I don’t have aspirations to tour the world or to put out solo albums. I simply love the creative side of music. It’s a vital outlet for self-expression. A way to collaborate with talented individuals and make art that is bigger than the sum of its parts. A craft you can explore for a lifetime and only scratch the surface.

Background

I’ve played saxophone since the age of 14, picking up the instrument to join the high school marching band. On band trips, they used to blast Tower of Power on a boombox in the back of the bus. It clicked for me the moment I heard Lenny Pickett’s solo on “Knock Yourself Out”. Soon I was borrowing cassettes from the library, absorbing Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Dexter Gordon.

Against conventional wisdom, I turned down engineering scholarships to study under jazz icon Jackie McLean at the Hartt School of Music. In hindsight, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. Professor McLean taught far more than theory and musicality; he delivered a four-year masterclass in the lineage, struggle, and cultural depth of the African-American experience, reaching back to antiquity. As a pivotal figure in both the hard bop and avant-garde movements, he was an unfiltered link to the architects of modern jazz. His mentorship profoundly shaped my artistic voice, and his legacy endures through everyone he taught.

My stylistic influences span a wide spectrum. Jackie McLean’s impact is indelible, and Jan Garbarek sets the benchmark for tone. Without getting into a limitless list of inspiring musicians, suffice it to say I explore a range that spans from the raw emotion of players like Pharoah Sanders and Charles Lloyd to more cerebral approaches akin to Mark Turner and Jerry Bergonzi. I am not a purist in any sense, though I have a deep respect for all forms of this music.

Highlights

I leave extensive discographies and CVs to my immensely talented peers. Here are some rewarding projects I’ve worked on over the years:

• The Duke Baxter Band: Leading and arranging the horn section for the Duke Baxter Band. (2003–Present)
• The Baxter Quartet: Playing pop music in modern jazz style with my Duke Baxter bandmates. (2022–Present)
• The BlackTails: Performing “spy music”. (2010–Present)
• Angelo & Ert: Composed and performed the soundtrack for this short film entirely on tenor saxophone. (2011)
• Stachelvarius Mouthpieces: Design and manufacture of original saxophone mouthpieces in collaboration with Norbert Stachel. (2017–Present)

Primary Instruments: tenor saxophone, alto saxophone.
Doubles: soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, B♭ clarinet, E♭ clarinet, flute, trumpet, keyboards.

Upcoming Shows

Past Performances

Music Theater: Guys & Dolls, West Side Story, Chicago, Grease, The Boyfriend, Anyone Can Whistle saxes, B♭ & E♭ clarinet, flute