Saxquest is thrilled to welcome internationally renown saxophonist, Greg Tardy this Thursday evening (5/25) from 6-8pm – live at Saxquest. Greg will be performing with a trio that also features the great Montez Coleman on drums and Ben Wheeler on bass. This is a truly a unique opportunity to hear one of today’s great saxophone artists. As the saxophonist who cut his teeth with legends like Elvin Jones and Andrew Hill, Greg represents a direct link to the masters who came before. While deeply rooted in the tradition, he continues to push the musical jazz envelope, just as his mentors did in their day.

Music is an expression of the soul and I always try to speak through my horn – Greg Tardy

In 1992, Tardy recorded his first solo project, Crazy Love. 1992 is also the year that he was picked up by Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, a relationship that lasted several years. During the time with the legendary Elvin Jones, Tardy felt that it was finally time to move to the Big Apple. In New York, he went on to perform and record with an extremely large array of prominent artists including: Tom Harrell, Dave Douglas, Wynton Marsalis, Jay McShann, Steve Coleman, Betty Carter, James Moody, Bill Frisell, Rashied Ali , John Patitucci, and many more. In 1999, Tardy began to play in various bands led by the great Andrew Hill; a relationship that has lasted many years and produced several highly acclaimed recordings. He has also performed and/or recorded alongside many other notable saxophonists, such as Joe Lovano, Mark Turner, Chris Potter, Dewey Redman, Ravi Coltrane, and many others. In more recent years, Tardy has gone full circle, bringing his clarinet out of retirement, using it on recordings by Tom Harrell, Ohad Talmor/Steve Swallow, Stefan Harris, and Andrew Hill.

“In my band, I try to explore new things, although I usually keep the tradition in the back of my head, as well. I really respect the tradition…but I try not to let it stop me from going for stuff that I hear. I also respect what’s going on now, in jazz-and it influences me.” In March 1998, Tardy’s first major label project as a leader was released for Impulse Records, Serendipity. He received great critical acclaim for this record and was nominated as Best Debut Artist for the New York Jazz Awards. In the fall he toured Europe on the Rising Stars Tour and when he returned he began to plan his next record. A casualty of the merger of Verve and GRP, he decided to record for a smaller label, J Curve Records. His third album, The Hidden Light, was released in April 2000 to rave reviews. In 2001, Tardy explored freer elements of jazz on a CD entitled, Abundance. Recorded on the Palmetto label, this CD also received much critical acclaim. Four years later, Tardy began recording for the Steeplechase label. His releases to date are: The Truth, Steps of Faith, He Knows My Name, The Strongest Love, Monuments, and Standards & More. His next release, Hope, is due out in January 2014. Tardy continues to perform internationally as well as teach at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

I can’t say enough how thrilled we are to be hosting Greg Tardy. This has been years in the making. I encourage you all to come check out as much of it as you can. Its doubtful this opportunity will present itself again anytime soon. I hope to see you on Thursday evening!!!

Also mark your calendar:
Saturday June 3 – Antonio Hart
Tuesday June 13 – Adam Larson
Thusday July 20 – JD Parran

Upcoming Monthly Local Saxophonist Showcases:
Saturday June 10 – Christopher Braig
Saturday July 15 – Kendrick Smith
Saturday Aug 5 – Jeff Collins Quartet
Saturday Sept TBD – Joel Vanderheyden
Saturday Oct TBD – Dave Stone
Saturday Nov TBD – Kristian Baarsvik
Saturday Dec TBD – Freddie Washington

Local Saxophonist and Educator Hugh Jones has been one of the most in demand saxophonists in the St. Louis area for over 20 years now. Hugh graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1992 with a Bachelor of Music Performance, and received a Master of Music degree in 1997 at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. He has been a staple of Jazz Education in the St. Louis area teaching Jazz at Chaminade College Preparatory School, Westminster Christian Academy, and Crossroads College Preparatory. Hugh also served as adjunct professor in the Jazz department at University of Missouri St. Louis from 2008 to 2014.

Hugh has performed multiple times on saxophone with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, sometimes as a soloist. He has also performed with The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Mulgrew Miller, Bobby Watson, the O’Jays, Petula Clark, the 4 Cities Sax Quartet, and nearly every pro level Big Band in the St. Louis area. You can catch him playing tenor with the Dave Dickey Big Band regularly.

Hugh Jones has been a very good friend of everyone here at Saxquest since our inception, and we are extremely excited to present this performance. You won’t want to miss Hugh Jones performing with one of the best rhythm sections this city has to offer. Please come out on Saturday, May 20 to Saxquest on Cherokee St, from 2pm – 4pm.

The rhythm section will be Adam Maness on piano, Bob Deboo on bass, and Kaleb Kirby on drums.

