Wayne Escoffery

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. He began his professional NY 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 trumpet player Don Sickler asked Wayne to be a part of Ben Riley’s Monk legacy Septet; an innovative piano-less group dedicated to carrying on the legacy of jazz great Thelonious Monk. At this time Wayne was also touring with Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Music of the Masters consisting of two groups of musicians hand picked by Wynton Marsalis. The Music of Dexter Gordon featured Wayne with Saxophonists Jimmy Greene and Gerry Welden; backed by Dexter Gordon alumni George Cables, Rufus Reid and Leroy Williams. The Music of Miles Davis featured Wayne with trumpet great Eddie Henderson and alto saxophonist Steve Wilson in the front line; backed by David Kikoski, Ed Howard and Miles Davis veteran Jimmy Cobb on drums.

In 2006 Wayne secured one of the most coveted gigs in jazz: a frontline position in Tom Harrell’s working quintet. In addition to being a part of some of the last true “apprenticeship” opportunities of our era, he has delivered two studio dates as a leader on the Nagel-Heyer label "Times Change" in 2001 and "Intuition" in 2004.

In a review of the latter AllAboutJazz.com's Senior Editor John Kelman wrote “Escoffery's command of the instrument is impressive, able to navigate broad intervallic leaps with a sound that is robust in all registers,” Critics have also called him “[A] young, self- assured, hard-swinging tenor saxophonist.” (Ben Ratliff - The New York Times) “a skillful, musical player” (Chris Kelsey, JazzTimes) and “a thoughtful and ambitious composer” (Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide).

In October of 2006 Wayne signed with Savant Records, founded and run by noted record industry legend Joe Fields and his highly respected son Barney. His first CD for Savant called "Veneration" (released in March of 2007) was recorded live at Smoke Jazz Club in NYC and features Joe Locke on vibes, Hans Glawichnig on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums.

Despite his musical talent Wayne (born on February 23rd 1975 in London, England) grew up in a relatively non-musical household. In 1983, he and his mother moved to the United States eventually settling in New Haven, Connecticut in 1986. He always enjoyed singing whatever music he heard but it wasn’t until his relocation to New Haven that his formal musical education began. At age eleven Wayne joined The New Haven Trinity Boys Choir, an internationally known Boys Choir that toured and recorded annually. At this time he also began taking private saxophone lessons and playing the tenor saxophone in school bands. By the time he was sixteen he left the Choir and began a more intensive study of the saxophone, attending The Jazz Mobile in New York City, The Neighborhood Music School and The Educational Center for the Arts, both in New Haven. During his senior year in high School, he attended the Artist’s Collective in Hartford, Ct. It was there that he met Jackie McLean, the world-renowned alto saxophonist and founder of both The Artist’s Collective and the jazz program at The Hartt School. McLean gave Escoffery a full scholarship to attend The Hartt School, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance, and became known as one of McLean’s prize pupils. While at Hartt, Wayne played with such jazz greats as Curtis Fuller, Eddie Henderson, Philip Harper, Albert Heath, and many others. He then attended The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at The New England Conservatory in Boston. It was a full scholarship two-year college program, accepting a small select group of the world’s most talented young jazz artists every two years. At the Institute, he toured with Herbie Hancock and studied with George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Don Braden, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Barry Harris, Charlie Persip and other Jazz masters.

Wayne Escoffery: Like Minds

by Dave Linn
June 21, 2023

Wayne Escoffery was born in London and raised in New Haven, Connecticut. He began playing the saxophone at the age of 11, later studying at the Educational Center for the Arts in New Haven and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. In the late 1990s, Escoffery started gaining recognition on the jazz scene with his tenure in the Eric Reed Septet and later joining the Mingus Big Band. After completing his studies, Escoffery moved to New ...

Interview

Wayne Escoffery: Still Forging Ahead

by R.J. DeLuke
May 22, 2023

Saxophonist Wayne Escoffery has a long, ongoing association with the Mingus Big Band organization, including a Grammy for Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard (Jazz Workshop, Inc., Sue Mingus Music, 2010). His career also includes a special relationship with trumpeter Tom Harrell, with whom he has played for many years. All that is enough to carry a strong career. But Escoffery is more than that. His career is multifaceted, documented by his own bands and CDs. He's ...

Liner Notes

Tom Harrell: Number Five

by John Kelman
April 24, 2023

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," they say, and since coming to HighNote in 2007, trumpeter Tom Harrell has lived by that old adage, utilizing the same quintet for its auspicious debut, Light On, and three subsequent recordings, culminating in 2011's outstanding Time of the Sun. Number Five continues Harrell's winning streak with the same line-up, but if each successive recording has reflected the ongoing growth of one of today's most compelling small groups--the chemistry deeper and the interaction ...

Liner Notes

Steve Davis: Correlations

by C. Andrew Hovan
March 21, 2023

Surely it must be considered a milestone to chalk up Correlations as Steve Davis' 20th session as a leader. Just contemplate how much the world has changed since the trombonist started turning heads as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers back at the start of the '90s. The record business in particular occupies a vastly different landscape than was once the norm, a fact that figures all the more prominently in the precarious nature of recorded jazz. As such, ...

