Online Media:
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Saxophone+Cartel
The Weekly Special
http://www.indiana.edu/~radiotv/wtiu/weeklyspecial/archives/2006/07/30-week/index.html
Pandora Music Genome Project
http://www.pandora.com/music/album/the+saxophone+cartel/caught+in+the+act
A Brief History:
April 2003 - The Sax Cartel is founded at the Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana
January 2004 - The Sax Cartel chosen to appear on the Live From Bloomington 2004 CD
February 2004 - Concert opening for the ROVA Saxophone Quartet
April 2004 - Concert at the Biennial Conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance.
July 2004 - Jazz in July, Indiana University Art Museum
April 2005 - The Sax Cartel accepted to perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival, but is unable to attend
June 2005 - Production of the Sax Cartel's debut CD “Caught in the Act”
September 2005 - Performance at Fourth Street Festival of the Arts & Crafts, Bloomington, Indiana
June 2006 - Live recording of the Sax Cartel's next CD release, date TBA, with special guest Steve Baczkowski
2003-2006 - Live appearances at festivals and local radio stations WFHB and WFIU
July 2006 - Appearance on "The Weekly Special", WTIU Bloomington
September 2006 - Debut of punk/free jazz saxes plus rhythm section version of the Sax Cartel, "Carteloid"!
May 2007 - Mastering of next CD
June 2008 - Performance in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with special guest Ned Rothenberg
November 2008 - Performance at An die Musik, Baltimore, MD
2009 - Performances in NYC at Rose Live Music, Spike Hill, Bowery Poetry Club, Goodbye Blue Mondays
The Saxophone Cartel members:
Cam Collins - alto, soprano sax, clarinet: Cam Collins is originally from Columbus, Indiana, and grew up around music. Upon deciding to study music at the collegiate level, Cam began studies at the Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington. There, he studied saxophone with Dr. Thomas Walsh, and clarinet with James Campbell. During his second year in college, Cam auditioned for, and was accepted into, the U.S. Naval Academy Band as lead alto in the “Next Wave” jazz ensemble. Cam has performed as a soloist with many leading ensembles, including the Columbus Philharmonic, Indiana Ambassadors of Music, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Pat Harbison Big Band, and most recently, lead alto saxophone with the Disneyland All American College Band. Cam has received numerous awards and honors for musicianship, like the Columbus Indiana Mayor’s Arts Award (2002), Esprit de Corps Award (2002), U.S. Marine Corps’ Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence(2002), and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. Over the course of his career, Cam has appeared with many big names of the music industry, including Fred Hersch, Bill Watrous, Tom Kubis, John Clayton, Shelley Berg, Wayne Bergeron, Bobby Rydell, Steve Allee, Bob Florence, Gregg Field, Steve Houghton, Bill Warfield, Dave Samuels and Gary Foster, to name a few. He has studied privately with Rich Perry, Mark Turner, and Ellery Eskelin. Cam currently resides in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Michael Eaton - alto, tenor sax, clarinet: Michael Eaton is from Liberty, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. He attended IU-Bloomington from 1999-2004, studying with Eugene Rousseau and Tom Walsh. He was a member of David Baker's IU Jazz Band, which recorded a CD in 2001. Michael appeared with noted local and regional ensembles, including the Steve Allee Big Band, the Buselli-Wallerab Jazz Orchestra, Rob Dixon's Triology, the Bloomington Pops, Monster Zero Orchestra, eclectic rock band Blue Moon Revue, rock/funk/jam band Montezuma's Revenge, Brandon Meeks, Üt Haus, Art Deco Quartet, Kyle Quass, and others. He co-led the (x)tet for three years, and recently organized two free improv large ensembles: the 2006 BIASfest Coltrane Ascension Ensemble (an electro-acoustic "Ascension"), and the Michael Eaton Large/Large Ensemble (reminiscent of the Brötzmann Tentet) performing a cover and original material. Since moving to the NYC area, Michael has performed with Collective Pursuit, the DAM Band, and The Ideas. Michael has studied privately with James Moody, David Baker, and Gary Foster. He has performed live in concert with David Baker, The Temptations, Sylvia McNair, Matt Darriau, Ingrid Jensen, Jim Snidero, Eugene Chadbourne, and with Fred Hersch. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Morgan Price - soprano, alto, baritone sax, recorder: Morgan Price hails from Rockville, Maryland and started playing saxophone at the age of 9. Under the encouragement of his high school band director, Peter Perry, he discovered his passion for music. He enrolled at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2002 and pursued a degree in jazz studies under the direction of David Baker and his saxophone professor Tom Walsh. While at IU, Morgan became deeply involved in the creative music scene, co-leading groups such as the (x)tet, Mojai and a large ensemble tributes to Charles Mingus; and playing in regional groups in a wide array of styles. Upon graduating with a Bachelors degree and a Performer's Certificate in 2007, Morgan moved back to the east coast. In his short career, he has played at venues such as Ravinia in Chicago and the Victor Wooten F.U.N.K. Fest in Indiana; the Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC; and the Knitting Factory and the Abrons Arts Center in New York City, among other places. He has also been a jazz scholar at the Steans Institute for Young Artists and served on the faculty of Birch Creek , and currently serves as the music librarian for the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Morgan is dedicated to creative music endeavors and continues to involve himself in challenging projects, including his recent work in electronic music, under the pseudonym Eschatology. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Colin Renick - alto, tenor, baritone sax, bass sax, bass clarinet: Colin Renick is a saxophonist/composer currently living in Annapolis, MD where he is active as bandleader, free-lance saxophonist, and composer/arranger in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area. A member of the United States Naval Academy Band since 2007, Mr. Renick earned Masters degrees in Classical Saxophone Performance and Jazz Studies from Indiana University, where he studied with Otis Murphy and David Baker while serving as Associate Instructor of both Saxophone and Jazz. Comfortable in a spectrum of musical styles from classical to free improvisation, he seeks to unite the broad landscape of his musical and non-musical influences with the spirit of the moment through his performances, improvisations, arrangements, and compositions.
