jazz saxophone

Heavily influenced by David Sanborn, instrumentalist Jaared is a Washington, DC-based alto and soprano saxophonist who has made smooth jazz and crossover jazz his primary focus in the ‘90s and 2000s; other saxophonists (alto, tenor, soprano or otherwise) who have had a direct or indirect impact on Jaared's playing include Grover Washington, Jr., Nelson Rangell, Ronnie Laws and George Howard. Jaared is capable of playing other types of instrumental music, including fusion, soul-jazz and post-bop--and he is no stranger to R&B.

A Charlie Parker disciple who brings his own lyricism to the bebop language, Charles McPherson has been a reliable figure in modern mainstream jazz for more than 35 years. He played in the Detroit jazz scene of the mid-'50s, moved to New York in 1959, and within a year was working with Charles Mingus. McPherson and his friend Lonnie Hillyer succeeded Eric Dolphy and Ted Curson as regular members of Mingus' band in 1961 and he worked with the bassist off and on up until 1972. Although he and Hillyer had a short-lived quintet in 1966, McPherson was not a full-time leader until 1972.

Joshua Redman (born February 1, 1969) is a prominent American jazz saxophonist who records for Nonesuch Records. Redman, who is Black and Jewish, was born in Berkeley, California. He is the son of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman. He is a graduate of Berkeley High School. Then in 1991 he graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. Redman won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition the same year and began focusing on his musical career.

Lou Donaldson (born 1926) is a jazz alto saxophonist, born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker's improvisational approach. His first recordings were with bop emissaries Milt Jackson and Thelonious Monk in 1952, and lead several small groups with other jazz luminaries such as trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Horace Silver and the indomitable skinsman, Art Blakey.