Javier Arau | Daniel Bennett | Laura Dreyer | David Engelhard | Wayne Escoffery | Oscar Feldman |
Charles Pillow | Karel Ruzicka, Jr. | Peter Sparacino | Loren Stillman | Jacob Teichroew | Erica von Kleist |
Javier Arau - Saxophone
Listen to Javier: "Body and Soul"
Neighborhood: Jackson Heights, Queens (will travel)
View interactive map.
Ages taught: age 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: piano (from age 4), flute, clarinet, composition, theory
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Javier.
Javier Arau is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and educator. The front cover artist on the July 2009 issue Saxophone Journal, he has received four Down Beat Magazine Awards for performance, composition, and arranging, and has received national awards and recognition from ASCAP, BMI, and MENC, among others. An active performer in New York City, he has shared the stage with Dizzy Gillespie, Richie Cole, the Joe Henderson Quartet, Clark Terry, Diana Krall, Steve Lacy, and many more. He studied classical saxophone with Steven Jordheim and jazz saxophone with Jerry Bergonzi and George Garzone. An innovator in the field of jazz education, Javier's research and development has been recognized by leading music institutions worldwide. He has taught at New England Conservatory of Music and Lawrence University and has served on the national judging panel for the MTNA national collegiate music competition. Javier is the author of several influential music texts and articles, and he has been published by Jazz Educators Journal, UNC Jazz Press, and Dorn Publications. He has taught jazz for over 17 years. Javier is an artist-endorser for Virtuoso Saxophones. For more about Javier, visit www.JavierArau.com.
Daniel Bennett - Saxophone
Listen to Daniel:
""
Neighborhood: Upper East Side, Manhattan (will travel)
Ages taught: age 4-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Daniel.
Saxophonist Daniel Bennett's bio is coming soon. For more about Daniel Bennett, visit www.DanielBennettGroup.com.
Laura Dreyer - Saxophone
Listen to Laura:
"Mambo Inn"
Neighborhood: Tribeca, Manhattan (will travel)
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Ages taught: age 10-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Laura.
Saxophonist Laura Dreyer, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, has been a dynamic member of the New York jazz scene for many years. She has not only leads her own group at countless New York jazz venues and international jazz festivals, but is also in great demand as a side-musician. Audiences have heard her in the bands of such diverse artists as Dom Salvador, Dr. Billy Taylor, Rufus Reid, Walter Bishop Jr., Mel Lewis, Robert Palmer, Nnenna Freelon, and saxophonist/author James McBride to name a few. She was an original member of the all-female Big band, Diva, where she played tenor and lead alto for six years, in addition to arranging and recording with the band. Laura attended the Berklee College of Music, and studied with noted music educators Andy McGee, Joe Viola, and John LaPorta. In addition, she studied privately with saxophone greats Joe Henderson and Joe Lovano, composers Lyle Mays and Jim McNeely and is a 3 time recipient of grants from The National Endowment for the Arts. For more about Laura Dreyer, visit www.myspace.com/lauradreyer.
David Engelhard - Saxophone
Listen to David:
"A Shade Of Jade"
"The Peacocks"
Neighborhood: Briarwood, Queens and NYJA Long Island (Mineola) (will travel)
Ages taught: age 4-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: piano, flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with David.
Born and raised in Atlanta, David Engelhard is gaining recognition as an extraordinarily talented saxophonist and arranger. He is widely known for his work with GRAMMY-Award winning Zac Brown Band. Here David developed a strong reputation for his Saxophone playing as well as his arranging skills. His musical career began with years of playing classical piano, but the most influential experience was listening Charlie Parker. David has had the opportunity to share the stage with a number of famous jazz musicians such as David Sanchez, Bob Reynolds, Oscar Perez, and many others. While in Atlanta, he performed often with local legends such as Kinah Boto (Nnenna Freelon), Kevin Bales (Marcus Printup, Rene Marie), and others. During his time with the Zac Brown Band, David performed at all the large venues in the Southeast, as well as receiving performing and arranging credits on a live DVD (Pass The Jar) released on Atlantic Records. In addition to performing with Zac Brown, David performed with many other popular talents such as Coy Bowles, Clay Cook, the Wood Brothers, and John Mayer. For more information, visit www.DavidEngelhard.com.
Wayne Escoffery - Saxophone
Listen to Wayne:
"Love Walked In"
"Angel Face"
Neighborhood: Harlem, Manhattan (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Wayne.