Peter Sparacino - alto, tenor sax: A native of San Mateo, California, Peter began his musical life at age 9 playing clarinet in youth symphonies in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, while in high school, his band director urged him to be as versatile as possible and at 16 Peter began playing the saxophone. That summer he attended the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and the talent pool and great jazz artists on the faculty inspired him to begin studying jazz seriously. In 2002, he auditioned and was accepted into the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music jazz studies program, studying under saxophone professor Tom Walsh. During his time in Indiana, Peter played with many different groups and musical configurations, including the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, the Fort Wayne Symphony, and of course the Saxophone Cartel. After a post-college 6 month stint working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, Peter moved back to San Francisco where he quickly immersed himself in the local music scene playing regularly with such notable Bay Area groups as the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, the Fil Lorenz Collective West Jazz Orchestra, Bay Area salsa powerhouse Mazacote, the Tin Cup Serenade, the Vince Lateano Quartet, Stymie and the PJLO, and his own quartet/quintet as well as many others. In addition, he maintained an active teaching schedule, teaching privately, conducting clinics at local high schools, and teaching during the summer at the Young Musicians Program in Berkeley, CA. In the fall of 2008 Peter moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he currently resides.
More associates:
Steve Baczkowski - tenor, baritone saxes, slide didjeridoo: Steve Baczkowski is a baritone saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, improviser, music producer and educator who has been performing professionally in a variety of musical contexts for over ten years. Born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., he began studying jazz in earnest in high school at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts and went on to study music and ethnomusicology at The University at Buffalo from 1994-99.
In 1999 Steve became the Music Director of Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center where he has since produced and presented over 100 concerts of jazz/improvised music, new music, and multi-media performances as well as several artist residencies. This is where, as he puts it, “my real music education began.” Working closely with saxophonists such as Odean Pope, Charles Gayle, Oliver Lake, Joe McPhee, Peter Brötzmann and countless others, he has also studied with Pope, Hamiet Bluiett, David Mott, Joe Maneri, and others.
In addition to leading several ensembles, including his sextet Eulipion and the Protozoan Improvisers Collective, Steve also plays with the trio Hylozoa (with Tom Abbs and Ravi Padmanabha), The 12/8 Path Band, The Genkin Philharmonic, Protozoa (with Leland Scott Davis), Visiting Sun Ra, and others. Steve performs frequently in the Buffalo area, as well as in NYC and abroad. He has worked and/or performed with many great musicians including Odean Pope, Bobby Previte, Carlo Actis Dato, Joe McPhee, Leland Scott Davis, Dominic Duval, Ramon Lopez, Tom Abbs, Paul Flaherty, Chris Corsano, Jay Rosen, Daniel Carter, Chris Jonas, Birth, Tony Conrad, Ravi Padmanabha, John Bacon, Jonathan Golove, Rey Scott, Butch Morris, and countless others. Steve has performed numerous festivals in North America including, most recently, a two-week residency in Monterrey, Mexico for El Encuentro International, and a performance at Toronto’s Fringe Jazz Festival.
Steve has lectured on improvisation, didjeridu techniques, and overtone based music at Buffalo State College, The University at Buffalo, and The State University at Fredonia. CD reviews can be found here.
Quotes:
"Wonderful group. Original stuff and well played." -- David Liebman, internationally renowned master saxophonist, improviser, composer, and educator
"All-saxophone groups tend to be quartets, but the Saxophone Cartel bumps the standard format up to a sextet, adding detail rather than mere weight to the ensemble sound. They keep at a slant to Jazz orthodoxy: there are nods to classical polyphonic tradition (the gradually swelling procession of “Passacaglia”) and the punchy horn charts of James Brown’s band (“Key of J.B.”), and even the more Jazz-centric pieces feature scrimshaw-intricate arrangements rather than the usual head/solos/head structure...There are several free improvisations, which place the emphasis on spontaneous convergence, as riffs and melodies emerge and are quickly seized on: despite abrasive moments such as the squiggly opening to “Newton’s Nightmare,” the mood is playful rather than confrontational or austere...The imaginative arrangements (mostly Benjamin Himpel’s handiwork) offer a more individual voice than any of the players’ actual solo work, perhaps, but Caught in the Act is still well worth hearing, offering a few new wrinkles on the familiar sax-ensemble format." © Cadence Magazine 2006 www.cadencebuilding.com ph: 315-287-2852
"Saxophone Cartel, a diaphanous sextet brings about classic reed forms of sounds as well as an array of modern jazz stylizations and improvising passages. Caught In The Act expresses a motley and capacious inventive mastery of reed-instruments. Euphonies grade from European jazz shapes to twisted, airy and fancy soundscapes.
