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Jacob Chung

Canadian saxophonist/composer Jacob Chung (b. 2000) is a young and swingin’ new artist currently splitting time between his native Toronto and New York City, where he attends Manhattan School of Music for graduate studies.

Jacob has garnered several accolades including the 2021 Hnatyshyn Foundation Oscar Peterson Grant, the 2019 Prince Edward County Jazz Festival Rising Young Star Award, and acceptance into the 2018 National Youth Jazz Combo. He is the recipient of the 2018 Yamaha Passion and Performance Award and the 2017 Rico Golden Reed Award from Musicfest Canada. Jacob has performed with the likes of Robi Botos, Jodi Proznick, Mike Murley, Carn-Davidson 9, Ethan Ardelli, and Nick Fraser. He is featured on Jacob Wutzke’s 2019 EP Stop & Go and Thomas Steele 10tet’s 2020 album 10tet. He also appears on the University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra’s 2020 album Embargo.

During his time completing a B.Mus at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, Jacob was 2018 BMO National Scholar and twice received the Norman and Joan Promane Jazz Scholarship (2019, 2020). He was also the recipient of the 2021 Jazz Arranging Prize.

A budding educator, Jacob served as an assistant faculty member at Interprovincial Music Camp in 2019, directed the 2019/20 Hart House Jazz Combo under the supervision of Ernesto Cervini, and teaches private lessons at Classical Music Conservatory in Toronto.

Awards

Jacob has garnered several accolades including the 2021 Hnatyshyn Foundation Oscar Peterson Grant, the 2019 Prince Edward County Jazz Festival Rising Young Star Award, and acceptance into the 2018 National Youth Jazz Combo. He is the recipient of the 2018 Yamaha Passion and Performance Award and the 2017 Rico Golden Reed Award from Musicfest Canada. During his time completing a B.Mus at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, Jacob was 2018 BMO National Scholar and twice received the Norman and Joan Promane Jazz Scholarship (2019, 2020). He was also the recipient of the 2021 Jazz Arranging Prize.

Jacob Chung: The Sage

by Jack Bowers
March 22, 2025

On The Sage, his second album as leader, Canadian-bred saxophonist Jacob Chung lends credence to a speculative yet widely held belief that contempory jazz continues to grow and prosper north of the American border. Chung is no mere hobbyist, nor are his veteran helpmates --one of whom, alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, has been a force on the New York jazz scene for more than four decades, recording at least twenty albums under his name and appearing as a sideman on ...

“Jacob Chung is one of the bright musical lights of his generation. While he is just beginning his journey, I have no doubt we will be hearing wonderful music from him in the coming years and decades.”

— Mike Murley, 2022.

“Jacob Chung is a stellar saxophonist and composer, and his debut recording for Three Pines Records is a wonderful example of the thoughtfulness, passion, and joy that Jacob brings to his music. His impressive list of accomplishments will only continue to grow, and I look forward to following Jacob Chung’s artistic path for many years to come.”

- Kelly Jefferson, 2022.