Album Review

Amina Figarova: Joy

by Dan McClenaghan
November 2, 2022

Pianist Amina Figarova released an album in 2005 that was about as far away from the theme of “joy" as could be. September Suite (Munich Records) explored the deadly events of September 11, 2001 (she was in New York at the time; she experienced it). It is an album that she called: “An Ode to Mourning striving to articulate the various stages of grief in musical terms." In 2022 Figarova turns 180 degrees to embrace optimism and a ...

Album Review

Pat Bianchi: Something to Say: The Music of Stevie Wonder

Read "Something to Say: The Music of Stevie Wonder" reviewed by Victor L. Schermer

by Victor L. Schermer
January 28, 2022

This album is a tribute to Stevie Wonder, who beyond his popularity and fame has always been a an exceptional musician. It features four superb musicians, an organ trio consisting of Pat Bianchi on Hammond B-3 organ, Paul Bollenback on guitar, and Byron Landham on drums, with Wayne Escoffery as guest tenor saxophonist that honors Wonder's work with artistry and attention to his unique style. It synthesizes the jazz swing idiom with R&B/ soul music, both of which inspired Wonder ...

Album Review

Pat Bianchi: Something to Say: The Music of Stevie Wonder

Read "Something to Say: The Music of Stevie Wonder" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
December 25, 2021

When considering pop artists whose music might readily lend itself to a jazz milieu, Stevie Wonder's name isn't one that springs readily to mind. Organist Pat Bianchi, however, felt that Wonder had Something to Say in a jazz context, so he set about canvassing Wonder's art and reimagining it in terms of an organ trio, accentuating the composer's singular gift for melody and harmony and replacing the lyrics with solos by organ, guitar and (in two instances) tenor saxophone.

Website

All About Jazz Top 10 Songs: April 2023

Source: All About Jazz
May 1, 2023

All About Jazz features a free song every day spanning all genres of jazz, and of the songs featured in April, these ten represent our reader's favorites as indicated by total listens. Musicians and record labels can submit full length MP3s for consideration here. Enjoy! Top Tracks Scorpion Donald Vega From: Spiritual Nature 7:04 Eleanor Rigby (remastered) Tobin Mueller From: Best of Tobin Mueller, Vol. 2: Jazz Arrangements ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Wayne Escoffery

Source: Michael Ricci
February 23, 2023

All About Jazz is celebrating Wayne Escoffery's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Wayne Escoffery

Source: Michael Ricci
February 23, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Wayne Escoffery's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Wayne Escoffery

Source: Michael Ricci
February 23, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Wayne Escoffery's birthday today!

Birthday

Source: Michael Ricci
February 23, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Wayne Escoffery's birthday today! 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. He began his professional NY 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... Read more. Place our ...
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“[A] young, self-assured, hard-swinging tenor saxophonist.” —Ben Ratliff, The New York Times

“A powerful, passionate player.” Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times Magazine

“This is a talented youngster capable of long, flowing lines, noteworthy creativity, and a broad range of expressiveness.” —J. Robert Bragonier, All About Jazz

“One of the most talented, poetic artists.” —Sue Mingus, widow of Bassist Charles Mingus

“His sound is arguably a contemporary mix of Coltrane, Shorter and Henderson influences, but is already personal... His technique is superb...” —Tony Hall, Jazzwise Magazine

Primary Instrument

Saxophone, tenor

Location

New York City

Credentials/Background

To teach private saxophone lessons, Jazz ensemble classes, theory classes, Jazz improvisation classes, Humanities/Music History Courses or any music related courses.

Wayne has been fortunate enough to study with some of the greatest jazz musicians in the world. Some of them include 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.

While presently a working part of the New York City Jazz scene, Wayne 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.

EDUCATION: 1993-97 Bachelor of Music, The Hartt School 1997-99 Master of Music, The New England Conservatory 1997-99 Diploma of Completion, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance

EXPERIENCE: 1994-97 Instructor, The Artist’s Collective Private saxophone instructor, theory teacher and history teacher. Ages 10 – 35. Taught proficiency on the saxophone, Jazz improvisation, basic Jazz History, and all levels of theory.
1997-99 Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Ambassador; The Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Ambassadors went to different schools in and out of the country to give master classes on Jazz/American Music History and Jazz Improvisation. This included trips to New Hampshire, Washington D.C., South America and Jamaica.
1999-present Private Instructor, Bromley Studios Private saxophone and beginner flute instruction. Ages 11-45
1999-present Private Instructor, City College Private saxophone instruction at the College level.
2000-present Adjunct Faculty, The Hartt School Private saxophone instruction at the college level. Assistant to Prof. Jackie McLean during saxophone masterclasses.

Primary Instrument

Saxophone, tenor

Location

New York City

Credentials/Background

To teach private saxophone lessons, Jazz ensemble classes, theory classes, Jazz improvisation classes, Humanities/Music History Courses or any music related courses.

EDUCATION: 1993-97 Bachelor of Music, The Hartt School 1997-99 Master of Music, The New England Conservatory 1997-99 Diploma of Completion, The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance

2001 July-Aug Faculty, Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer School Private saxophone instruction (all ages) Teaching classes in jazz improvisation, theory ,and history.
2001-present Faculty, Community Music School Private saxophone and flute instruction (all ages) Teaching Ensembles

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