The free nuances, attacks and jazz accent skills of these six young artists are top rate, whiffing and huffing with a natural simplicity and zealous receptivity. Reed impulses lead and drift with every member’s breath. From “David Miller presents” to “Creation” the tracks hook you into its fashion without swamping you. The reticulation can be tonal plus assuasive in a deck of atonal twinkles.
Soprano saxophonist Ariel Alexander rips through a rather laborious mishmash of free-figures and improvised licks encouraged by frenzied Cashdollar, Eaton, Goldberg, Himpel and Renick’s soaring rhythms. Saxophone Cartel’s appeal is cored within its cooperative blend to inter-cross heterogeneous genres into a peculiar musical aura that bears a manifold amazement.
Although the band is rooted under a classical polyphonic heritage, they visit contemporary pieces with unique musical configurations. The improvs are accented with impetuous concourses as riffs and new sounds emanate fluently. Caught In The Act is well worth hearing offering a great spotlight to six talented artists with a high level of musicianship. We certainly will hear more about their craft." -- Dr. Ana Isabel Ordonez, www.jazzreview.com
(see http://www.jazzreview.com/cd/review-18363.html)
"Saxophone Cartel - "Caught in the Act"
Die Instrumentierung lässt es bereits erahnen: Hier ist eine Menge Experimentierfreude im Spiel. In der ungewöhnlichen Besetzung eines reinen Saxofon-Sextetts zeigt die amerikanisch-deutsche Formation "The Saxophone Cartel" auf ihrem Debut-Album, wie elegant es klingen kann, wenn das typischste der typischen Jazz-Instrumente einmal aus seinem Genre- und Rollen-Korsett ausbrechen darf.
Saxophone Cartel - "Caught in the Act"
Nein, gepflegt-langweiliger Cocktail-Jazz ist das beileibe nicht, was da aus der Stereoanlage tönt, legt man "Caught In The Act", den Erstling des Cartels, ein: Da kreischt das Alt schon mal, während die beiden Tenorsaxofone einen Staccato-Groove aufbauen, das Bariton brummelnd grundiert und das Sopran mit chromatischen Tonfolgen in höchste Lagen noch einen draufsetzt. War gerade ein flotter Dixie im Anmarsch, geht es urplötzlich in schleppenden Blues-Schritten weiter. Klassischer Polyphonie ("Passacaglia") folgen impulsive Kollektiv-Improvisationen ("Ring Shout").
Frisch und ideenreich lotet die Formation um den 30-jährigen Bonner Tenor- und Baritonspieler Benjamin Himpel in dessen Eigenkompositionen die Schnittmenge von Jazz, Avantgarde und freier Improvisation aus. Ein Tipp nicht nur für Saxofon-Liebhaber."
Johannes Kloth
review from jazzdimensions.com
(see http://www.jazzdimensions.de/reviews/jazz/2006/sax_cartel_caught.html)
"The Saxophone Cartel is an exciting new saxophone sextet that explores the boundaries of the saxophone repertoire, from completely composed classical pieces, to imaginatively arranged jazz compositions, to almost completely improvised pieces, that utilize all the members of the saxophone family, including the rarely heard bass saxophone. The group's extraordinary and entertaining music goes well beyond strictly classical or jazz boundaries, and the Sax Cartel performs with both precision and colorful and joyous verve, [reminiscent] of the World Saxophone Quartet and the ROVA Sax Quartet." -- David Miller, Jazz Fables
"The Saxophone Cartel is a joy to experience! Their multidimensional music weaves together sublimely tuneful original compositions, free improvisation, and humor. They even resurrect music by the Six Brown Brothers. This ensemble will make you smile." -- Tom Walsh, Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies, Indiana University
"Very cool, guys (and girl)! The world needs more people who are willing to break new ground in saxophone ensembles. SATB quartets are great, but the saxophone family can do even more when you bring in a few more players and a few different horns. I look forward to seeing what you do and where you go!" -- Jay C. Easton, woodwinds faculty at the University of San Diego, multi-multi-instrumentalist, recording artist
"We all enjoyed your set and yes to next year if you are all here...You guys are great and so tight it is scary." -- Lee VB, co-organizer of Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts, Bloomington, IN
"You all are one of the best things to happen to Bloomington in 30 years! The concept, execution, and musicianship were all tremendous. I was dazzled." -- Jerry Nees, Bloomington-area listener and musician
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