows. Dave performs extensively in jazz festivals and is an active clinician, working with young musicians in high schools and colleges

Mike Cemprola

Jon Armstrong

Jonathan Armstrong is a fiercely creative musician, composer and educator living in Los Angeles. His background is a mix of intensive academic training and extensive professional experiences on saxophones, guitar, piano, clarinet, flute, bass, and electronic sampler. He holds a B.M. in Music from the University of Washington and a M.F.A. in Jazz Reeds from the California Institute of the Arts. He studied composition and theory with John Rahn, Jonathan Bernhard and Robert Wannamaker, and pursued improvisational studies with Marc Seales, Larry Koonse, Vinny Golia, Thara Memory, Charlie Haden and Wadada Leo Smith

Jacob Epstein

Born: April 4, 1946

Jake Epstein (BS, MM) Music Bio Arranger, Composer, Educator, Author, Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Piano Jake Epstein is a retired founding member (partner) in RECOL, LLC, a Connecticut based Internet Services (ISP) and Datacenter (Hosting) company but also composes and performs music. After a tour in 1969-1971 with the 113th Army band at Fort Knox, KY where he was chief Composer/Arranger and director of Jazz and Jazz Rock ensembles, he served as the first University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Department of Music and Dance graduate teaching assistant in African Music and Jazz working with Professors Frederick Tillis, Horace Boyer, Max Roach, Reggie Workman and Archie Shep in the early 1970’s

Joyce Spencer

Joyce Spencer is a distinguished saxophonist, flutist, and vocalist originating from Dallas, Texas, whose musical journey reflects a rich tapestry of influences and genres. With a versatile repertoire that spans traditional and contemporary jazz, classical, R&B, funk, fusion, blues, pop, and Gospel/Christian music, Joyce's artistry is a testament to her diverse musical upbringing. This extensive background has not only enhanced her performance capabilities but has also fortified her skills in music composition, allowing her to create engaging and memorable musical experiences.

With mastery over the soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones, as well as the flute and her vocal talents, Joyce captivates audiences with her ability to transition seamlessly between lively tunes, smooth jazz, and heartfelt ballads. Her performances have graced numerous venues, including music festivals, concerts, church gatherings, and corporate events across the United States, where she has had the privilege of collaborating with notable acts such as Yarbrough & Peoples, i.Tina (Tina Turner Tribute Band), Satin Dolls, Jazz in Pink, and her band, Joyce Spencer & Expressions which includes her Sade Tribute Show.

Simonas Sipavicius