Upcoming Monthly Local Saxophonist Showcases:
Saturday June 10 – Christopher Braig
Saturday July 15 – Kendrick Smith
Saturday Aug 5 – Jeff Collins Quartet
Saturday Sept TBD – Joel Vanderheyden
Saturday Oct TBD – Dave Stone
Saturday Nov TBD – Kristian Baarsvik

Other Upcoming Performances:
Thursday May 25 – Greg Tardy
Saturday June 3 – Antonio Hart
Tuesday June 13 – Adam Larson
Thusday July 20 – JD Parran

Ben Reece has developed into one of the top call saxophonists in the St. Louis area over the past decade. He was a founding member of the Funky Butt Brass Band, and has performed regularly with other well known St. Louis bands The Feed, The Brothers Lazaroff, Gumbohead and The Dave Dickey Big Band.

More recently Ben has moved into a much heavier focus in performing Jazz. He performs regularly with the Phil Dunlap Quintet, the Jazz St. Louis Big Band and the Saxquest Jazz Orchestra. He will be performing at Jazz at the Bistro this month a staggering 8 times, which includes the debut of his new quartet. The Ben Reece Unity Quartet was formed earlier this year when Ben decided he wanted to form a quartet with a two saxophone front line, and no chordal instrument. The quartet will feature Ben and Austin Cebulske on Tenor Saxophones, Bob Deboo on Bass, and Marty Morrison on Drums.

You won’t want to miss Ben Reece and his newly formed quartet live at Saxquest.

Upcoming Monthly Local Saxophonist Showcases:
Saturday May 20 – Hugh Jones
Saturday June TBD – Christopher Braig
Saturday July TBD – Kendrick Smith
Saturday Aug 5 – Jeff Collins Quartet
Saturday Sept TBD – Joel Vanderheyden
Saturday Oct TBD – Dave Stone
Saturday Nov TBD – Kristian Baarsvik

I’m incredibly excited to invite you to share an evening with the Saxquest Jazz Orchestra for a celebration of the music of St. Louis native, Oliver Nelson on April 19 and 20 at Jazz at the Bistro. Two Nights – Two Sets each: 7:30PM and 9PM. This is our debut performance on this stage and we would love for you to be a part of it.

A passionate believer in “The Rights of All”, Oliver Nelson’s music is provocative and powerful. Intensely original, his music encompasses some of the most beautiful melodies, lush harmonies and intense groves ever written. His ability to infuse gospel blues, symphonic orchestrations and straight ahead jazz is nothing short of remarkable. Getting inside of Nelson’s music while arranging it for our instrumentation (jazz nonet) has been both humbling and musically rewarding. Sometimes his music hangs on a single note where the instrumental parts are so exposed it forces you to sit on the edge of your seat while other times his music is driving in a frenzy of mixed meter, poly-rhythmic excitement.

We’ll be performing several pieces from various times in Oliver Nelson’s career. As an ardent supporter of civil rights, Nelson’s compositions were inspired by the changing times of the 60’s, as he witnessed it. We’ll perform his composition “I Hope In Time a Change Will Come”, quite possibly the most beautiful heart-rendering melody Nelson ever wrote, which will feature Ben Reece on soprano saxophone. We’ll also throw down on “Emancipation Blues” which is a grand and glorious gospel romp that shows Nelson at his spiritual best! You’ll also hear several tunes from Nelson’s groundbreaking 1961 Impulse! album “The Blues and the Abstract Truth”, widely regarded as one of the most significant recordings of the modern jazz era.

I won’t give away the entire program but we will conclude the evening with a special performance of the entire “The Kennedy Dream Suite”. This is one of Nelson’s most ambitious works. In the reed section you’ll hear clarinets, flutes, oboe, English horn, and saxophones. In the brass section you’ll hear colors from different instruments with all kinds of mutes. Composed of eight movements, each piece incorporates an audio/visual of The 34th President’s oratorios on human rights as a prelude. With certain movements titled “The Rights of All”, “Tolerance”, “Genuine Peace”, and “The Artists’ Rightful Place”, its shocking just how relevant this music still is decades later. I believe this will be the St. Louis premiere of the Kennedy Dream Suite”. Its an honor to finally bring it back home to St. Louis and what grander of a stage than Jazz at the Bistro.

I hope you can join us for this very special evening. I would love to share with you our take on the music of Oliver Nelson.

Ben Reece – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet
Mark Overton- tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn
Derick Tramel – bari sax, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute
Bill Simpson – trumpet, flugelhorn
Dustin Shrum – trumpet, flugelhorn
Jon Siddle – trombone
Adam Maness – piano
Ben Wheeler – bass
Tony Barbata – percusion

I welcome everyone out to Saxquest this Thursday April 6 from 6-7:30pm for a very special saxophone workshop with Adam Larson!!! Adam is a brilliant saxophonist and gives great informative and entertaining clinics. Adam will talk about how to navigate chord changes in jazz improvisation, saxophone fundamentals, the creative process and more. Joining Mr. Larson in this clinic will be Adaron “Pops” Jackson on piano. This is a free event and open to the public.

