David Bixler Quartet

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courtesy David Bixler

A close-up of David Bixler.

David Bixler

The latest album from saxophonist David Bixler, BEATitude, features eight contemplative new originals, and reconvenes the band from his 2019 set, In the Face of Chaos. Bixler is also the host of the long-running podcast Liner Notes, featuring conversations with other jazz notables. For this BlueStem Jazz matinee concert, Bixler will be joined by trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist Clay Schaub, and drummer Dave Bayles.

BlueStem Jazz.

media release: After moving to NYC thirty years ago, saxophonist, composer, and educator David Bixler cut his teeth touring the world with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Toshiko Akioshi. He later joined the Chico O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Big Band, with whom he played a decade-long residency of Sunday evenings at Birdland and won a LATIN GRAMMY for the recording, Final Night at Birdland. The passage of time encompassed a twelve year period of managing his son’s health issues which caused a humbling reboot to his priorities in life and the role of music in it. In the summer of 2016, after reevaluating his circumstances he recorded In the Face of Chaos (2019) with Bixler, Boccato, Cowherd, and Sturm, Blended Lineage (2020) with the Bixtet, and Inside the Grief (2020) with trio incognito. His latest project, THE LANGSTON HUGHES PROJECT vol. 1, which PARIS-MOVE describes as "a touch of genius" is a new recording featuring music inspired by the poetry of Langston Hughes.. Bixler is the host of LINER NOTES with David Bixler, a podcast centered on conversations with jazz musicians. He also serves as director of jazz studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. As both a Selmer and Vandoren Artist he is active as a clinician and performer throughout the world.

Trumpeter Russ Johnson is a recent Midwest transplant after spending 23 years as an important member of New York City’s jazz community. He has 7 recordings as a leader or co-leader and performed on more than 75 recordings as a sideman. Russ has worked alongside many of the legendary figures in jazz including Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow, Bill Frisell, and Joe Lovano. In addition, he has recorded and/or performed with a long list of the most prominent musicians currently on the international jazz scene, including Myra Melford, Ken Vandermark, and Tony Malaby. Russ has performed in more than 40 countries across the globe. His groups have recently performed at the Chicago, Winter Jazz Fest (NYC) Hyde Park, (Chicago) and Bergamo, (Italy) jazz festivals.

"Jacobson, York, and Schaub are masters of sound, touch and feel. This outing showcases them in a drumless trio format which allows for all three of their gorgeous sounds to be heard with clarity. It's a swinging record that will keep you on the edge of your seat." - Dan Nimmer, pianist with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis

"I am so enjoying listening to the new trio project from my good friend Eric Jacobson! His fluent, clear-toned trumpet playing is complemented perfectly by the swinging piano of Pamela York and the firm bass playing of Clay Schaub. The cohesion and empathy that this trio has built up over a long period of playing together on a regular basis really shows in their treatments of the standards and jazz classics featured on this recording. Highly recommended!" - Brian Lynch, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and band leader

Mr. Dave Bayles has worked with such jazz artists as Bruce Barth, Peter Bernstein, Rick Germanson, Slide Hampton, Barry Harris, Brian Lynch, Jack McDuff, Bob Mintzer, Frank Morgan, James Moody, Melvin Rhyne, Charles McPherson, Rich Perry, John Swana, Dan Trudel, Ernie Watts and Steve Wiest. He has performed at many jazz venues in Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Milwaukee, New York City and Washington D.C. Dave's latest recording, Dave Bayles Trio Live at the Uptowner (Calligram Records) will be released in early November 2023. As a clinician for Yamaha Music Corporation and Zildjian Cymbals, he travels and teaches widely throughout the U.S. and Canada. Dave is on the faculty at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Parkside and the Milwaukee Jazz Institute.