Anibal Rojas

Anibal Rojas is a saxophonist with indigenous roots in a modern world. His is the music of the immigrant, the sound of assimilation and integration, the blending of cultures, classes, and musical traditions.

Born in Chile, Rojas emigrated to the U.S. in his early teens. His parents, fleeing political persecution, bought him a saxophone and signed him up for music lessons to keep him out of trouble. To supplement the family's income — his father's modest doctoral student stipend— Rojas spent his summers as a migrant worker in Iowa's cornfields. All the while, he was learning too — English and music. He scored a full music scholarship auditioning on a horn that was held together with rubber bands and four years later scored a degree in music performance from the University of Iowa.

A classically trained jazz lover, Rojas moved to the East Coast and found work with R&B and funk bands, who appreciated his screaming altissimo and big, colorful sound. He spent a few years touring with oldies R&B groups like Cuba Gooding and the Main Ingredient as well as with funk bands like Skintight and New York Horns. The performances took him from across the country and halfway around the world, to Morocco where he played for the king.

But all the while, the soundtrack playing in his head was the music of the Andes, voiced on saxophone and on indigenous instruments like the quena, quenacho, and zampoña. And while valuing his career as a sideman, he wanted to make music that was his own. Depending on the day — or what kind of music they heard him playing —"experts" advised Rojas to make a smooth jazz, Latin jazz, funk, pop, or R&B record. But while in New York, he spent some time with Latin Grammy winner Nestor Torres, who advised him to "just write music that's a reflection of who you are as a person." And so he began developing a distinctive voice in Jazz & World Music.

Anibal has been an integral part of the East Coast music scene for 20+ years. He has performed in major venues nationwide, including Carnegie Hall, The Apollo theater, The Greek Theater, and Universal Studios Amphitheatre, and has appeared on the television shows "Access Hollywood", "The Joan Rivers Show", "Good Morning America", "The Today Show", "The Early Show", and "The David Letterman Show". He also performs in clubs, theaters and recording studios of the tri- state area as well as South America, Europe, and Africa. Anibal is a renowned performer in any and all styles on all of the saxophones and flutes.  He currently holds the lead tenor sax chair with Ralph Irizarry and Timbalaye. Anibal is also featured on Timbalaye's latest CD "Algo Nuevo". And starting in March 2014, Anibal can be seen on PBS performing with the show "Under The Streetlamp". Anibal's latest CD “Root Kinetic” was released to rave reviews from critics and musicians alike. He can be seen performing music from his CDs with his band “ARQtet.” Anibal breaks hearts playing his native wood carved flutes and breaks glass with his gut-bustin’ Lenny Pickett sax altissimo. Endorsed by Navarro mouthpieces, Anibal is also a regular featured artist at NAMM.  Anibal is also a highly sought-after educator with a very popular sax lessons series on Youtube entitled "SAXREX SESSIONS. 

Anibal has performed and recorded with artists as varied as Blood Sweat & Tears, Brian Lynch, Jeff Lorber, Sammy Figueroa, Bob Franceschini, Kelly Clarkson, Arturo O’Farrill, Elliot Mason, Michael McDonald, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Caro Emerald, Patty Griffin, Sheila E., Tony Lakatos, Bobby Martinez, Ralph Irizarry, Timbalaye, Nestor Torres, Paquito D'Rivera, Ray Mantilla, Cuba Gooding, Bobby Chew, Stevie Wonder among others.

Gear

Selmer Mark VI Tenor Saxophone Navarro Mouthpiece Endorser