Hailing from New York, Larson keeps an active schedule with his various groups and as a sideman performing and recording with a virtual who’s-who of jazz over the past several year. Released in January of 2013, Larson’s debut album “Simple Beauty” and Larson’s follow up album (released in September of 2013), entitled “Overdue Ovation”, have received high praise from critics. His latest record, “Selective Amnesia” was released on Inner Circle Music in 2015.

As a leader and sideman Adam has been part of several tours across the country and around the world, and also maintains a busy schedule as a clinician and master class presenter.

Described by critic Howard Reich of The Chicago-Tribune as “a player for whom the word ‘prodigious’ was coined”, Larson was selected as a member of the inaugural Manhattan School of Music Jazz Institute where he completed his Master’s with honors and received the William H. Borden Award for outstanding performance in Jazz Performance in 2014.

Saxquest has been fortunate to know Adam for many years and to watch him develop his artistry. He has become a top national-level jazz artist in every sense of the phrase. Audiences are blown away by his technical facility and creativity.

Larson endorses P. Mauriat Saxophones and D’Addario Woodwinds and we’d like to thank them for their support. Please come out for some great music!!

Also mark your calendar:
Saturday Apr 29 – 2-4PM – Ben Reece
​Saturday May 20 – 2-4PM – Hugh Jones
Saturday June 17 – 2-4PM Jeff Collins and the Renegade Saxophone Quartet
Saturday July TBA – 2-4PM – Kendrick Smith
Saturday August TBA – 2-4PM – Christopher Braig

Saxquest address: 2114 Cherokee St., St. Louis, MO 63118

We are all very excited here at Saxquest about the March Local Saxophonist Showcase. Many of us that work here have studied saxophone and doubles with Mike Karpowicz. He is often so busy playing doubling gigs at the Muny and the Fox, that many haven’t had the chance to hear him in a quartet setting playing Jazz. You defintely won’t want to miss this month if you haven’t had a chance to hear Mike play yet. This event is free and open to the public, and will be at the main Saxquest location on Saturday, March 18, from 2pm – 4pm.

Mike Karpowicz is Director of Bands at DeSmet Jesuit High School where he established the school’s first instrumental music program. He teaches Concert Band and four jazz ensembles. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Webster University where he has taught Applied Saxophone, Saxophone Ensemble, Woodwind Methods and Jazz Combo.

He has been active in St. Louis as a free-lance saxophonist/woodwind doubler. He is one of the top call show players in St. Louis. He recently performed with the national touring company of An American in Paris at the Fox Theater. His next performance at the Fox will be with the touring show Motown. This past fall he performed with the St. Louis Repertory Theatre Company’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies. He is also an extra at the MUNY performing with one or two productions each summer. Over the years he has performed with every major big band in the St. Louis area as well as the St. Louis Symphony and Symphony Pops. He has also performed with major stage performers recently including Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel and Bernadette Peters.
He has performed with jazz legends Michel LeGrand, Mel Torme, Clark Terry, Louie Bellson and Bobby Shew.

As a performer and educator Mike has been involved with the Webster University Summer Jazz Camp and the International Summer Jazz Academy in Krakow, Poland. He is a proud member of St. Louis Local 2-197 of the American Federation of Musicians.

Upcoming local arists:
April 29 – Ben Reece
May 20 – Hugh Jones
June TBA – Jeff Collins & the Renegade Saxophone Quartet
July TBA – Kendrick Smith

Throughout 2017 Saxquest will be featuring a different St. Louis based Saxophonist every month. For our second showcase we chose one of our own. Austin Cebulske completed his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2012, and recently his Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from Northern Illinois University, where he also served as a Graduate Assistant. A great musician in all styles from jazz to motown, soul to rock, Austin can be heard most frequently on tenor with the Funky Butt Brass Band. He keeps a very busy gig schedule outside of the Funky Butt Brass Band as well. He can be seen fronting duo, trio and quartet gigs around town very regularly.

Most probably recognize Austin from his demo videos of Saxquest horns and mouthpieces on our website and youtube page. From listening to the videos it is easy to tell that this young tenor player is burning. You won’t want to miss hearing Austin play in this setting with some of the finest rhythm section players St. Louis has to offer backing him. The rhythm section will feature Adam Maness on Piano, Bob Deboo on Bass and Kaleb Kirby on Drums. The event is free and open to public, Saturday February 18 from 2pm – 4pm at the Saxquest on Cherokee St.

