Gary Smulyan
| Gary Smulyan | |
|---|---|
 Joe Temperley and Gary Smulyan | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
April 4, 1956 Bethpage, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | baritone saxophone |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Labels | Criss Cross, Reservoir |
| Associated acts | Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Kenny Washington, Ray Drummond |
| Website |
www |
Aarhus, Denmark, 2015
Gary Smulyan (born on April 4, 1956 in Bethpage, New York) is a jazz musician who plays baritone saxophone. He studied at Hofstra University before working with Woody Herman. He leads a trio with bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Kenny Washington.[1]
Smulyan has played with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and its previous incarnation, the Mel Lewis Big Band. He has played with the Dave Holland Big Band and Octet, the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, and he has performed and recorded with Carla Bley's Big Band.
Smulyan's biggest influence is Pepper Adams. When Adams died, Smulyan recorded an album entitled Homage,[2] which featured eight pieces composed by Adams. He has recorded for Criss Cross Jazz and Reservoir Records, including the critically acclaimed High Noon: The Jazz Soul of Frankie Laine, featuring arrangements by Mark Masters.
Since 2006, Smulyan has served as artistic director at the Berkshire Hills Music Academy in South Hadley, Massachusetts. and his wife, pianist and conductor Joan Cornachio, live with their family in nearby Amherst.
Smulyan has consistently been ranked best baritone saxophone player in the annual Down Beat magazine readers' and critics' polls.
Discography
- 1991: The Lure of Beauty (Criss Cross), with Jimmy Knepper, Mulgrew Miller
- 1991: Homage (Criss Cross) with Tommy Flanagan, Ray Drummond
- 1993: Saxophone Mosaic (Criss Cross) with Dick Oatts
- 1996: With Strings (Criss Cross)
- 1997: Roots (Astor Place) with Cedar Walton
- 1999: Blue Suite (Criss Cross) with Bob Stewart, John Clark
- 2000: 52nd Street Themes (Blue Note) with Joe Lovano
- 2002: The Real Deal (Reservoir) with Joe Magnarelli, Mike LeDonne, Dennis Irwin, Kenny Washington
- 2006: Hidden Treasures (Reservoir) with Christian McBride, Billy Drummond
- 2012: Smul's Paradise (Capri) with Mike LeDonne, Peter Bernstein, Kenny Washington
- 2013: Bella Napoli (Capri) with Dominic Chianese, Gary Versace, Joseph Brent, Martin Wind, and Matt Wilson
As sideman
With Benny Green
- The Place To Be (Blue Note, 1994)
With Gerald Wilson
- In My Time (Mack Avenue, 2005)
- Legacy (Mack Avenue, 2011)
References
- ↑ Down Beat Artists Profile Archived 2006-11-26 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Smulyan, Gary. Homage. Criss Cross Records B0000020MS. 1991
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