Since moving to New York City in 2000, tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery has become one of the Jazz world's most talented rising stars and in-demand sidemen. At only 32 he has recorded four CDs as a leader and been on numerous recordings as a sideman. Wayne began his professional New York career touring and recording with The Eric Reed Septet. In 2001 he became a steady member of the Mingus Big Band/Orchestra/Dynasty, The Lonnie Plaxico Group, and Abdulah Ibrahim's Akaya. Then in 2004 Grammy award winning producer, arranger and trumpeter Don Sickler asked Wayne to be a part of Ben Riley's Monk legacy Septet. At this time Wayne was also touring with Jazz At Lincoln Center's Music, and in 2006 Wayne secured one of the most coveted gigs in jazz: a frontline position in Tom Harrell's working quintet. Wayne has been fortunate enough to study with some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world, including Jackie McLean, Ron Carter, George Coleman, Clark Terry, and Barry Harris. He also has first-hand experience playing with word class jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter. Wayne also leads his own group and performs internationally with The Mingus Band and Abdullah Ibrahim. He has experience introducing music to all ages and has learned the history of American Music from many of the innovators of the last five decades. B.Mus, The Hartt School; M.M., New England Conservatory; Diploma, Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance. For more about Wayne, visit www.EscofferyMusic.com.
Oscar Feldman - Saxophone
Listen to Oscar: "Fragile"
Neighborhood: Midtown, Manhattan (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Oscar.
Known for his splendid tonalities, Argentinian native Oscar Feldman demonstrates superb skills on alto, tenor and soprano saxes, while employing a wide range of pan-american references, from straight ahead to tango, candombe, samba, and mambo. Feldman studied at Berklee College of music where he graduated cum laude in 1995 with a Major in Professional Music. Oscar has recorded and toured internationally with notable artists such as guitar legend Al Di Meola, Grammy winner and top producer/arranger Eumir Deodato, Jeff Tain Watts, Avantango, Paquito D'Rivera's United Nations Orchestra, Alex Acuna at prestigious venues such as the Opera Vienna House, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall in New York, Park La Villette in Paris, the Blue Note as well as many International Jazz Festivals in Europe, the Americas and Africa. In 1999 Oscar recorded the album "Tropicana Nights" with a Big Band conducted by Paquito D'Rivera which received the Latin Grammy Award 2000 for "Best Latin Jazz Album". His debut album "El Angel" received rave reviews and features guest appearances by Gato Barbieri, Claudio Roditti, Alex Acuna and Paquito D'Rivera. Oscar toured in Spain with Bebo Valdes and His All Star Latin Jazz Band and most recently he performed in Greece with his own band featuring Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez. He recorded for the soundtrack of Ang Lee's new movie "Lust, Caution". Oscar we'll be touring Europe with Fusion Revolution together with Alex Acuna , Tom Kennedy and Otmaro Ruiz. For more about Oscar, visit www.OscarFeldman.com.ar.
Charles Pillow - Saxophone/Oboe/Clarinet/Flute
Listen to Charles:
"Charlotte"
"Il Vecchio Castello"
Neighborhood: Midtown, Manhattan (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Charles.
With 4 CDs to his credit, Charles Pillow has established himself as one of the premier woodwind multi-instrumentalists on the scene today. His re-orchestration of Mussorgskys' "Pictures at an Exhibition" (2004) and Gustav Holst' "The Planets" (2007), both on ArtistShare, have earned him critical acclaim: "Pillow is on the cutting edge of a trend. He ushers in a previously unexploited way to enliven and extend jazz." --AllAboutJazz.com. His arrangements and compositions meld jazz, classical and world music into a unique "symphony of sound" approach With his mastery of oboe, bass clarinet, flute and saxophone, he is in demand as a performer, teacher, clinician and touring musician and has performed on over 80 recordings, including those of Michael Brecker, Maria Schneider, David Sanborn, Joe Henderson, etc. He also works as a music producer in his home studio, recording various projects via the internet. For more about Charles, visit www.CharlesPillow.com.
Karel Ruzicka Jr. - Saxophone
Listen to Karel:
"Bye Bye Baby"
Neighborhood: Prospect Park, Brooklyn (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Karel.