Be sure to catch our next showcases as well:
March 11 – Mike Karpowicz
April TBD – Ben Reece

Throughout 2017 Saxquest will be featuring a different St. Louis based Saxophonist every month. We are starting the year off with local saxophonist and educator Jason Swagler. Jason is the director of the Jazz Studies department at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville(SIUE), where he has been a faculty member since 2000. Jason is also an instructor through the Jazz St. Louis program JazzU, that rehearses and performs at Jazz at the Bistro.

Aside from teaching Jason gigs on a regular basis. He is one of the top call saxophonists in St. Louis.

We have assembled a fantastic rhythm section to accompany Jason for his performance as well. Jason will be joined by Adam Manness on Piano, Bob Deboo on Bass, and Kaleb Kirby on Drums.

Saxquest is honored and thrilled to host a FREE clinic/performance at the shop this Saturday, December 3 with the Paul DeMarinis Trio. This event will be from 2pm-4pm, and as always it is free and open to the public.

This trio is a collaboration between saxophonist Paul DeMarinis, vocalist Debby Lennon, and pianist, Nick Schlueter. They bring together three distinct musical personalities in a soundscape that throws an innovative light on the modern jazz trio. Straight ahead grooves, lyrical modernism, and free exploration of ideas will swirl together to make for an unforgettable musical experience. With DeMarinis, the music is always creative and fresh and this performance will feature some of Paul’s recently composed music. You’ll also have the opportunity to hear Paul on soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, and wood flute. Selections will include: Portrait, Earth Angels, Advent, Learning Curve, Bloodline, Up, and At the Hillcrest Club. The event will start with a clinic by Paul and then he will be joined by the trio.

Paul DeMarinis is a St. Louis native and longtime staple of the local jazz scene. He was named the 2016 Outstanding Jazz Educator by the Missouri Association of Jazz Educators (MOAJE). The Director of the Jazz Studies program at Webster University since 1988, Paul teaches saxophone, jazz improvisation, and jazz history, as well as oversees the ensemble and academic jazz program, coordinating the faculty jazz ensemble, and directing the Webster Jazz Series and the Webster Summer Jazz Camp.

“Paul exemplifies excellence. He demands focus and dedication. He has an enviable record in both performance and education.” – Jeffrey Carter

Paul also has a long association as a saxophonist with the St. Louis Symphony, with performances at Powell Hall, as well as New York’s Carnegie Hall and overseas. DeMarinis has a long association as a saxophonist with the St. Louis Symphony; in addition to many performances at Powell Hall he has performed with the symphony orchestra overseas and at New York’s Carnegie Hall. He has performed with many jazz notables including the Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Liebman, Louie Bellson, Gary Foster, and Bobby Shew and many others. As a performer, educator, and clinician, he has been involved with the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops as well as the International Summer Jazz Academy in Poland.

Its an honor for us to present the Paul DeMarinis/Debby Lennon/Nick Schlueter Trio to Saxquest. I hope to see you all out for this amazing performance and clinic.

I’m super excited to let you know that Saxquest is hosting a huge woodwind musical instrument expo on November 19. Its FREE and open to the public. The Saxquest Woodwind Instrument Expo will feature hundreds of custom, professional, and step-up instruments including saxophones, clarinets, flutes, and double reeds. We’ve invited all of the major manufactures to set up booths and bring their best and most popular instruments for trial. You’ll have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with Selmer-Paris, Buffet Crampon, Vandoren, Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Keilwerth, P. Mauriat, Powell, Haynes and many more. Parents, band directors, students, professional musicians, amateaur musicians, and the like will have the opportunity to play through all of the instruments and experience together the difference a professional or step-up instrument can make.

We’ve set up the event to be a good time for everyone with door prizes from Vandoren and D’Addario being awarded every hour (mouthpieces, reeds, etc….) and a big giveaway at the end for those who booked an appointment in-advance. Its meant to be an enjoyable event and give you the opportunity to experience a large variety of professional and step-up instruments in a relaxed environment. While special one-day discounts will be available, there’s absolutely NO pressure to buy!!

The event will be open to walk in traffic all day, but we strongly recommend booking an appointment to guarantee total access to all of the Expo. Both private sound rooms and personal sound coaches will be available all day. For those interested in a possible purchase, we’re offering a 10% discount on all instruments and special 0% financing on select instruments along with our everyday discounted prices. Note that a professional set-up is included for FREE on any instrument purchased ($350 value)!

The goal of every musician is to “elevate your performance”, continue to grow, and have fun while playing and performing. As a high-end woodwind specialty shop here in St. Louis, we’re delighted to be able to host this unique event.

By booking an appointment now, you’re reserving a spot along with being placed into a drawing to win free reeds for a year or $500 in store credit (no purchase necessary)! This is a St. Louis first so we hope to see you at the Expo! For more information, please visit the event page : https://www.facebook.com/events/897760717027051/