Results for "Saxophone"

Fred Staton

Born: February 14, 1915

Staton is well acquainted with the feeling of jazz. Over the course of his century on earth, he’s been steeped in it. Born on Valentine’s Day, 1915, Staton’s musical life began with the strains of his mother’s player piano and 78 discs of Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson. He cites a Johnny Hodges cut on an Ellington big band record played off the family’s Victrola as the inspiration for his life-long infatuation with the saxophone. A singer in his church’s gospel choir, Staton’s introduction to playing jazz came when the group’s sponsor brought in a full band’s worth of equipment, along with charts of popular music

Yacine Boulares

Born: May 23, 1981

Described by Radio France internationale as “a Tunisian man in New York, one of the most talented jazzmen of his generation” Yacine Boulares is a French-Tunisian saxophonist and composer based in Brooklyn.

After graduating from the Paris National Conservatory Yacine moves to New York on a Fulbright scholarship in 2009 to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary music. New York exposes him to a myriad of different musics. Soon he starts touring with Fela Kuti's ex drummer Jojo Kuo and Haitian Kompa legends Tabou Combo. In their musics he finds a deep echo to his Tunisian roots.

Tom Hall

Tom Hall (baritone & tenor saxophones & music educator) has been an active professional musician since his teens when he played a weekly gig at the Ebony Inn with Ohio Hung Jury, a Washington, DC funk band. He moved to Boston in 1976 to attend New England Conservatory, where he studied with Joe Allard, {{m: Jaki Byard = 3798}}, {{Jimmy Guiffre}}, {{George Russell}}, and {{m: Ernie Wilkins = 11362}}. It was during these years he first studied free improvisation. He was the co-founder of Ensemble Garuda, whose members included percussionist {{Sam Bennett}}, trumpeter {{m: Frank London = 8848}}, and Brazilian cellist Jaques Morelenbaum. This group met for years, with the sole purpose of an intensive exploration of improvisation. In 1979, shortly before graduation from NEC, he co-founded Your Neighborhood Saxophone Quartet (1979-1997) with {{m: Steve Adams = 3268}}, {{m: Allan Chase = 5656}}, and Circe Miller (other members of the group over the years included Ben Schachter, Joel Springer, Douglas Yates and Bob Zung)

Jesse Jones Jr.

Jan Maksimovic

Born: December 23, 1975

Saxophonist, composer, pedagogue, group leader. Unusual creative personality in the Lithuanian jazz. Talented musician, well-known perfectionist and master of stylistic interplay, ahead of the jazz musicians of his generation, today listed among the most prominent Lithuanian jazz figures. He is praised for his emotional and consummate musicianship, incredible creative energy, attention to every detail of the sound and at the same time great feeling of the whole. Since his jazz debut in 1996, Jan Maksimowicz has collaborated with a number of Lithuanian jazz celebrities. In 2002 he made his debut as a leader and composer and since then has mostly performed with his own groups: trio, quartet, and quintet Riot

Theresa Grayson

Born in Tyler, Texas and raised in Houston, Theresa Grayson began playing piano and sax (among other woodwind instruments) in fourth grade and enjoyed an encouraging stream of accolades for her outstanding musicianship throughout grade school. Building a musical foundation on regular performances at church beginning at age 12, she further honed her musical skills and developed her passion under the tutelage of internationally known instructors/musicians Chuck Nolan, Dr. Woody Witt and Dr. Rod Cannon of Sam Houston State University and North Texas University—where she earned a degree in music performance and jazz studies. Grayson continued her education with two master’s degrees with an emphasis in music education and leadership. She plans to continue her studies to earn her doctorate degree. She has been a renowned music educator since the early 2000s, first as an orchestra director at a middle school and currently teaching music at an elementary school in Ft. Bend County. After drawing on her extensive church music background to record her inspirational instrumental debut It’s All About You, Grayson –a longtime first call side musician – tapped renowned gospel and jazz pianist and multi-instrumentalist Terence Fisher—a musical mainstay in both Shreveport and Houston—to help her take her urban jazz game to the next level. On her second solo release, Live2Love, which spawned the successfully charting radio singles “Afterthoughts” and a cover of Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger”, the multi-talented Grayson showcased her versatile skills on soprano and tenor sax and flute along with her soulful lead vocals on several tracks. The album blended everything from gospel, pop and R&B to blues, calypso, Latin and classical music into her unique brand of cutting edge contemporary jazz.

Vincent Stephen-Ong

Born: May 15, 1976

Born and raised in Montréal, saxophonist, pianist, composer, and teacher Vincent Stephen-Ong's unique approach to music stems from a constant search for honesty, originality, and emotional expression within an artistic musical concept. Starting at the age of 10 by teaching himself the piano, he soon began taking formal instruction and discovered jazz and the saxophone at the age of 13. Studies continued at the McGill Conservatory and later McGill's Music Faculty Programme, studying jazz saxophone. In 2003, he studied privately with internationally-renowned jazz pianist Jason Moran. In 2005-2006, he was accepted for the "Jeunes Volontaires" grant programme for the production of a full-length debut recording

Troy Roberts

Embracing his love for a vast variety of stylistic genres, two-time GRAMMY nominated saxophonist, Troy Roberts is quickly becoming one of the most widely recorded touring artists of his time. As a go-to first call saxophonist, his name adorns several essential recordings ranging from the legendary Joey DeFrancesco to the iconic Van Morrison to the quintessential Jeff "Tain" Watts, to the tireless Orrin Evans Captain Black Big Band, to the critically acclaimed Kurt Elling, to the breathtaking Veronica Swift, including numerous other jazz veterans, and newcomers considered tastemakers of their generation.

Daniel Weidlein

Born: October 9, 1989

Daniel is a 21 year old accomplished saxophonist originally from Boulder, Colorado who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. His playing credits include: Frank Wess, Vince Mendoza, Bob Mintzer, Yosvany Terry, Ambrose Akinmusire, John Gunther, Taylor Eigsti, Clare Church, John Gunther, The Air Force Falconaires, the Thornton Jazz Orchestra, the Colorado All-State Jazz Band, The Metropolitan Jazz Band All-Stars, and the Colorado Mile High All-Stars Jazz Band. His awards include the Stan Getz Outstanding Musician Award from the Stanford Jazz Festival, a merit award from the NFAA Young Arts national arts competition, as well as numerous awards from jazz festivals around the state of Colorado

Ami Nakazono

Born: October 6, 1986

Ami Nakazono is one of the most versatile and inventive saxophonists working professionally in the U.S. and Japan today. A relentless explorer of improvisation and compositional form, she is building her fan base and repertoire simultaneously at venues and festivals internationally. Her dense style is a rich medley of jazz and soul executed effortlessly and with impeccable technique. Born in 1986 KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN, Ami began classical piano lessons at the age of 4. By 12 years old, she was playing the alto saxophone and joined her school brass band. After 2 years, she won the “City Solo Instrumental Competition.” At the same time she was offered a full scholarship to study music at Fukuoka Daiichi High School in Fukuoka, Japan, where she studied classical music, theory, ear training, harmony, and brass band skills