Award-winning saxophonist, composer and producer Karel Ruzicka Jr. was born in Prague, Czech Republic into a very musical family. His mother was in the Czech opera and his father, Karel Ruzicka, is a well-known jazz pianist, composer and educator. Karel studied piano and flute from age 5, and on to Prague Conservatory and the Conservatory of Jaroslav Jezek. Since emigrating to the U.S in 1997, he has studied with Barry Harris, Charles Blenzig (musical director for Michael Franks), and Grammy Award winners Bob Mintzer and Joe Lovano. Karel Jr. began his professional career at 16 as leader of "The Four," at clubs, jazz competitions and festivals in Europe. He was featured soloist with Big Band Radio Prague and recorded with the prestigious European Broadcasting Union Big Band. Karel Jr. is featured soloist with the Karel Ruzicka Quartet in Europe and the U.S.A. He performed with the Roy Hargrove Quintet in Europe plus concerts with Wynton Marsalis and members of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. In 2003 Karel Jr. toured the United States with "Voice of the Dragon," led and written by Chinese-American baritone saxophonist Fred Ho. Recently he toured with the R&B legend Ben. E. King, jazz singer/songwriter Michael Franks and with the great drummer/composer Jeff "Tain" Watts. He is a highly sought after performer and recording artist with George Benson, Ravi Coltrane, Joe Locke, Nellie McKay, Benny Reitveld (bassist for Miles Davis and Santana) and Michael Franks. For more about Karel, visit www.myspace.com/karelruzickajrquartet.
Peter Sparacino - Saxophone
Listen to Peter: "Dire Qualcosa"
Neighborhood: Bushwick, Brooklyn (will travel)
View interactive map.
Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Peter.
Originally hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, saxophonist Peter Sparacino performs regularly in a diverse array of musical genres. After spending the early years playing clarinet in orchestras, the days of exclusively classical repetoire were cut short in high school after being exposed to the album "Blue Train" and the sonic opportunities of the saxophone. Peter switched to tenor saxophone soon after and attended the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington where he was fortunate enough to study with acclaimed musicians and educators David Baker and Tom Walsh. After graduating, Peter returned to the San Francisco Bay Area and immersed himself in the vibrant music scene of the Bay, playing regularly with the top working big bands, salsa bands, and jazz groups in the premier venues in the city, including Pearl's, Cafe Revolution, Amnesia and Club Cocomo. However in 2008, the call of New York and its legendary music scene proved to be irresistible and in the fall of that year Peter relocated to Brooklyn, NY where he currently resides. Since moving to New York he has played saxophone and woodwinds as a sideman and leader up and down the east coast and midwest, including renowned NYC venues Showman's, Sullivan Hall, Barbes, B.B. Kings, the Knitting Factory, Brooklyn Bowl, Bowery Poetry Club, BAMcafe, Ella Lounge, the Tea Lounge, Arlene's Grocery, Webster Hall, among many others; playing with such top rate musicians as James Zollar, the Javier Arau Big Band, Brother Joscephus, the Drumadics, the Saxophone Cartel, and his own groups to name a few. He maintains a busy schedule of performing, composing and teaching, in addition to arranging for various ensembles and transcription work. He is currently working on original music for a debut album, hopefully out by early 2012 (if the world doesn't end). For more about Peter, visit www.myspace.com/sparacinojazz.
Loren Stillman - Saxophone
Listen to Loren:
"Personal Tonal"
Neighborhood: Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn (will travel)
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Ages taught: ages 10-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Loren.
"The music of saxophonist and composer Loren Stillman has found acclaimed reviews in such publications as The New York Times, Downbeat Magazine, Jazziz, Jazz Times, and National Public Radio, marking him as an innovative voice of modern jazz. With his training stemming from Lee Konitz and David Liebman, Stillman has performed, recorded, and educated throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. Alongside an impressive record of performances, recordings, and masterclasses with his own ensembles, Stillman has performed alongside Charlie Haden, Paul Motian Trio 2000+2, Carla Bley, John Abercrombie, Andy Milne's DAPP Theory, Michele Rosewoman Quintessence, Joe Lovano, Eivind Opsvik, John McNeil, Brad Shepik, Russ Lossing, Vic Juris, and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. An early start to his musical career found Stillman as recipient of two Outstanding Performance Awards (1996 & 1998) and the Rising Star Jazz Artist Award (2004) from Down Beat Magazine. Stillman attended Manhattan School of Music (1998) and The New School (2002) on full music scholarship, and was a semifinalist in the 2002 Thelonious Monk Saxophone Competition. In 2005, Stillman received the CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award. Stillman's original recordings, It Could Be Anything (Fresh Sound, 2005), The Brothers' Breakfast (Steeplechase, 2006), and Blind Date (Pirouet, 2006), received critical acclaim from The New York Times and four star recognition in BBC Jazz Review, Jazz Man Magazine and Downbeat Magazine. Stillman has been featured on WKCR, Weekend America Public Broadcasting, and LIU Radio programming." --Budd Kopman, Cadence Magazine, May 2004. For more about Loren, visit www.LorenStillman.com.
Jacob Teichroew - Saxophone
(photo by Anna Marie Vu)
Listen to Jacob: "Overly Nice"
Neighborhood: Brooklyn (will travel)
Ages taught: ages 8-adult
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Jacob Teichroew.
Saxophonist Jacob Teichroew is a musician and music journalist based in New York City. A versatile performer, Jacob holds a degree a degree in classical saxophone performance, and regularly performs jazz, improvisation, pop, and various Latin music styles. He received the Jimmy Heath Excellence in Jazz scholarship from Queens College, where he earned a Master's degree in jazz performance under the tutelage of Antonio Hart and Michael Mossman. He has received awards from Downbeat Magazine, and was one of four finalists in the 2006 NASA Young Jazz Artist national competition. As a music educator through the Third Street Music School, Song of Songs Music School, YoungVoices/BigSounds, and Music Crossing Borders, Jacob has achieved great success in guiding students of all ages through musical growth and development. Jacob has published articles for Jazz.com, works as a freelance promotional biographer, and is currently the jazz editor at about.com (jazz.about.com). There he writes CD and concert reviews, posts music news, and conducts interviews with leading figures in the jazz world. For more about Jacob, visit www.JacobTeichroew.com.
Erica von Kleist - Flute/Saxophone
Listen to Erica:
""
Neighborhood: Flatbush/Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
(will travel)
View interactive map.
Ages taught: ages 8-adv
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: jazz theory
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Erica von Kleist.
Flutist and saxophonist Erica von Kleist's bio is coming soon.
Michael Webster - Saxophone/Woodwinds
Listen to Michael:
"Integrity"
Neighborhood: Flatbush/Ditmas Park, Brooklyn
(will travel)
View interactive map.
Ages taught: ages 8-adv
Levels taught: beg-adv
Secondary instruments taught: flute, clarinet
Send us an email letting us know that you want to study with Michael Webster.
Saxophonist Michael Webster's compositions have been played by Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell and Arturo O'Farrill at Birdland and by John Benitez at the Blue Note in New York City. In March 2008, Michael conducted the Grammy winning Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra at Symphony Space in Manhattan, where they premiered his original commissioned composition "Mombogro". He returned to lead the ALJO's performance of two commissioned arrangements in October 2008 featuring guitarist/composer Michele Ramo. Michael appears regularly with the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada as an orchestral saxophonist, and has been a featured soloist in this capacity with John Pizzarelli, Doc Severinsen, Barbara Cooke, Lou Rawls, Ian Tyson, Glen Campbell & Carol Welsman. Originally from Ottawa, Canada, Michael earned his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Saxophone at the University of Toronto in 1999. He was awarded the J.B.C. Watkins Award for Postgraduate Studies, along with a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, which enabled him to move to New York City in 2002. Michael graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in May 2004 where he earned his Master of Music degree in jazz composition under the tutelage of Michael Abene. While at MSM, Michael began collaborating with Grammy-winning bassist John Benitez, playing saxophone, co-writing and arranging music for the John Benitez Group and the 12-piece Gospel Latin Jazz Project. Since 2003, Michael has been collaborating with Puerto Rican trombonist/percussionist William Cepeda as an arranger for big band and symphony orchestra, as well as playing saxophone in Cepeda's International Sextet. In September 2005 Michael recorded his debut CD as a leader entitled Leading Lines. The album presents 8 original works, for jazz nonet, woodwind quintet and strings. Featured are John Benitez on bass, drummer Obed Calvaire, trumpeter Michael Rodriguez, and Gordon Webster on piano. Presenting a unique blend of Latin Jazz rhythms, classical textures, funky odd meter settings and sheer groove, Michael's 13-piece orchestra, Leading Lines, is a perfect springboard for melodically accessible, harmonically rich & rhythmically infectious music. The group features some of NYC's best young jazz musicians in a unique setting, including Sara Caswell on violin, Rob Mosher on soprano sax & oboe, and Erica vonKleist on saxophone and flute. A passionate educator, Michael continues to serve as musical director of United Rhythms & Visions, a New Jersey-based arts agency bringing music, art & drama to inner-city schools. He has over ten years of experience teaching private lessons in saxophone, clarinet, flute, composition, arranging, jazz theory & improvisation. For more about Michael, visit www.OneManMusic.com.
